27th July 1997

They say Sardiel was a charming man

On reading the Sunday Times story on Sardiel, Vito Perniola here presents an account of a missionary as a serial to that. Fr Duffo wrote the account in a letter sent to Bishop C.Bonjean, then Vicar Apostolic of Jaffna. A.Duffo was the missionary in Kandy at the time together with Fr. J. Perrard O.M.I... This account, in its French original, was published in Missions de la Congregation des Oblats de Marie Immaculee.

Born of Buddhist parents, Saviel, or, as the English called him, Sardiel, was entrusted to a vihara or monastery of Buddhist monks to learn to read and write. Having grown up and returned to his family, instead of working in the fields, he preferred idleness or play.

This would lead him to a fatal notoriety. Suspected of a considerable theft, he tried to put off those who were looking for him by joining a crowd of pilgrims who go to the shrine of St. Anne every year.

Arrested on the way, he stabbed the police officer who first laid his hands on him. But he was arrested, put in chains and taken to Colombo. After a few months in jail, he was able to make his escape. Though the chains were heavy, he was able to climb the walls of the prison at night, walls that were more than 36 feet high. He went home but he was betrayed as Samson was betrayed by Delilah; he was soon arrested again; but again he was able to escape. Then surrounded by a set of vagabonds, he dared and did anything.

Armed from head to foot with swords, daggers, revolvers and guns, etc., he and his followers became the terror of the neighbouring countryside. All had to pay a toll and woe to the one who tried to avoid it. The haunt of Sardiel was close to the main road between Colombo and Kandy. About a 100 feet from his shelter there is the small church of St.Lazarus (at Utuwankanda) which at that time I visited twice. Hence I had the chance of coming to know his adventures.

The Government set a good number of policemen on his track. But our bandit, armed with two revolvers, with a sword hanging on his side, and with several daggers at his waist, defied the police in open daylight. Finally the police assembled the inhabitants of the place to the number of 2000 and with this small army they besieged his house. There were some shots fired on either side. Three of the besiegers, including a head of police, fell victims, while the brigand boldly escaped through the bewildered crowd.

The Government decided to bring in the military. A detachment of soldiers was sent to the place but Sardiel was no longer there and nobody could find him. Then they set a prize on him. A sum of 2500 francs was promised to anyone who would capture him. Finally, by promising a full pardon to one of his accomplices, the government was able to have him betrayed. On the indication furnished by this person, he was surrounded in the house where he had taken shelter with one of his companions. All the people gathered there from several miles around; the judge, the headmen of the various villages were there and a second siege started. On the side of the besiegers there were several wounded and one dead. The bandit himself received a shot in his right arm and another in the thigh. In spite of the wound which rendered him unable to fight, he did not want to surrender.

Then they set fire to the house. Surrounded by the flames, sure of being burnt by them or of being crushed under a crumbling house, he parleyed with the judge of the district and surrendered himself to him on condition that they would guarantee his safety from the attacks of the excited crowd. He was then immediately handcuffed, placed on a cart and taken to Kandy amidst a crowd of people anxious to see such a gangster.

For one month and a half, that is from March 21st, when he was locked up in the prison of Kandy, till May 7th, day of his execution, we (Fr. Duff and Fr. Perrard) visited Sardiel regularly every day. At first we abstained from speaking of religion or, if we did it, it was only indirectly. We wanted first to win over his heart. With the excuse of helping him to distract himself, we gave him some books, a small catechism, lives of Saints, a short history of the New and Old Testament, a short treatise on the virtues and on the last things etc. to make conversation, we used to ask him what he had read and what he thought of it.

This man had an intelligence more than ordinary. We were surprised on seeing the facility with which he used to sum up what he had read. We had already visited him for eight days when the Anabaptist minister came also to offer his ministry. He left behind a copy of the Gospel according to St. John. But Sardiel gave it back to him the following day saying that the books we had given to him were enough for the time being. But the minister did not stop visiting him every day, and his visits left a bad impression on Sardiel, as was evident from his answers..........

Often we found the Anabaptist minister coming out of the cell the moment we entered. Then we wanted something definite; we told Sardiel that he had to choose between the minister and us; otherwise the honour due to our status would not allow any longer to come and see him. This request caused him embarrassment. After a moment’s hesitation, grace triumphed in his heart and he promised us to tell the Anabaptist minister not to come any longer.

He kept his word. But the minister continued to visit him regularly in spite of Sardiel’s repeated objection. Sardiel complained of this to the Superintedent of the Prison, but since it was a question of a protestant minister, he was afraid to inform the Government Agent. Sardiel also did not want to complain since he was afraid to prejudice his own cause.

