4-Feb 1693

The martyrdom in Oriyur, Tamil Nadu, India of St. John de Britto, who came from the Portuguese aristocracy. He worked with marginalised people in South India.

5-Feb 1991

At Rome, the death of Pedro Arrupe, 28th Genereal of the Society of Jesus.

6-Feb 1600

At Nanking, Fr Matthew Ricci, after being expelled from this city, returned and opened a seminary.

8-Feb 1890

At Rome n the Palazzo Barberini, Cardinal Joseph Pecci died. He left the Society of Jesus in 1847 but was readmitted 40 years later at the request of his brother who was Pope Leo XIII.

11-Feb 1890

Wlodimir Ledochowski was elected 26th General of the Sociey of Jesus.

15-Feb 1915

Cardinal Braschi was elected Pope Pius VI. A former pupil of the Society of Jesus, he desired the release of Fr.Ricci, the General, and his assistants from prison in Castel San Angelo.

17-Feb 1553

Seventy-seven days after Sr. Francis Xavier's death, the tomb was opened and the body found perfectly incorrupt.

18-Feb 1551

At Rome the opening of the first School of the Society of Jesus in Piazza Ara Coeli, which developed into the Roman College.

22-Feb 1624

The martyrdom at Sendai, Japan, of James Carvalho, who ministered to miners in the norhern islands of Japan until the local ruler turned against the Christians and killed Carvalho by exposing him in the frigid waters of a viver.

23-Feb 1700

The death of Paul Hoste, mathematician and expert historian on construction of ships and nava warfare.