BENGALURU: Pope Francis, who remains etched in the happiest memories of millions across the world, including India, has been laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, according to his wishes. His funeral was attended by dignitaries from around the globe — among them our own President, Droupadi Murmu, and other senior Indian officials — a fitting tribute to a leader whose impact transcended religious boundaries. His tireless advocacy for peace, interreligious harmony, and environmental stewardship endeared him to people everywhere, making him a spiritual figure who belonged not just to the Church, but to the world.
Though he never set foot in India, Pope Francis always felt close to us. I recall vividly the Ad Limina visit I participated in with other bishops from West and South India between September 14–19, 2019. During a meeting with the bishops from Karnataka and the Western Region on September 17, one of us asked the Holy Father when he would visit India. Deeply moved, he shared that he longed to come. He confided that during his 2017 journey to Myanmar and Bangladesh, his initial hope had been to include India — plans which ultimately had to be set aside due to the absence of an official invitation from the Indian government.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraced Pope Francis during their meeting at the Vatican on October 30, 2021, and later announced that he had extended an invitation to the Pope, our hearts swelled with hope. Yet, this dream remained unfulfilled, as the Ministry of External Affairs never formalized the invitation. Sadly, we must now live with this missed opportunity, a heartbreak from the lip to the cup.
From the very beginning of his pontificate in 2013, Pope Francis demonstrated his affection for India. He appointed Cardinal Oswald Gracias to his closest advisory group of seven cardinals — a relationship he maintained until the end of his life. In a move that astonished many, Pope Francis also elevated two more Indian bishops to the cardinalate in the same consistory of June 2023: Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão of Goa and Cardinal Anthony Poola of Hyderabad — remarkable for a country where Catholics make up just about 2% of the population. Moreover, just months before his death, on January 24, 2025, Pope Francis named a young Indian priest, Rev. George Jacob Koovakad, as Cardinal — a testament to his enduring trust and affection for the Indian Church.
In his historic efforts to renew the Church through the Synodal process, Pope Francis made space for India’s vibrant religious life. Two Indian religious sisters, Sr. Nirmalini and Sr. Lalita, participated prominently in the Vatican's synodal discussions, representing the strength and spirit of India’s 130,000-strong religious communities. His personal appeal in December 2023 to the priests, religious, and faithful of the Syro-Malabar Church to unite and follow their Synod’s decisions reflected the deep paternal care he felt for the Indian Church — an unprecedented gesture of closeness.
Pope Francis often spoke with great affection about India’s beloved saint of the poor, St. Mother Teresa, whose life of compassion and service profoundly inspired him. During his papacy, he canonized several Indian saints: Mother Teresa (2016), St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and St. Euphrasia (2014), St. Mariam Thresia (2019), and St. Devasahayam Pillai (2021), while also beatifying many others, opening pathways to future sainthood.
Coming from Argentina, a country with its own struggles of poverty and migration, Pope Francis was especially sensitive to India’s marginalized and migrant populations. When Monsignor Fabio Baggio, representing the Papal Commission for Migrants, visited India in March 2023, he carried the Pope’s personal concern for migrants — urging that they be seen not through the lenses of religion or caste, but as human beings deserving dignity and care. Later, Pope Francis elevated Monsignor Baggio to the rank of Cardinal, underscoring the vital importance he placed on the service to migrants worldwide.
The memory of Pope Francis’ engagement with India — his words, his gestures, and his vision — will continue to inspire us. He was a great and humble shepherd whose heart embraced the whole world.
May his soul rest in peace, and may his memory remain forever alive in our hearts
