Death: June 30, 2002 in Uberaba, Brazil
BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY
Famous Brazilian Spiritist medium. (Spiritism, the Brazilian
form of Spiritualism, stems from the teachings of French Spiritist
Allan Kardec.) Known throughout Brazil as ``Chico Xavier''
(pronounced Sheeko Shaveer), he was born April 2, 1910, in the
town of Pedro Leopoldo in the central state of Minas Gerais. He
was one of a family of nine children. His mother died when he was
only five, but Chico saw her materialize after her death, and
during his period at primary school three years later, be became
accustomed to hearing voices and sensing spirit presences.
He won an honorable mention for an essay contest with an entry
that appeared to be dictated to him by a spirit form. On being
challenged to produce another ``spirit essay,'' he went straight
to the blackboard and started writing a profound statement on the
theme suggested, after which the teacher recommended he stop
talking about spirit voices and pray on conventional Catholic
lines.
He became a practicing medium in 1927 soon after one of his
sisters was cured of apparent possession through the efforts of a
healing medium. The whole Xavier family became Spiritists, and the
medium's wife, Carmen Perácio, founded an evangelical
Spiritist center, where Xavier manifested an ability for automatic
writing. At one of these sessions, Perácio had a vision of
a priestly spirit, ``Emmanuel,'' who became Xavier's spirit guide
thereafter. Xavier's mediumship continued in the form of automatic
writing from spirit dictation.
Although nearly blind in one eye through most of his life and
with only a rudimentary primary education, Xavier produced a
prodigious number of books recognizably in the style of hundreds
of deceased Brazilian and Portuguese authors whose works he had
never had the opportunity to study.
In addition, he visited invalids in the district and undertook
voluntary social work at his Pedro Leopoldo Spiritist Center at
Uberaba. Hundreds of visitors came to this center for a personal
message delivered by Xavier in trance, with instructions on
individual problems, whether spiritual or medical. He has written
some 130 books, of which over 3,000,000 copies have been sold in
415 editions. Some of these books have been translated into
Spanish, French, Japanese, Esperanto, and English.
His book Evolucão em dois mundos (Evolution in Two
Worlds, 1959) was written in collaboration with Dr. Waldo Vieira,
who lived 250 miles away. The chapters were written alternately in
uniform style and continuity, and the work took only forty days.
It contained scientific concepts beyond the medium's
understanding, suggesting to many that such information does not
come from the medium's subconscious. Brazilian Spiritists follow
Allan Kardec in clearly distinguishing between escrita automatica
(automatic writing involving the medium's subconscious) and
psiografia (involving a spirit entity).
In spite of the enormous popularity of his prodigious literary
output, Xavier never accepted payment for any of his books and
even disclaimed personal credit by the phrase ``dictated by the
spirit of-'' on the title page.
He left Brazil only on two occasions. In 1965 and 1966 he made
brief trips to Spiritualist centers abroad and a pilgrimage to the
tomb of Allan Kardec in Paris, France. He appeared on Brazilian
television programs, but remained a modest, sincere individual who
devoted his psychic gift to the service of mankind. He was made an
honorary citizen of São Paulo in 1973, and was similarly
honored by other cities and towns in Brazil, including Rio de
Janeiro, Uberada, Campinas, and São Bernardo. In 1977, the
government of Brazil endorsed Xavier's half century as a medium by
issuing a postage stamp in his honor. This official recognition of
Spiritism is unique to Brazil; the government has also issued
postage stamps honoring Allan Kardec and his teachings.
Sources:
Xavier, Francisco Candido. Christian Agenda. London: Regency
Press, 1970.
------. The World of the Spirit. New York: Philosophical
Library, n.d.
- The above writeup was reproduced by permission from
"Francisco Candido Xavier." Encyclopedia of Occultism and
Parapsychology, 5th ed. Edited by J. Gordon Melton,
2001.
------------
Additional Biographies and Obituaries:
- Chico of the
Spirits - Obituary from Brazzil.com
- Chico
Xavier - Brazil's leading medium, his many books were
dictated by the dead. (Obituary)
- The
Pope of Spiritism - a tribute on his passing
- The
Most Prolific Spiritist Medium in Brazil, Francisco de Paula
Candido Xavier, returns to the Spiritual Plane - by Antonio
Leite & Renan Lacerda from spiritists/geae.inf.br
- Francisco
Candido Xavier - biography from thefreedictionary.com
- Francisco
Candido Xavier - biography from occultopedia.com
- Brazilian
Medium Francisco Xavier - from ieja.org
Works via Chico Xavier translated into English
- And life goes on--. (Original Portuguese title: E
A Vida Continua) Philadelphia, PA : Allan Kardec
Educational Society, 2000
- Children
From The Beyond. (Original Portuguese title:
Crianças no Além) - Francisco C. Xavier
& Caio Ramacciotii
- Christian
agenda. (Original Portuguese title: Agenda
Cristã). Translated by: George C. Hart and Evelyn R.
