We have prepared a short summary with great affection to shed light on the life of Chico Xavier. Discover the story of this extraordinary individual, who has been regarded by many as one of the greatest mediums to have graced the Earth since the time of Jesus.
Francisco Cândido Xavier, known as Chico Xavier, was born on April 2, 1910, in Pedro Leopoldo, a small town in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Besides being one of the most renowned mediums of all time, Chico Xavier was also a dedicated philanthropist and a key promoter of Spiritism.
Chico Xavier faced numerous challenges throughout his life, starting from his childhood. As the son of a poor worker and a washerwoman, he and his eight siblings were orphaned by their mother Maria João de Deus when Chico was just five years old. His father, João Cândido Xavier, seeing no other alternative, entrusted some of the children to the care of friends and family. Chico ended up moving in with his godmother, who mistreated him. During that period, Chico already possessed mediumistic abilities and occasionally heard comforting words from his departed mother, inspiring him with a sense of solace, faith, and acceptance. She assured him that she would send an angel to watch over their family.
Eventually, his father remarried, and Chico found the long-awaited angel in his stepmother, Dona Cidália. Cidália showered Chico with love and care, providing him the motherly affection he had been missing. With Cidália, his father João Xavier had five more children and successfully reunited all the children from his first marriage under one roof.
Amidst the numerous challenges he faced, Chico began working at a young age to support the household. At the age of 17, he participated in his first public mediumistic service meeting and began psychographing (writing under spirit influence). When he was 21, he had his first contact with Emmanuel, his spirit guide. Emmanuel became a steadfast friend in Chico’s grand mission of disseminating knowledge about Spiritism to humanity. Chico often mentioned that Emmanuel laid out three conditions for him to fulfill his mission of psychographing a series of books about the spirit world: “discipline, discipline, and discipline.”
In 1931, Chico experienced the loss of his stepmother, Cidália, as she returned to the spirit world. While Chico knew that life continued beyond death and that they would be reunited, he deeply mourned her departure, as Dona Cidália had been a significant presence in his life.
By 1950, Chico Xavier had psychographed over 50 books. In 1959, he relocated to the city of Uberaba, where he commenced his mediumistic activities in public meetings at the Christian Spiritist Communion. Despite his immense contributions, Chico led a modest life, relying on the meager salary he earned as a civil servant at the ‘Fazenda Modelo’ (Standard Farm) of the Ministry of Agriculture, where he worked for 32 years until his retirement as a typist. Consequently, his work within the Spiritist Doctrine, including psychography and activities at the Spiritist Center, took place during evenings, after work hours, and on weekends. Chico always provided his mediumistic services free of charge to those seeking comfort and spiritual guidance.
Throughout his lifetime, Chico Xavier exceeded the mark of 450 psychographed books, with more than 50 million copies sold. His books have been translated into several languages. Numerous Spirits collaborated in the creation of these books, including Emmanuel, André Luiz, Humberto de Campos, Maria João de Deus (Chico’s mother), Neio Lúcio, as well as renowned Portuguese and Brazilian poets.
Despite the impressive number of published books, one might assume that Chico Xavier became a wealthy man. However, Chico considered himself merely a messenger, delivering correspondence for books that were not his own. Ever humble and charitable, he donated the copyright and profits from his book sales to various organizations and charities.
Beyond his role as a Spiritist, Chico Xavier possessed a profoundly generous heart, extending his legacy beyond religious boundaries. He is recognized as one of the greatest spiritual leaders in Brazil, a fact confirmed through nominations and awards bestowed upon him. In 1981 and 1982, Chico was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2012, he was voted ‘The Greatest Brazilian of All Time’ in a contest organized jointly by the Brazilian Television System (SBT) and the BBC.
Chico confided in close friends that he would pass away on a day when Brazilians were celebrating. On June 30, 2002, when the Brazilian national team won the Football World Cup for the fifth time, Francisco Cândido Xavier returned to the spirit homeland, leaving us an invaluable treasure: access to all his books and his example as an extraordinary human being.
Did you like our post? Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram to stay informed about new content and updates.
Check out some related posts:
👉 What is Spiritism? 8 Curiosities about Spiritism.
👉 Summary on Spiritism (Part I).