1752

Martyrdom of St Devasahayam Pillai

After three years of cruel suffering, paraded on a buffalo, scourged and chained for months to a tree in the wilderness, Devasahayam was shot on 14 January 1752 at the Travancore lines by the Aralvaimozhi gap, dying with the names of Jesus and Mary on his lips. His body was gathered into the church of St Francis Xavier at Kottar, where — Bertrand records — the Bishop of Cochin had the Te Deum sung and himself preached the martyr's panegyric. The old accounts do not name the hill; Kattadimalai is the name it carries from the national shrine that stands there now. Of the relics kept at Vadakkankulam, the Jesuit historian Auguste Jean wrote in 1894 that the church held a part of his garment and the chains with which he was bound; the diocese records that the head-cloth he wore is kept here too. His wife, baptised Gnanapoo Theresa, lies buried in the parish cemetery.

DocumentedThis moment rests on 5 sources.
Parish history 2026p. 5
In 1749, Fr. Buttari S.J. rebuilt the church. Construction commenced in 1749, the vaulting was completed in 1750, and the church was finally completed in 1752 under Rev. Fr. Thomassini S.J. The newly built church was designed in the form and layout of a cross. Fr. Thomassini became the last Jesuit in charge of Vadakkankulam before the administration later passed to Malabar priests under the Archbishop of Cranganore. During the administration of Fr. Thomassini, the present Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady began to be celebrated with great solemnity. 21 October 1803 A.D. – Apparition of Our Lady of the Assumption On 21 October 1803 at approximately 11 a.m., an extraordinary event was reported at the Holy Family Church of Vadakkankulam. SaverimuthuPillai, son of SatiavasagamPillai, came from Tirunelveli to visit Mr. Bilderbeck, a European residing in Vadakkankulam. Around eleven o’clock in the morning, Saverimuthu entered the church to pray before the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary placed above the altar. The doors of the niche were open, and the image of Our Lady was clearly visible. While he was praying, he witnessed an extraordinary event. A transparent cloud appeared behind the statue and gently surrounded it. The eyes of the Blessed Virgin seemed raised toward heaven and filled with tears. Her face reflected deep sorrow, and her folded hands slowly opened and stretched outward toward the sides of the niche. …the catechist Yagaparpillai and Miss Henriette Bilderbeck, who witnessed the same phenomenon. Finally, the bell was rung, and the whole village, gathered at that unusual hour, was able to contemplate the marvel with their own eyes. While they wept and prayed, filled with repentance, they wept openly and sang the penitential hymns: “Parce Domine, parce populo tuo, ne in aeternum irascaris nobis” → “Spare, O Lord, spare Your people, and do not be angry with us forever.” “Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.” → “Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.” After the prayers and acts of repentance concluded, the statue reportedly returned to its original appearance. As news spread, large numbers of faithful gathered in the church. The centenary of this event was celebrated at Vadakankulam in 1903.
5

Vadakankulam History (2026)The parish's own in-house compilation

The parish's own record, printed here by the parish.

What this source establishes

That Fr Thomassini was the last Jesuit here. Note this same passage is where the page's old 'Archbishop of Cranganore' came from — while the parish's own priest-list, a few lines later, heads the very same succession 'the Priest of COCHIN'. The compilation contradicts itself, and Paulinus (1794) settles it: Cochin.