The story of St. Devasahayam and the establishment of the shrine
Neelakandan Pillai alias Devasahayam was born into an affluent Hindu family on April23,1712. As a young man he went into the service of the royal house hold in India’s Travancore province. Eventually put in charge of state affairs, Neelakandan Pillai alias Devasahayam became acquainted with Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, the Dutch naval commander who trained the forces of the king of Travancore. Their relationship awakened Neelakandan Pillai’s alias Devasahayam’s interest in the captain’s Christian faith. At his baptism on May 14, 1745, Neelakandan Pillai alias Devasahayam chose the name Lazarus, or Devasahayam in the Malayalam language. His wife and other members of his family were also baptized at the same time.
Soon after, Neelakandan Pillai’s alias Devasahayam’s enemies
convinced the royal court that he was using his position
to force others to convert, leading to his imprisonment.
European Christians in Travancore came to Neelakandan Pillai’s
alias Devasahayam’s defence, urging the king to release him.
After three years the king complied under condition that Neelakandan Pillai
alias Devasahayam go into exile to a hostile territory. Though beaten and
tortured almost daily, Neelakandan Pillai alias Devasahayam consistently
responded with kindness, openly praying for his captors. Shot to death by
local soldiers on January 14, 1752, Neelakandan Pillai’s alias Devasahayam’s
body was transported to St. Xavier Church in Kottar. Later when his remains
were interred beneath the altar, the site became a popular pilgrimage destination.
On June 28,2012, Devasahayam became the first Indian
layman not connected to any religious institute to be
beatified by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. On May 15,
2022 he was canonized in Rome by His Holiness Pope
Francis. His liturgical feast is celebrated on January 14.
On October _____2025, St. Devasahayam was declarded as the patron
for the Laity in India by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV