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Blessed Devasahayam Pillai - Vatican Media

May 4, 2021 (Vatican News) : Pope Francis presided at an Ordinary Public Consistory for the Canonization of Blesseds on Monday morning, where he confirmed the vote of the Cardinals to proceed with the canonization of seven Blesseds, with the date of the forthcoming canonizations to be announced in due course. Once canonized, the holy men and women will be recognised as Saints throughout the universal Church.

Blessed Lazarus (Devasahayam Pillai)

One martyr is numbered among the seven Blesseds set to be canonized.

Blessed Lazarus, known as Devasahayam, was a Brahmin of the Nair caste in India. Converted to Catholicism by a Jesuit priest in 1745, Devasahayam Pillai took the name Lazarus when he became a Christian.

In his preaching, he particularly insisted on the equality of all peoples, despite caste differences. This aroused the hatred of the higher classes, and he was killed for his faith in 1752.

Blessed Lazarus is the first lay person from India to be canonized.

Blessed Charles de Foucauld

Blessed Charles de Foucauld, the French missionary killed in Algeria in 1916. He was a soldier, explorer, Catholic revert, priest, hermit, and religious brother, who served among the Tuareg people in the Sahara desert in Algeria.

Founders and Foundresses

Three priests who founded religious orders – César de Bus, Luigi Maria Palazzolo, and Giustino Maria Russolillo; and two religious foundresses – Maria Francesca di Gesù and Maria Domenica Mantovani – are the other Blesseds whose causes were given definitive approval at Monday’s Consistory.

Source : Vatican News