A day when Sardiel was learning his prayers, the minister arrived; told him that it was useless to take so much trouble; that his good works would be of no avail; that an act of faith in Christ and of repentance would be more than enough; that the good thief on the cross had received no baptism and yet he had gone to heaven. Sardiel replied: ‘’Formerly I was armed with guns and swords to defend myself; now my hands and my feet are in chains and I have another enemy against whom I have to defend myself, that is the devil. This is the reason why I am learning these prayers. Hasn’t our Lord Jesus Christ himself given us an example? Has he not prayed? Has he not promised a reward for good works? Has he not promised heaven for a cup of water given in his name?’’.

We had advised him to make often the sign of the cross and we had explained to him the wonderful power of the cross sign. "Well’’, Sardiel said, ‘’since it is so, when the minister comes I’ll make the sign of the cross and perhaps he will then leave me alone’’. It was only about the last week that the minister gave it up and stopped his visits.

The Lord granted us this period of calm so that we might prepare the prisoner better. Under the strong power of grace, Sardiel became better and better disposed every day. I can say that it was with peace that he waited for the day of the execution.

Tied to a post, with heavy chains on him, never going out of his cell whose door was always open but guarded by two armed soldiers, Sardiel had become a meek lamb. He had now a smiling face without any sign of fierceness and cruelty. His piercing eyes, which usually seemed to be burning with fire, were now often filled with tears. He used to tell us: "I have never wept’’. Now even a word from us was enough to move him. His feelings were worthy of admiration.

He could not understand how, after reciting the act of contrition, one could sin again, since, he said, one had taken an oath, one had made a solemn promise to God. This promise made to God was for him something that could not be broken, and, failing in it, meant telling a lie to God.

We asked him several times if he was afraid of death. ‘’No’’, he answered, ‘’the agony of the Lord in the garden of olives strengthens me. They treated him as I have been treated myself with the difference that I have deserved to be treated this way. Judas betrayed him after being at table with the Saviour; my closest friend, my associate in all my crimes, deserted me on the plea that he would watch the movements of the soldiers sent by the government and he went and betrayed the place of my shelter. I even saw him go ahead of those who came to capture me. If you meet him, tell him that I am not angry with him.

What has happened, has happened for the good of my soul, otherwise I might have died the way I have lived, in the midst of my crimes. Recommend to him to change life and above all not to compromise our friends. My punishment will be enough for them to make them reflect and to lead them to change their life.

The fatal day was drawing near. We went often to see him to strengthen him in the anguish of the approaching death. The day before the execution, before administering baptism to him, which he received with tears in his eyes, we asked if he wanted to retain his name Sardiel, ‘’Oh. no’’, he replied, ‘’it is too bad a name; it deserves not only to be washed but even to be completely erased.’’ We suggested to him the name of Joseph, the spouse of the Blessed Virgin, the patron of good death. He was happy with this name. We felt very sad that we could not administer the sacrament of Communion. Before leaving him, we gave him some advice how to conduct himself.

He replied: "Do not be afraid; if my companion wants to be the bad thief, I’ll try to be the good thief’’. This companion was a young Muslim who at the beginning had given us hopes that he would be converted. He had received and listened to us willingly. We gave him even some religious books. This reached the ears of several rich Muslims of the town and excited their fanaticism. They got a priest of their sect from a distance of eight miles. We did still visit this prisoner but we did not speak of religion.

May 7th was the day of the execution. Fr Perrard was away and I went alone to the jail at about 6.30 in the morning. My first question was to ask Joseph how he had spent the night, and whether he had committed any fault after his baptism. He replied: ‘’Oh, no; I have taken care not to soil my soul’’. I gave him some advice and read some prayers with him. They brought breakfast and he asked me to bless it. He ate with his usual appetite, and what remained he sent it to those who in jail had shown some interest in him.

Arriving close to the gibbet, in silence and in a humble but dignified demeanour he listened to the reading of the sentence. Then falling on his knees before me, to the astonishment of all the spectators, he received the last absolution preceded by a short exhortation. He climbed the steps of the scaffold and placed himself on the fatal plank. I accompanied him and remained at his side. While they were tying his feet and his hands and were tying the rope round the neck, I suggested to him to offer all that to God and to join himself to Our Lord crucified. ‘’Yes’’, he told me, ‘’I am happy to do it, these ropes will become chains of gold’’. Then, turning to the crowd, he expressed his regret for the criminal life he had led, said that he was very happy to die in this way to expiate his evil deeds and to be an example to others. After he had said these words, they covered his face. He recited the acts of contrition and of charity, the Our Father, the Hail Mary.

Then, while he once more said Our Father in heaven, the plank gave way and there he was hanging in mid air. But his soul was in heaven ending there the prayer he had started on earth. Left alone on the scaffold, ritual in my hand, I recited some prayers, came down after being sure that Sardiel was no more alive. I have already prepared a coffin and obtained from the Government Agent that he might be buried in the Catholic cemetery.

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