Morales, London : Regency Press, 1970
- Disobsession.
(Original Portuguese title: Desobsessão) - Andre
Luiz & Fransciso C. Xavier
- Translated by: Tânia Stevanin, Jussara Korngold and
Maria Levinson
- "Nosso
Lar", the astral city, the story of a doctor's odyssey in the
spirit world. Elon College, N.C., Christian Spirit
Center, 1986
- Our
Daily Bread - (Original Portuguese title: Pão
Nosso). Emmanuel & Francisco C. Xavier. Translated by:
J. Korngold and M. Levinson
- The
world of the spirit. via Francisco C. Xavier &
Waldo Vieira, New York, Philosophical Library, 1966
Works via Chico Xavier in Portuguese
- Chico
Xavier - Site Oficial (Portuguese) - free downloads of some
books in Portuguese
-
- Os 3 caminhos de HÈcate: crÙnicas do Irmo
Saulo. Sao Paulo, 196?
- AÁo e reaÁo. Rio de Janeiro, 1956
- Alma e coraÁo, pelo espÌrito de Emmanuel. Sao
Paulo, 1969
- Amanhece. [Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brasil],
1976
- Amor sem adeus. Araras, Brasil, 1978
- Antologia de espiritualidade. Rio [de Janeiro]
1971
- Antologia dos imortais, poetas diversos. Rio de Janiero,
1963
- Antologia mediúnica do Natal: espÌritos
diversos. Rio, 1967
- Astronautas do alÈm. Sao Paulo, 1973
- Auta de Souza. Sao Paulo, 1976
- Ave, Cristo; romance ditado pelo espÌrito de
Emmanuel. Rio de Janeiro, 1966
- Baú de casos. Sao Paulo, 1977
- BÍnÁo de paz: pelo espÌrito de
Emmanuel. Sao Paulo, 1971
- Bezerra, Chico e vocÍ [Sao Bernardo do Campo,
Brazil], 1973
- Brasil, coraÁo do mundo, p·tria do evangelho.
Rio de Janeiro, 1957
- Busca e achar·s [Saõ Paulo, Brasil ],
1976
- A caminho da luz: histÛria da civilizaÁo. Rio
de Janeiro, 1945
- A caminho da luz; histÛria da civilizaÁo luz
do espiritismo. Rio de Janeiro, 1961
- Caminhos de volta [Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brasil],
1975
- A caninho da Luz, histÛria da civilizaco. Rio de
Janeiro, 1945
- Caridade. Araras, Brasil, 1978
- Castro Alves fala terra: antologia. Sao Paulo, Brasil,
1971
- Cho de flores [Sso Paulo], 1975
- Chico Xavier: a vida s as obras. Sao Paulo, 1987
- Chico Xavier: dos hippies aos problemas do mundo. Sao
Paulo, SP, 1990
- Chico Xavier, mandato de amor Belo Horizonte: UEM,
1992
- Chico Xavier no Pinga Fogo. Sao Paulo, 1971
- Chico Xavier pede licenÁa; um aparte do alÈm
nos di·logos da terra. Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brasil],
1972
- Chico Xavier--dos hippies aos problemas do mundo. Sao
Paulo, 1972
- Coisas deste mundo. Sao Paulo 1977
- Companheiro. Araras, 1979
- Consolador. Rio De Janeiro, 1955
- Contos Desta e Doutra Vida: Pelo Espirito Irmo X. Brasil,
1990
- Conversa firme. Uberaba [Brasil], 1976
- Correio fraterno [obra mediúnica] por
diversos espÌritos. Rio [de Janeiro], 1970
- D·divas espirituais. Sao Paulo, 1994
- Desobsesso, pelo espÌrito de AndrÈ Luiz. Rio
[de Janeiro], 1964
- Deus sempre. Sao Paulo, 1976
- Di·logo dos vivos [Sao Bernardo do Campo,
Brasil], 1974
- Dicion·rio da alma. MÈier, GB, 1964
- DoaÁões de amor: [Sao Bernardo do Campo,
Brasil], 1992
- Os dois maiores amores [Sao Bernando do Campo, SP],
1983
- E a vida continua . Rio de Janeiro, 1968
- Encontros no tempo. Araras, Brasil, 1979
- Entrevistas. Araras, SP, Brasil, 1975
- Enxugando l·grimas: espÌritos diversos. Araras,
Brasil, 1979
- O espÌrito da verdade, autores diversos. Rio de
Janeiro, 1970
- O espÌrito de CornÈlio Pires; antologia
poÈtica. Rio [de Janeiro], 1965
- Estante da vida; [crÙnicas] Ditado pelo
espÌrito de Irmo x. Rio, 1969
- Estude e viva, pelos espÌritos de Emmanuel e
AndrÈ Luiz. Rio, 1965
- Filhos voltando. Sao Bernardo do Campo, SP, 1982
- Gotas de Luz. Rio [de Janeiro], RJ, Brasil,
1987
- H· dois mil anos . romance de Emmanuel. Rio de
Janeiro, 1944
- Ideias e ilustraÁões; espÌritos
diversos. Rio, 1970
- Igrejas e cassarões do. Rio Grande do Norte. Natal,
1973
- Instrumentos do tempo [Sao Bernardo do Campo,
Brasil], 1974
- Jesus no lar, Rio de Janeiro, 1958
- Jovens no alÈm. Sao Bernardo do Campo, 1975
- JustiÁa divina, pelo espÌrito de Emmanuel.
