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Our Founder
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The biography of Father Francis Mary of the Cross
Jordan
Father Francis Mary of the Cross (John Baptist) Jordan was born on
June 16, 1848 in the small village of Gurtweil in the state of Baden in Germany. He was baptized with the name John Baptist.
From the early years of his life he felt called to the priesthood; however, due to the poverty of his family he was not able
to undergo proper education and had to undertake different jobs. He worked mainly as a painter and decorator. Ultimately,
thanks to the indispensable help of his educators and benefactors, he was able to fulfill his dream and become a priest.
During his studies he had a desire to start an organization that would gather Catholic potential
and defend and spread faith. After his ordination to the priesthood, due to the anti-catholic legislation of the Kulturkampf,
he was not able to undertake pastoral work in Germany. Therefore he moved to Rome to study oriental languages. He went for
a trip to the Near East to improve his knowledge of those languages. During his pilgrimage to the Holy Land he devoted much
time to personal prayer and meditation. After his return, in August 1880, he received the consent and blessing of Pope Leo
XIII to found the three-grade Apostolic Teaching Society. The first grade of the Society was officially started on
December 8, 1881.
Father Jordan’s plans developed and found their realization in the Society of the Divine
Savior (for men) and the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Savior (for women). He dedicated the rest of his life to
the development of his work. He himself founded many communities in Europe and in both Americas and agreed as well for the
Salvatorians to take on a mission in Assam, India. From the very beginning, his Society has had the characteristic of universality
and has striven to proclaim the Savior with all the ways and means that the love of God may inspire, so that all people may
know and love Him.
Father Francis profoundly trusted in Divine Providence. We can get to know this by reading
his Spiritual Diary.
Because of the outbreak of World War I, Father Francis was forced to leave Rome and move to
Fribourg in Switzerland, where he spent the last years of his life. He died on September 8, 1918 in Tafers. In 1943, the process
for his beatification was introduced.
The Founder's tomb
In the Motherhouse, in the chapel on the first floor, is the tomb of the Founder of the Salvatorians,
the Servant of God Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan.
Father Francis died on the feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the 8th of September
1918 in Tafers, Switzerland. Being of German nationality, he moved there from Rome after the outbreak of the First World War,
because of the neutrality of that country. In 1956 (13 years after the beginning of his beatification process) the earthly
remains of the Servant of God were transported from Tafers to Rome and placed in the chapel of that house, in which he lived
for many years, and which presently is the Motherhouse of the Salvatorians.
The tomb of Father Francis is surrounded with great veneration not only by his spiritual sons
and daughters, but also by the faithful from all around the world, where Salvatorian Fathers, Brothers and Sisters are working
apostolically.
On the 19th of March 1999, the Holy Father John Paul II prayed at the tomb of the Founder of
the Salvatorians.
In 2002, the reliques of the first blessed Salvatorian, a spiritual daughter of Father Francis,
blessed Mary of the Apostles (Therese von Wüllenweber), cofounder of the Salvatorian Sisters, was placed in the chapel next
to the tomb of Father Francis.
At the tomb, a bronze bust of the Servant of God, done by a Russian artist and a sculptor,
Nokolai Kirilov, is placed on a marble column.
Opposite the entrance to the chapel, there is a bronze bas-relief created by professor Ferdinand
Seeboeck (1864 - 1952), representing a scene from the Last Supper, from so-called “high priestly prayer” of Jesus.
Around it, there are words of that prayer, which were inspirations for the Founder to establish a new religious society in
the Church: “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”
(J 17:3). He desired to fulfill these words in his life by all means and ways, which are dictated by the love of Christ.
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Process for the
Beatification of the Servant of God
Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan
The process for the beatification of Father Francis was introduced in
1942. The diocesan informative process was held in Rome, Vienna, Fribourg, Milwaukee, Rio de Janeiro, Paderborn, Passau and
Olomouc.
After his death Father Jordan was buried in the parish church in Tafers, Switzerland. In 1956,
his earthly remains were exhumed and transferred to the Salvatorian Motherhouse in Rome, where he spent a significant part
of his life.
At present, the process for his beatification is conducted by Father Michał Piela SDS,
Postulator, and Father Stephan Horn SDS, Vice-Postulator.
Many cases of graces received through the intercession of Father Francis have been noted so
far. Information on the graces received through the intercession of Father Jordan should be directed to:
Postulator of the Salvatorians
Via della Conciliazione 51
00193 Rome, Italy
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"This is eternal life: to know You, the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom You have sent"
John: 17: 3
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