Devasahayam Pillai: First Indian layman to be conferred sainthood by Pope

Pope Francis will confer sainthood to Blessed Devasahayam Pillai, a non-ordained member of the church, on May 15, 2022. He is a Hindu converted to Christianity in the 18th century.

His name 'Devasahayam' means 'God is my help' in Malayalam. Pillai had taken the name 'Lazarus' after converting to Christianity in 1745. He will become the first Indian layman to become a saint, said Church officials in Thiruvananthapuram.

He lived and died in Kottar Diocese in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. He was born into a Hindu Nair family at Nattalam in the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom on April 23, 1712. The church declared Devasahayam as a Blessed on December 2, 2012. He is also the first Indian layman to be elevated to the rank of Blessed.

He was an official in the court of the King of Travancore, Maharaja Marthanda Varma and converted to the Christian faith after his association with Dutch naval commander, Captain Eustachius De Lannoy.

Pillai preached equality in his life and encouraged people to overcome caste differences. He faced the hatred of upper caste members which led to his arrest in 1749. A note from the Vatican said that he "received the crown of martyrdom and was shot dead on January 14, 1752."

He is buried in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier at Kottar in Nagercoil. His tomb was restored in view of the declaration of martyrdom. His clothes are also kept in a church in the small town of Vadakkankulam in Tirunelveli and put on display on August 15 every year.

Devasahayam Pillai's way to sainthood was decided after Pope Francis recognised a miracle attributed to him on February 21, 2020. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican announced that he will be canonised with six other Blesseds during a Canonization Mass in St Peter's Basilica.