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Blessed Devasahayam Pillai ((マラヤーラム語:ദേവസഹായം പിള്ള)(タミル語:முத்திப்பேறு பெற்ற தேவசகாயம் பிள்ளை) 1712–1752), born Neelakanta Pillai in southern India, is a beatified layman of the Latin Catholic church. Born into a Hindu family in the 18th century, he converted to Christianity and is considered a martyr of the Christian faith.〔(Decrees of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints ), Syro Malabar Church, 1 July 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.〕 Pillai was an official in the court of the king of Travancore, Maharaja Marthanda Varma,〔(CBCI ) report, ''The Hindu'', 10 January 2004. Retrieved 27 Sept 2009.〕〔For a scientific study cf. "Towards a Historiography of Martyr Devasahayam," J. Rosario Narchison repr. in "India's Christian Heritage" Ed. O. L. Snaitang and George Menachery, CHAI, Bangalore, 2011, pp.135-145 with an exhaustive bibliography and details of primary sources.〕 When he came under the influence of Dutch naval commander, Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, who instructed him in the Catholic faith.〔(De Lannoy )〕 He is believed to have been killed by the then Travancore state for upholding his Christian faith.〔〔 In 2004, at the request of the diocese of Kottar, Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council (TNBC) and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) recommended Devasahayam Pillai for the process of beatification to the Vatican. Some Hindu groups objected to this initiative on the grounds that there was no evidence of religious persecution in Travancore during that period, and that Pillai was executed for sedition.〔Balram Misra, "(CBCI's claim challenged )", Hindu Vivek Kendra, 1 February 2004. Retrieved 1 July 2013.〕〔(Lay Martyr Devsagayam Pillai’s 300th Birth Anniversary Observed ), CBCI, 8 May 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013.〕 However, documents dating back to the period of Devasahayam Pillai show that conversion of court officials to Christianity was not tolerated.〔(Paulinus a Sancto Bartholomaeo (1748-1806), ''Voyage to the East Indies'', 1800 (original Italian, 1796) ). He writes: "The king of Travancore threatens with imprisonment and death every nobleman who shall quit his court to become a Christian, and who shall afterwards fall into his hands; and indeed ''Nilampulla'', an officer of a noble family, was shot at ''Arampalli'' because he refused to renounce the religion of Jesus Christ. In the year 1787 I saw four ''Nayiris'' or noble ''Shudris'', thrown into prison at ''Tiruvandaburam'', because they would not apostasise from the Catholic Church." (pp. 207-208).〕 On 28 June 2012, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree regarding the martyrdom of Devasahayam Pillai and he was referred to as "Venerable".〔(Vatican Decree on martyrdom of Devasahayam Pillai )〕 On 2 December 2012, a ceremony of beatification and declaration of martyrdom was held in Nagercoil, in the Roman Catholic diocese of Kottar in Southern India, presided over by Angelo Cardinal Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, acting as papal delegate. Devasahayam Pillai is the first lay man to be elevated to the rank of "Blessed" in India (the step preceding raising a person to Sainthood under the Canon Law of the Catholic Church).〔(Church beatifies India's first 'lay' martyr ), ''Business Standard'', 2 December 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.〕 ==Biography according to Roman Catholic tradition== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Devasahayam Pillai」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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