They could not tolerate his preaching on the equality of all peoples, the overcoming of castes and friendship with the untouchables of the lower classes, which is forbidden for a person of high caste.įalse charges of treason and espionage were brought against him and he was divested of his post in the royal administration. His refusal to worship the Hindu gods of the palace and renouncing the traditional Hindu religious festivals greatly angered the officers. However, Devasahayam’s conversion did not go well with the heads of his native religion, and was regarded as a betrayal and danger to the Hindu kingdom. His wife, Bargavi Ammal of Travancore, also followed her husband and was baptized Gnanapoo, meaning Theresa. He assumed the name 'Lazarus' or 'Devasahayam' in the local language, meaning ‘God is my help’. He was baptized at the Catholic church of Vadakkankulam village (in the present Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu), by Jesuit priest Father R. Conversion and baptismĭevasahayam became interested in the faith of De Lannoy, who enlightened him, leading to his conversion in 1745. It was during their influential roles under the King of Travancore that Devasahayam Pillai and De Lannoy became close friends. The dutchman who was later pardoned went on to become the king’s trusted commander who won several battles for Travancore. Biographyīorn on April 23, 1712, as Neelakanda Pillai, in the village of Nattalam, Devasahayam served in the palace of southern India’s Hindu King Marthanda Varma of Travancore, whose kingdom stretched from what is Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu state today, right up to Cochin in neighbouring Kerala state.Ĭaptain Eustachius De Lannoy, a Dutch naval commander of the Dutch East India Company who was sent in 1741 to capture Travancore’s port of Colachel was defeated and taken prisoner. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints on November 9 declared that the canonization Mass will take place in the Vatican on May 15, 2022. On May 3, 2021, Pope Francis officially cleared Blessed Lazarus Devasahayam and 6 others for sainthood but had not set the date for the canonization ceremony because of the pandemic. He was martyred for his faith nearly 270 years ago in what is Tamil Nadu state today. The canonization “is an encouragement to us to emulate Devasahayam”.īlessed Lazarus, also known as Devasahayam, will be the first layperson and martyr of Indian origin who will be officially declared a saint of the worldwide Catholic Church. Blessed Lazarus, known as Devasahayam, became “poor for the sake of the poor and had love for the poor, as Pope Francis says,” he told AsiaNews. "To many of us who have received the faith from our forebears, Devasahayam's testimony reminds us that the Gospel is a treasure to be discovered and to which devote a lifetime,” said Archbishop Felix Machado of Vasai Diocese, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI). Amen.The official declaration of an 18 th century Indian Hindu convert to Catholicism as a saint by the Catholic Church in May next year, is a “historic moment”, according to an official of the Catholic Church in India. Saint Lazarus, protect us in these moments that we pass through. In order to worship you together with our Father in well-being and faith. Saint Lazarus blessed, I know your immense power and I come to beg you to touch and protect my family in this hour of need.īless us with your holy hands and remove from us all ailments, all dangers and all evils, also give our home luck, abundance and prosperity. Let my health be optimal in these difficult times,Īnd keep adversities and evil entities from my home out of my way. Today sir, savior from evil, I come to ask for your sacred protection. You, protector of all, who prevent us from falling into dilemmas, illness and defeat. Saint Lazaro Blessed, my orisha Babalú Ayé, owner of the body and mind, you who do not allow your devotees to be defeated by shadows and evils, take care of us. We now share a prayer to ask San Lázaro and Babalú Ayé for their protection and help. The Prayer for protection and prosperity of Saint Lazarus To him we dedicate prayers that arise from the depths of our faith, with sincerity and great devotion, so that he will listen to us and come to our aid. Saint Lazarus, who knows what it is to suffer from a death disease and even died and lived the resurrection, is the saint indicated to protect and save us in any type of situation.
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