Neelakandan Pillai was born into an affluent Hindu family in 1712 in Nattalam village in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. He was given his name after a Hindu god and his father was a priest in the Siva temple.

With his family’s high position in society, he was trained in the art of warfare, several languages, south Indian martial arts, and weapons of war.

He started his career as a soldier, excelled against his peers, and became an official in the Nilakandaswamy temple. He went into the service of the royal household in India’s Travancore province working in the king’s treasury. He was eventually put in charge of state affair and became wealthy. He was also a good person so many families offered their daughter’s hand in marriage, but instead he wed Bhargaviammal, a woman from a traditional family or lower class.

Through his work he came to know Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, a Dutch naval commander who trained the king’s forces. Their relationship grew and became great friends. Pillai suffered many various losses and thought that the gods were angry with him even though he had been faithful. De Lannoy then shared his Christian faith with him and his unconditional trust in God in the face of unbearable tragedies. Pillai realized this was very different than his Hindu religion and sought a greater understanding.

At the age of 33, he was baptized and chose the name Lazarus, or Devasahayam in the Malayalam language, which means ‘God is my help’. After several months of convincing, his wife and other members of his family were baptized. She was given the name Theresa.

His conversion did not set well with the heads of his native Hindu religion. At the age of 37, false charges of treason and espionage were brought against him and he was divested of his post in the royal administration. He had also preached to others and insisted on the equality of all people, despite caste differences. This aroused a hatred from the higher classes and lead to his imprisonment. Local European Christians came to his defense urging for his release.

For 3 years he endured daily beatings of 30 blows with canes and torture. He was locked in a very small hot cell which was sometimes filled with chilli powder to strangle his breathing and burn his open wounds. They would also fill it with red fire ants, poisonous snakes, or scorpions but he continued to survive. He did not relinquish his faith in Christ and only responded in kindness, openly praying for his captors. The king agreed to finally release him under the condition that Pillai go into exile to a hostile territory.

Although he was released, he was shot to death by local soldiers in the remote Aralvaimozhy forest in 1752. His body was transported to Saint Xavier Cathedral in Kottar, Nagercoil where his remains were interred beneath the altar, becoming a popular pilgrimage destination.

He was canonized on May 15, 2022 and he is the patron saint of India and Persecuted Christians.

His feast day is January 14.

For God’s Glory.