Pope Francis clears Devasahayam Pillai for sainthood

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Feb 24: Pope Francis has cleared Devasahayam Pillai, an Indian layman Roman Catholics consider to be a martyr, for sainthood. The miracle under the auspices of Devasahayam Pillai is that a child supposed to die in a mother’s womb in its seventh month of pregnancy came back to life.
Devasahayam Pillai of India, on April 23 1712, is a Hindu man who converted to Catholicism and has been considered a martyr of the Christian faith.

He was a confidant of Marthandavarma and came from a wealthy family of high caste in Hindu and was raised by his uncle on his mother’s side, according to his biography.

He held a topmost position in the Travancore Palace and his conversion to Christianity was controversial.

Leaders of his native religion did not approve of his conversion and charges of treason and espionage was imposed against him, while divesting his post in the royal administration.

Pillai was jailed for three years for his reluctance to leave Christianity. He was a Catholic for seven years before he was shot dead in the Aralvaimozhy forest on Jan. 14,1752.