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CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE KEY EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

(Prepared by Fr. Wilson Abraham MSFS, January 2026)

I. Family Background and Birth

1. c. 1522: Birth of the Saint’s father, François de Nouvelles, later known as Monsieur de Boisy.

2. May 12, 1560 (some sources say 1566): Marriage of Francis de Nouvelles and Françoise de Sionnaz.

3. 1567: Françoise de Sionnaz, while pregnant, consecrates her child to God before the Holy Shroud at Annecy.

4. August 21, 1567: Birth of Francis de Sales, a premature seven-month child, at the Castle of Sales in Thorens, Savoy.

5. August 22, 1567: Emergency baptism performed at home due to the infant's frail health.

6. August 28, 1567: Solemn baptism in the parish church of St. Maurice, Thorens, on the feast of St. Augustine.

7. 1569: Francis is first taken to attend Mass by his mother on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin.

II. Childhood and Early Education

8. 1573–1575: Francis attends his first school at the College of La Roche-sur-Foron with his cousins.

9. 1575: Transfer to the Chappuisien College in Annecy for further studies.

10. 1575 (sources differ; some suggest 1577): Reception of first Holy Communion and the sacrament of confirmation in the Dominican church at Annecy.

11. September 20, 1578: Reception of the clerical tonsure at Clermont-en-Genevois, a first sign of his priestly vocation.

III. University Studies and Spiritual Crisis (Paris)

12. September 25, 1578: Departure for Paris accompanied by his tutor, the priest Jean Déage.

13. 1578–1588: Enrolment and study at the Jesuit College of Clermont in Paris, where he masters rhetoric and philosophy.

14. 1583: Admission to the Sodality of Our Lady, later serving as its prefect.

15. 1584: Completion of Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Paris.

16. 1584: Secretly begins the study of theology at the Sorbonne with the assistance of M. Déage.

17. December 1586 – January 1587: A period of six weeks marked by a severe spiritual crisis regarding the theological concept of predestination and fear of damnation.

18. January 1587: Sudden deliverance from his spiritual crisis after praying the Memorare before the statue of Our Lady of Good Deliverance.

19. Early 1588: Completion of university studies in Paris, obtaining his Master of Arts degree.

20. Summer 1588: Brief return to Savoy to reconnect with his family before proceeding to Italy.

IV. University Studies (Padua)

21. Late 1588: Arrival at the University of Padua to begin doctoral studies in civil and canon law.

22. 1588: Selection of the Jesuit Father Anthony Possevin as his spiritual director in Padua.

23. 1589: Introduction to and deep study of Lorenzo Scupoli’s Spiritual Combat.

24. 1590: Formal composition of a detailed personal "Rule of Life" to govern his spiritual and academic routine.

25. December 1590 – January 1591: Grave illness during which he dictates a "spiritual will" and offers his body for medical research.

26. September 5, 1591: Successful defense of his doctorate in law, awarded with high distinction.

27. Late 1591 – Early 1592: Pilgrimage to Loreto and Rome on his return journey to Savoy.

V. Ordination and Early Priesthood

28. November 24, 1592: Admission as an advocate to the bar in the Senate of Savoy in Chambéry.

29. Late 1592: Personal refusal of a senatorial title and an arranged marriage to remain faithful to his vocation.

30. May 9, 1593: Disclosure of his intention to enter the priesthood to his father and receipt of a paternal blessing.

31. May 10, 1593: Assumption of the clerical cassock at La Thuille.

32. June 1593: Reception of Minor Orders and the subdiaconate from Bishop Claude de Granier.

33. June 24, 1593: Delivery of his first public sermon as a subdeacon in Annecy.

34. September 1, 1593: Foundation of the Confraternity of the Holy Cross.

35. September 18, 1593: Ordination to the diaconate.

36. December 18, 1593: Ordination to the priesthood in the Cathedral of Annecy.

37. December 21, 1593: Celebration of his first High Mass on the feast of St. Thomas.

38. Late 1593: First act of priestly ministry—the baptism of his youngest sister, Jeanne de Sales.

VI. Mission in the Chablais

39. September 14, 1594: Departure for the perilous mission to the Chablais with his cousin, Louis de Sales.

40. September 18, 1594: First missionary sermon in Thonon, the capital of the region.

41. January 1595: Initiation of a pamphleteering campaign, sliding hand-written tracts under doors to reach the population.

