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A little time for faith, every day
Read a life. Make space for prayer. Carry one good thing into your day.
January 14From the feast-day calendar
01 · Read · A life to discover
Lazarus Devasahayam was a married layman in southern India's kingdom of Travancore whose conversion to Christianity brought him into conflict with royal authorities. Born in 1712 and killed in 1752, he was canonized in 2022.
Known before baptism as Neelakanta, he received an education suited to a privileged family and entered royal service. His friendship with the Dutch officer Eustachius de Lannoy introduced him to Christian beliefs. Accounts of that friendship describe the biblical story of Job as important during personal hardship.
He was baptized in 1745 by the Jesuit Giovanni Battista Buttari. His new name corresponded to Lazarus. His wife also became Christian. His rejection of caste barriers and willingness to associate with people considered socially inferior challenged expectations attached to his position.
Arrested in 1749, he endured imprisonment and repeated public mistreatment before being shot in 1752. The Church recognizes his death as martyrdom; his experience also reflects the intertwined religious, political, and social pressures of Travancore. Beatified in 2012, he is commemorated on January 14. His story gives particular prominence to a lay vocation lived within marriage and public employment.
Local commemoration January 14.
Explore the biography & sourcesWhen several saints share a date, this guide first favors saints on the USCCB’s U.S. calendar, then other documented Catholic commemorations. Dates can vary by place and tradition. This is a discovery guide, not the official liturgical calendar for your parish; the liturgical banner follows the celebration for the year. The date browser includes February 29 for leap years.
Bring it into your day
Original reflections and prayer prompts from Saint Discovery, not words attributed to St. Lazarus Devasahayam.
02 · Reflect
What good could you do without receiving recognition? Consider how an ordinary act can become a sincere expression of love.
What detail in St. Lazarus Devasahayam’s story invites you to think differently about your own day?
03 · Pray
Jesus, teach me to serve with a generous heart. Free me from the need for praise and help me love in ordinary ways. Amen.
Take a moment to add your own intention.
04 · Act
Do one useful thing for someone without drawing attention to yourself.
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