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{{Short description|Portuguese tax collector}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Locu Sinai
| birth_place = [[Chorão (Island)|Chorão]], [[Sultanate of Bijapur]]
| birth_date = Before 1527
| death_date = After 1555
|office = Chief Tax Collector
|office2 = Village Judicial Authority
|predecessor = Crishna
| spouse = Donna Isabel
| relatives = [[Garcia de Sá]] (godfather)
}}

'''Lucas de Sá''' (born''' Locu Sinai''') was a Portuguese tax collector. Born in a [[Gaud Saraswat Brahmin]] family of high social status, they would later convert to become [[Christian Brahmin]]s on the [[islet]] of [[Chorão (Island)|Chorão]], in [[Portuguese Goa]]. Nothing is known about his birth or death. The oldest document mentions his name first in the year 1527 and it is certain that in 1555 he was still living.<ref>''The Island of Chorão (A Historical Sketch)''; 1962; by Francisco Xavier Gomes Catão; p. 34 {{OCLC|29051875}}</ref> The Portuguese referred to him as ''O Comprido'' ([[Indo-Portuguese]]; "the tall one").<ref>{{cite book|last=Županov|first= Ines G.|authorlink=Ines G. Županov| year=2005|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nix4M4dy7nQC|title=Missionary Tropics: The Catholic Frontier in India (16th–17th centuries)|page=131|publisher=University of Michigan|isbn=0-472-11490-5}}</ref>

== Biography ==
In the history of the [[Christianization of Goa]], one noteworthy feature is the conversion of Locu, known as "the Greatest Giant of the [[Goud Saraswat Brahmin|Goan Brahmin Community]]".{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Locu was one of the three most important and influential Brahmins from the Island of [[Chorão (Island)|Chorão]].<ref>Fr. Francisco de Souza ''Or Conq. P.I.C. Div I''; para 43.</ref> One of these three named Crishna was the ''Tanador-mor'' (Village Judicial Authority) and Locu and Gopu were the other two. All these three held the first place among the ''Gauncares'' of [[Chorão (Island)|Chorão]]. Locu was the ''rendeiro-mor'' (chief tax collector) of [[Goa]] and this important post was held in the same high esteem as the one of ''tanador-mor'' and therefore Crishna who was the ''Tanador-mor'' and Locu both officials enjoyed great prestige and had a powerful influence on the ''Gauncars'' to the extent of dissuading them from becoming [[Christians]]. Hence they were a great obstacle to [[evangelization]] in Goa, as is recorded in a letter written to King [[John III of Portugal]] by Martin Afonso de Melo on 6 November 1541.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

=== Conversion to Christianity===
Locu was affluent and rich but wars reduced him to poverty and as he was unable to meet his commitments to the Treasury (the income of three years 3,500 ''[[Portuguese Indian rupia|pardaus]]'' accruing from the provinces of [[Salsette]] and [[Bardes]], he was put in jail.{{cn|date=March 2025}} Conveniently, a few days later Locu called for Fr. Antonio Gomes and asked to be baptized. This was an elegant way out of his difficult situation and the pending court cases for corruption, bribery and failure to pay his leaseholder obligations.<ref>''Missionary Topics''; Županov; p. 131</ref>

According to [[Bishop of Goa]] [[João Afonso de Albuquerque (bishop)|João Afonso de Albuquerque]] the "whip" of poverty and want was sent by God to move Locu's heart.{{cn|date=March 2025}} His baptism took place on Sunday, 30 September 1548. Fr Gaspar Berze (Barzeu) says in his letter "The baptism took place in our college on a Sunday with a solemn mass and sermon. The [[Governor of Portuguese India]] [[Garcia de Sá]] stood as [[Godparent|godfather]] whilst the baptising minister was Bishop Albuquerque himself. Locu took the surname of his sponsor and was christened by the name of Lucas de Sá. His wife took the name of Donna Isabel and his nephew was named Dom Antonio. They were then carried on horse-back accompanied by all important people of the place who had come for the occasion and also by many [[Brahmin]]s and they wended their way to the house of Rui Guimarães and celebrated the occasion in a festive way. The whole city appeared to be celebrating a grand feast with the branches of pine trees at the church square of [[Rossio]], [[Lisbon]] on [[Easter Sunday]]. For the Glory of God, the festival was kept on for one full week. The Brahmins stated that since the father had turned a [[Christians|Christian]], his sons too would do the same. As for Locu he said that "more people would become Christians than the hair on his head".<ref>''Documentação''; vol. 4. pp. 167-168</ref>

Locu rode on a well-dressed horse and with an escort consisting of the Portuguese [[Grandee]]s went through the streets of the city which were well decorated and ornamented, receiving ''[[Vive, viva, and vivat|vivas]]'' from the people whilst at the same time the bells were ringing merrily. The artillery too joined in the citywide rejoicing, but the most gratifying sounds to be heard were the voices of the Brahmins who, since their chief had turned a Catholic, thought that they too would do the same, and actually it did not take long for many to follow his example.<ref>''The Island of Chorão''; Gomes Catão; p. 33 </ref>

A letter (till now extant) written on 13 December 1548 by Fr. Gaspar Berze, S.J to the [[Jesuits]] in [[Coimbra]] registers the following "This Locu was a very wealthy man. Every year his property gave him 6,000 ''[[Portuguese Indian rupia|pardaus]]''; he was very well treated by the Portuguese, performed on their behalf a lot of good work and was so liberal, that he was supposed to be spending 1,000 ''[[Portuguese Indian rupia|pardaus]]'', distributing much in alms giving. One of the things that God must have taken into account for him to become a Christian must have been his good deeds.<ref>''Documentação''; Vol. IV, p. 168</ref>

=== Village judicial authority ===
On the recommendation of Bishop Albuquerque Locu was appointed ''Tanador-mor'' (Village Judicial Authority); in addition to this many honors, privileges and favours were conferred upon him. But it must be added that the case against him continued.<ref>''The Island of Chorão''; Gomes Catão; p. 33 </ref>

== Descendants ==
Due to the [[Epidemics in Chorão Island|Chorão epidemic]] in the 18th century, Locu's descendants left for [[Calangute]] in 1762 and settled there permanently in 1772. Among the direct male descendants there have been many priests, lawyers and doctors. Dr. Luis José Bras de Sà, the former Health officer of [[Bardes]], belonged to this family.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Island of Chorão (A Historical Sketch)|date=1962|first=Francisco Xavier|last=Gomes Catão|page=34 |oclc=29051875}}</ref>

==Further reading==
*''The Island of Chorão (A Historical Sketch)''; by Francisco Xavier Gomes Catão, Mar Louis Memorial Press, Alwaye (1962)
*''Missionary Tropics: the Catholic Frontier in India (16th-17th Centuries)''; by Ines G. Zupanov

== References ==
===Footnotes===
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:People from Chorão (island)]]
[[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Hinduism]]
[[Category:16th-century Roman Catholics]]

Locu Sinai - Revision history

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