Devasahayam Pillai

In Context

• Recently, Devasahayam Pillai became the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by Pope Francis (Catholic Church) Vatican City.

Who was Devasahayam Pillai?

• About:
  • He was born on 23 April 1712, as Neelakanta Pillai into a Hindu upper-caste family, at Nattalam in Kanyakumari district, which was part of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.
  • He was an official in the court of Travancore’s Maharaja Marthanda Varma. It was during his service in the court that he met Captain De Lannoy, a Dutch naval officer and was introduced to Christianity.
  • He had converted to Christianity in the 18th century in the then Kingdom of Travancore.
  • He was inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ, he was baptised in 1745 and assumed the name of ‘Lazarus’ or ‘Devasahayam’, meaning ‘God is my Help’.
  • 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.
• His Teachings:
  • He particularly insisted on the equality of all people, despite caste differences.
  • Devasahayam always fought against casteism and communalism and stood for equality and what is right.
• Sainthood road:
  • In 2004, the diocese of Kottar along with the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India recommended Devasahayam for beatification. He was declared Blessed by the Kottar diocese in 2012, 300 years after his birth.
  • In 2014, Pope Francis recognised a miracle attributed to Devasahayam, clearing the path to his canonisation. He was approved for sainthood in February 2020 for “enduring increasing hardships” after he decided to embrace Christianity.
• Death:
  • He fought against Caste discrimination prevalent in the country and was persecuted and then killed.
  • On 14th January 1752, Devasahayam was shot dead in the Aralvaimozhy forest. He is widely considered a martyr, and his mortal remains were interred inside what is now Saint Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Kottar, Nagercoil.
  • The Vatican 2012 recognised his martyrdom after a rigorous process.

Source: IE