Rio de Janeiro, 1962
- Leis de amor. Sao Paulo, 1965
- Lira imortal: poesias. Sao Paulo, 1966
- Luz acima . Rio de Janeiro, 1948
- Mais luz, pelo espÌrito de BatuÌra. Sao
Paulo, 1970
- Mos marcadas: espÌritos diversos. Araras
[Brasil], 1973
- Mos unidas. Araras, Brasil, 1979
- Mecanismos da mediunidade; Rio de Janeiro, 1960
- Os mensageiros: pelo espÌrito AndrÈ Luiz.
Rio, 1944
- Mission·rios da luz: ditado pelo espÌrito
AndrÈ Luiz. Rio de Janeiro, 1945
- Na era do espÌrito. Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brasil,
1973
- Na hora do testemunho. Sao Paolo, Brasil, 1978
- Natal de Sabina. Sao Bernardo do Campo, [Brasil],
1973
- No portal da luz; ditado pelo espÌrito de Emmanuel.
Uberaba, 1967
- Nos domÌnios da mediunidade. Rio [de
Janeiro] GB, Brasil, 1954
- Nosso lar, ditado pelo espÌrito de AndrÈ
Luiz. Rio de Janeiro, 1944
- Obreiros da vida eterna: ditado pelo espÌrito
AndrÈ Luiz. Rio de Janeiro, 1946
- Opinio espÌrita: ditado pelos espÌritos de
Emmanuel e AndrÈ Luiz. Uberaba, [Brasil],
1963
- Orvalho de luz (trovas mediúnicas); trovadores
diversos. Uberaba [Brazil], 1969
- Palavras de Emmanuel: conceitos e pensamentos
extraÌdos das obras ditadas. Rio [de Janeiro],
Brasil, 1954
- Parnaso de alÈm-túmulo :autores espirituais
diversos: Rio [de Janeiro], RJ, Brasil, 1978
- Passos da vida; espiritos diversos. Uberaba
[Brazil], 1972
- Paulo e EstÍvo: episÛdios histÛricos do
christianismo primitivo. Rio-RJ, Brasil, 1941
- Recanto de paz. [Rio de Janeiro], 1976
- Religio dos espÌritos, Rio de Janeiro, 1961
- Respostas da vida. [Sao Paulo], 1976
- Rosas com amor. Araras, [Brasil], 1979
- Seara dos mÈdiuns; Rio de Janeiro, 1961
- Sexo e destino. Rio, RJ, Brasil, 1963
- Somos seis. Sao Bernardo do Campo, 1976
- A terra e o semeador. Araras, Brasil, 1975
- Testemunhos de Chico Xavier. Rio-RJ, Brasil, 1986
- Trovadores do alÈm: antologia. Rio [de
Janeiro], 1965
- Trovas do outro mundo; trovadores diversos. Rio de Janiero,
1968
- Vida e sexo. Ditado pelo espÌrito de Emmanuel. Rio
[de Janeiro], 1970
- A vida escreve: ditado pelo espÌrito de Hil·rio
Silva. Rio de Janeiro, 1963
- Volta Bocage; sonetos do Espirito de Manuel Maria de
Barbosa du Bocage. Rio de Janeiro, 1947
- Vozes do grande alÈm. Rio de Janeiro, 1957
