Explained: Devasahayam Pillai, The First Indian Layman To Be Declared Saint By The Vatican

Devasahayam Pillai became the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by the Vatican. During the Canonisation Mass in St Peter¡¯s Basilica, Pope Francis canonised Blessed Devasahayam Pillai along with other new saints. The occasion was attended by over 50,000 faithful from different parts of the world.

The pope proclaimed five other men and four women as saints, namely, Titus Brandsma, Cesar de Bus, Luigi Maria Palazzolo, Giustino Maria Russolillo, Charles de Foucauld Maria Rivier, Maria Francesca of Jesus Rubatto, Maria of Jesus Santocanale, and Maria Domenica Mantovani.

In 2020, the name Devasahayam for sainthood was approved and ¡®Pillai¡¯ from his name was dropped by the Vatican and referred to him as ¡°Blessed Devasahayam¡±.

Who was Devasahayam Pillai?

Who was Devasahayam Pillai? | Wikipedia

Born in a Hindu family, Devasahayam Pillai converted to Christianity and made history by becoming the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by the Vatican.

On April 23, 1712, he was born in Nattalam village in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. He served in the court of Marthanda Varma of Travancore. In 1745, Devasahayam converted to Christianity after meeting a Dutch naval commander at the court. The Dutch naval officer was sent by the Dutch East India Company to capture and establish a trading port at Colachel.

His new name was Lazarus, which means ¡®God is my help¡¯.

Stood against casteism in India

Devasahayam Pillai | Wikipedia

It was found in church chroniclers that the Brahmin chief priest, the feudal lords, and the Nair community brought false allegations to him.

According to a Vatican note (February 2020), ¡°His conversion did not go well with the heads of his native religion. False charges of treason and espionage were brought against him and he was divested of his post in the royal administration,¡±

The note also said that ¡°while preaching, he particularly insisted on the equality of all people, despite caste differences. This aroused the hatred of the higher classes, and he was arrested in 1749.¡±

Devasahayam died on January 14, 1752. He was shot dead in the Aralvaimozhy forest and is remembered as a martyr. The mortal remains of Devasahayam were lay rest in Saint Francis Xavier¡¯s Cathedral in Kottar, Nagercoil.

Who recommended Devasahayam¡¯s name for beatification?

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The diocese of Kottar recommended the name of Devasahayam for beatification along with the Tamil Nadu Bishops¡¯ Council and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India in 2004. After 300 years of his birth, he was declared Blessed by the Kottar diocese in 2012.

Pope Benedict XVI described him as a ¡°faithful layman¡±, and asked Christians to ¡°join in the joy of the Church in India and pray that the new Blessed may sustain the faith of the Christians of that large and noble country¡±.

Clearing the path to Devasahayam¡¯s canonisation this year, Pope Francis recognised the miracle attributed to him in 2014,

For ¡°enduring increasing hardships¡±, Devasahayam was approved for sainthood in February 2020 and last year the date of the ceremony was decided on 15 May 2022.

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