“I take God to witness, that, not being able to return into Europe, I have almost resolved to write to the university of Paris, and namely to our masters, Cornet and Picard, that millions of idolaters might be easily converted, if there were more preachers, who would sincerely mind the interests of Jesus Christ, and not their own concernments.”

It is pity that his letter to the doctors of Sorbonne is irrecoverably lost; for certain it is, he wrote to them from the midst of the Indies, to engage them to come, and preach the gospel.  And for this we have the testimony of Don John Derada, one of the chief magistrates of the kingdom of Navarre, who, studying at Paris, saw the letter sent from Father Xavier, admired the apostolical charity with which it was replenished, and took a copy of it, as did also many divines, to whom it was directed.

Amongst those idolatrous nations, which breathed after baptism, and desired to be instructed, the Manarois were the first, who made a deputation to the saint.

The isle of Manar is situate towards the most northern point of Ceylon, and at the head of the sands of Remanancor.  It has a very convenient port, and is a place of great traffic.  But the soil is so sandy and so dry, that it produces nothing, unless in some few places, which also are cultivated with much care and labour.  For Manar has no resemblance to Ceylon, though placed so near it:  Ceylon being the most delicious and most fruitful part of all the East; where the trees are always green, and bear fruits and flowers in every season; where there are discovered mines of gold and silver, crystal, and precious stones; which is encompassed with forests of ebony, cinnamon, and cocoa; and where the inhabitants live to an extreme old age, without any of the incommodities which attend it, The wonder is, that, being distant from the equinoctial but six degrees, the air is temperate and pure, and the rains, which water it from heaven regularly once a month, joined with the springs and rivers which pass through it, refresh the ground in a greater measure than the scorching heats can parch it.

Father Xavier was employed in establishing Christianity in Travancore, when he received this embassy from Manar.  As he could not forsake an infant church without a reasonable apprehension of its ruin, he sent to Manar one of the priests whom he had left on the coast of Fishery.  And God so blessed the labours of that missioner, that the Manarois not only became Christians, but died generously for the faith; and this was the occasion of their martyrdom.