42. July 21, 1595: Public conversion of the Calvinist lawyer Pierre Poncet.

43. August 1595: Presiding over the marriage of his sister Gasparde to Melchior de Cornillon.

44. February 1596: Re-conversion and abjuration of Antoine de Saint-Michel, Seigneur d’Avully.

45. Christmas 1596: First public celebration of midnight Mass in Thonon since the Reformation.

46. Early 1597: Three confidential conferences with the Reformed leader Theodore Beza in Geneva.

47. September 1597: Organization of the Forty Hours Devotion at Annemasse.

48. October 1598: Presiding over major conversions during a second Forty Hours Devotion in Thonon.

VII. Appointment as Coadjutor and Travels to Rome

49. Late 1597: Formal appointment as Coadjutor to the Bishop of Geneva with right of succession.

50. November 1598: Departure for Rome to represent the diocese and finalize his episcopal appointment.

51. March 22, 1599: Canonical examination for the episcopate performed by Pope Clement VIII and a council of theologians.

52. March 24, 1599: Formal nomination as titular Bishop of Nicopolis and Coadjutor of Geneva.

53. September 13, 1599: Establishment of the Holy House (Sainte-Maison) in Thonon by papal bull.

54. 1600: Publication of Defense of the Standard of the Holy Cross.

55. April 5, 1601: Death of his father, the Seigneur de Boisy.

VIII. Episcopal Ministry as Bishop of Geneva

56. January 1602: Travels to Paris on a diplomatic mission concerning the religious status of the Gex territory.

57. Lent 1602: Success as a preacher in the Queen’s Chapel in Paris, resulting in further notable conversions.

58. September 17, 1602: Death of Bishop Claude de Granier.

59. December 8, 1602: Consecration as Bishop of Geneva in the church of Thorens.

60. December 14, 1602: Solemn installation in the Cathedral of Annecy.

61. 1603: Launch of a comprehensive catechetical program for children and adults.

62. October 2, 1603: Convocation of his first annual diocesan synod.

IX. Relationship with St. Jane Frances de Chantal

63. Lent 1604: Encounter with Jane Frances de Chantal during Lenten preaching in Dijon.

64. August 24, 1604: Formal meeting at St. Claude where he assumed spiritual direction of Madame de Chantal.

65. 1605–1610: Conducts the first general pastoral visitation of the 450 parishes of his diocese.

66. 1606: Co-founding of the Florimontane Academy in Annecy to promote local culture and learning.

67. June 1607: Delivery of the funeral panegyric for Princess Anne d’Este in Annecy.

68. October 1607: Death of his favourite sister, Jeanne de Sales, while in the care of Jane de Chantal.

X. Major Publications and Founding the Visitation

69. Late 1608: Publication of the spiritual masterpiece, Introduction to the Devout Life.

70. August 30, 1609: Consecration of Jean-Pierre Camus as Bishop of Belley, marking the start of a deep spiritual friendship.

71. March 1, 1610: Death of his mother, Madame de Boisy.

72. June 6, 1610: Formal foundation of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary at the Gallery House in Annecy.

73. June 6, 1611: First religious professions within the Visitation Order, including St. Jane de Chantal.

74. July 29, 1614: Death of his brother Gallois de Sales.

75. February 2, 1615: Foundation of the second Visitation monastery in Lyons, France.

76. July 1616: Publication of his theological and mystical work, the Treatise on the Love of God.

XI. Final Labors and Travels

77. 1616–1617: Extended Lenten and Advent preaching missions in the city of Grenoble.

78. May 1617: Death of his brother Bernard de Sales in military service.

79. September 1617: Death of his sister-in-law and daughter of Jane de Chantal, Marie-Aimée de Sales.

80. April 1618: Issuance of the Papal Brief elevating the Visitation into a formally recognized Religious Order.

81. October 1618 – October 1619: Final diplomatic journey to Paris with the Cardinal of Savoy.

82. 1618–1619: Close interaction with St. Vincent de Paul and Mother Angélique Arnauld while in Paris.

83. 1621: Appointment and consecration of his brother, Jean-François de Sales, as his Coadjutor Bishop.

84. June 1, 1622: Presiding over the General Chapter of the Feuillants in Pignerol at the Pope’s request.

XII. Final Days, Death, and Immediate Legacy

85. November 6, 1622: Formal reading of his last will to his family in Annecy.

86. November 9, 1622: Departure on his final journey to meet the French King at Avignon.

87. November 29, 1622: Arrival back in Lyons, choosing a humble gardener’s hut for his lodging.

88. December 12, 1622: Final spiritual interview with St. Jane Frances de Chantal.

89. December 27, 1622: Sufferance of a cerebral haemorrhage following a day of pastoral activities.

90. December 28, 1622: Death in Lyons on the Feast of the Holy Innocents.

91. January 24, 1623: Solemn burial of his body in the nave of the Visitation Church in Annecy.

XIII. Posthumous Recognition

92. 1624: Official initiation of the beatification process based on thousands of miraculous testimonies.

