FRANCESCO di Gesù, surnamed Indignus. - In the world Francesco Ruiz-Mexia, born at Los Hinojosos (Cuenca, Spain) on 4 Oct. 1529, died there on 10 June 1601. He entered the Order of Discalced Carmelites at Bacca in 1582 as a lay brother. Sent in 1583 with other brethren to the Congo, he arrived at the port of Loanda on 14 Sept. 1584, where through his preaching he converted thousands of unbelievers. In the same year he was ordained a priest. Recalled to his homeland, he died a few years later. The process for his beatification has been initiated.
BIBL.: Autobiography: Lo que dijo de si el Fr. Francisco de Jesus, Indigno (ms., Bibl. naz., Madrid); Florencio del Niño Jesus, Fr. Francisco de Indigno, Apostol del Congo. Madrid 1934; Silverio di S. Teresa, Hist. del Carm. Desc. en España... VIII, Burgos 1937-38, pp. 341-65; Joaquim de S. Fam., Posiciones y artículos para el proceso informativo... Toledo 1935; Ambrosius a S. Teresia, Nomenclator Min. C. D., Roma 1944, p. 149. Ambrogio di Santa Teresa