Church celebrates feast of San Francisco de Borja

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Francis Borgia on October 3. Born in Valencia, Spain, in 1510, Borgia was a member of the nobility and the grandson of Ferdinand II of Aragon.

Borgia held several titles, including the Marquis of Lombay and the 4th Duke of Gandia. He married Leonor de Castro in 1529, and the couple had 8 children.

According to reports from the Diocese of Sololá–Chimaltenango and Desde la Fe, Borgia's life changed following the death of his wife and the death of Isabel of Portugal in 1539. After witnessing the physical decay of Isabel during her funeral, Borgia decided to stop serving earthly lords and instead dedicated himself to prayer and penance. He eventually left his noble status and wealth to join the Society of Jesus, serving alongside its founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola.