A large number of people witnessed the beatification ceremony of martyr Devasahayam Pillai at a programme organised on the Carmel school campus here on Sunday.
Pope Benedict XVI, Head of the Catholic Church, declared Devasahayam Pillai, Blessed. An idol of the martyr was sanctified on the occasion. Religious personalities, including Angelo Cardinal Amato, Salvatore Pennacchio Oswal Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai Telesphore P. Cardinal Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi George Cardinal Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, and more than 40 archbishops from various places across the country witnessed the ceremony. Over thousand parish priests, reverend fathers and Sisters also were witness to the ceremony.
K.T. Pachaimal, Forest Minister; J. Helen Davidson, Kanyakumari MP; A. Nanjil Murugesan, Nagercoil MLA among other politicians cutting across party lines participated.
