St. Francis Xavier Church Old Catholic Church in Soi
Mitrakam Bangkok, devoted to the Jesuits, who all his life
Propagation of the Gospel in Asia, although he never set foot in
Thailand.
Samsen Soi Mitrakam is an area known for its Vietnamese
Fleeing from religious persecution of immigrants from Vietnam. Two
War with Vietnam in the reign of King Rama III, took over
Vietnamese for the area.
With the growing Catholic population, there was a needfor
next to another Church of the Immaculate Conception Church in
Soi Mitrakham. In the year 1834 by King Rama III, the donated land and
Funds for other Catholic church in the region.
The church was to St. Francis Xavier, after the Spanish --
born, French-educated Jesuit, came to the Far East to
Propagation of the Gospel. He traveled to India, Malacca,
Moluccas or Spice Islands (now Maluku islands
in Indonesia) and in Japan.
While trying to enterChina, he died on the island off the Sanchian
Coast on 3 December 1522, celebrated a day after the feast
St Francis Xavier.
The original church of St. Francis Xavier, a bamboo structure,
A storm broke out in 1837 and was replaced by new church
this time made of wood.
Earlier in the year 1824, when King Rama III ascended the throne, his
younger brother, Prince Mongkut was ordained as a monk and
it remained for the entire 27 years of the Third Reich. Than
Monk, Prince Mongkut friend Monsignor Pallegoix, a
French missionary, who at the Immaculate Conception
Church in Soi Mitrakham.
The bishop advised the prince taught Latin in turn
Monsignor Pali, the language of Buddhist scriptures. This
Association was to have far reaching consequences for the
Catholic Church in Bangkok.
In 1851, when Prince Mongkut ascended the throne as King
Rama IV, he donated land for the Bishop PallegoixConstruction of a new
St. Francis Xavier Church.
A fundraising campaign was launched in 1853, for financial resources for more
permanent church with European architecture. This new St
Francis Xavier Church lasted 10 years.
Before he died, said St. Francis Xavier, that if he does not
Enter China directly, he would Siam (Thailand) Enter and
China by Siam.
Although he never made it to Thailand, the St. Francis Xavier
Church in Bangkok isIn his memory, a fitting honor
the Apostle of the Indies.
