Notable Portuguese Achievements

3. Though Portugal is located at the extremity of the Spanish peninsula and hemmed in by narrow boundaries, your renowned kings, have nevertheless extended their empire into Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Thus Portugal yields to none of the more distinguished nations and even excels many. - Where did they find the strength equal to the magnitude of their undertakings? If one is to judge them in truth, it was from their love of religion. For in their dangerous expeditions to barbarous nations, they were inspired, as can often be proven, to serve Christ before their own advantage or glory, to spread the Christian religion before extending their empire. Together with the visible image of the wounds of Jesus Christ, which was the popular flag of the nation, your ancestors had the holy cross on their galleys. In battle they were devout and confident that they would win noble victories whose glory would remain, not so much by arms as by the cross. Their piety was particularly evident when the kings of Portugal diligently sought out apostolic men from other nations, men to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis Xavier. More than once these men were given the authority of Apostolic Nuncios by the Roman Pontiffs. It was most unusual and will forever accrue to the praise of your ancestors that their leaders brought the light of the Christian faith to the most remote peoples and so merited well of the Apostolic See.