Pope Francis will canonise Joseph Vaz at a public mass on the Colombo seafront tomorrow which is expected to be attended by a million devotees.
The pope is expected to preach a message of reconciliation during his visit to Sri Lanka, which only recently emerged from a long civil war between government troops and Tamil separatists.
Although Sri Lanka has claimed him as its first saint, Vaz was actually born in Goa on India's west coast -- then a Portuguese colony.
Vaz travelled from village to village ministering to Catholics from both the Tamil and the majority Sinhalese ethnic groups.
He had to disguise himself as a beggar because the Dutch had banned Catholic priests from the island, and he spent several of his 23 years in Sri Lanka in jail for his work.
By the time of his death in 1711 he had largely rebuilt the Catholic Church, earning him the title "Apostle of Sri Lanka".
"The people who saw him work were amazed," said Sri Lankan priest Anthony Fernandopulle.
"What he did so bravely, even at the risk of contracting the disease himself, was in their eyes a miracle of charity."
Vaz was beatified by Pope John Paul II during a brief one-day visit to Sri Lanka in 1995.
He is credited with one miracle -- the survival of a baby boy whose mother prayed to him after she was told her child had only a one percent chance of living.
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app