93. December 28, 1661: Formal beatification by Pope Alexander VII.

94. April 19, 1665: Formal canonization by Pope Alexander VII.

95. November 16, 1877: Proclamation as a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX.

96. 1923: Named Patron of Catholic Writers and Journalists by Pope Pius XI on the third centenary of his death.

Biography of SFS as given on different websites

(For Books on Biography of SFS see Books)

Small Write-ups on St. Francis de Sales

Why the Feast of SFS is celebrated on 24th Jan not 28th December?

(For three centuries it was celebrated on 29th January)

The feast of St. Francis de Sales is not celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 28, but on January 24—a deviation from the Church’s usual custom of observing a saint’s dies natalis, or “birthday into heaven.” This exception arises from historical, liturgical, and pastoral considerations that unfolded after his death and were later shaped by liturgical reform.

Death of St. Francis de Sales and Transfer of His Relics

St. Francis de Sales died on December 28, 1622, in a gardener’s cottage at the Visitation monastery in Lyons. However, December 28 is already dedicated in the universal Church to the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Falling within the Octave of Christmas—a season of high solemnity—this date carries profound liturgical significance. To introduce another universal celebration, even for so eminent a bishop as Francis de Sales, would have created a liturgical conflict and diminished the focus proper to the Christmas mysteries and the commemoration of the Innocents. Consequently, the Church judged it pastorally wiser to select a different date on which his life and holiness could be celebrated with undivided attention.

The eventual choice of January 24 is closely tied to the transfer of his mortal remains. In his last will, Francis had expressed a clear desire: should he die outside his diocese of Geneva (which he governed from Annecy due to the Reformation), his body was to be returned to Annecy for burial in the church of the Visitation convent. The people of Lyons, deeply attached to him, were reluctant to let his body go. Only when his brother, Bishop Jean-François de Sales, produced the saint’s will was his intention honoured.

The journey from Lyons to Annecy became a moving public testimony to his sanctity. Escorted by his successor (who was his brother and bishop), the coffin passed through villages where crowds gathered in reverence, pressing cloths against it and seeking his intercession. This solemn procession concluded on January 24, 1623, when his body arrived in Annecy. A formal funeral service was conducted that morning, and in the evening his remains were brought to the Visitation convent, where St. Jane Frances de Chantal, his spiritual daughter and collaborator, awaited him. January 24 thus marked his symbolic “return” to his flock.

Why 29th January celebrated as Feast day for three centuries?

When Pope Alexander VII beatified Francis in 1661 and canonized him in 1665, the Church needed to assign an official feast day. Since December 28 remained liturgically unsuitable, January 29 was chosen, commemorating the anniversary of his solemn burial[1] in Annecy in 1623. From 1666 until the revision of the General Roman Calendar in 1969, his feast was celebrated on January 29 for more than three centuries.

The post–Vatican II reform of the liturgical calendar sought greater historical precision and pastoral coherence. In 1969, his feast was transferred from January 29 to January 24.

Two Reasons to choose 24th January: Transfer of Relics and Christian Unity Octave

First, January 24 corresponds to the arrival of his body in Annecy—the moment when he was restored to the people he had shepherded as Bishop of Geneva. This return to his episcopal see holds rich symbolic meaning. It highlights his pastoral identity and enduring presence among his spiritual children. He was often called the “Phoenix of Bishops,” a title that reflects his luminous episcopal ministry and his tireless zeal.

Second, January 24 falls within the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18–25), which concludes on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. This placement is particularly fitting. Francis de Sales is widely regarded as a pioneer of ecumenism. During his mission in the Chablais (1594–1598), he sought to bring Calvinists back to Catholic unity not through coercion or polemics but through patient dialogue, persuasive writing, and personal charity. His gentle method of evangelization—rooted in respect, humility, and love—anticipates the modern Church’s ecumenical spirit. Celebrating his feast during this week underscores his legacy as a bridge-builder and master of compassionate communication.

Conclusion

In summary, although December 28 remains the historical anniversary of his death, January 24 has emerged as the most fitting date to celebrate St. Francis de Sales. It avoids liturgical conflict, commemorates his return to Annecy, and situates his memory within the Church’s prayer for unity. The chosen date allows the faithful to honour not only his holy death but also his enduring pastoral mission. Even in death, he returned to his people, continuing to guide the Church through his writings, his example of gentle evangelization, and his enduring motto: “Live Jesus.”

Fr. Wilson Abraham MSFS (17/2/2026)

[1] The Biography of St. Francis de Sales written by Bedoyere Michael, in it’s last chapter mentions that SFS was buried on 29th January.

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