Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) – From tomorrow, 1 February, India will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Visit of John Paul II to the Asiatic nation in 1986. It will be “an event which carries a strong message of peace, justice and unity to India,” Father Joseph Babu Karakombil, spokesperson for the Episcopal Conference of India explained to Fides. “The India of today is a nation which – in its great cultural, religious and political pluralism – needs to remember the message of justice: it is experiencing in fact the inequality between the progress and wealth of some and the extreme poverty and marginalisation of others. Remembering the Visit of John Paul II needs to revive these message,” continued Fr Karakombil.
The full program, sent to Fides, foresees ten days of celebrations from 1-11 February, led by Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, special envoy of Pope Benedict XVI for the occasion. The celebrations will involve five large Indian cities, to represent the whole nation: New Delhi, Ranchi, Calcutta, Cohin and Mumbai. In each of the cities, the events will focus on a particular theme, dear to the spirituality and pastoral care work of John Paul II. In New Delhi the theme will be “Vocations”; in Ranchi, “attention to the indigenous and Dalits”; in Calcutta – where the protagonists will be the Sisters of Mother Teresa – “charity and social service” will be reflected on; in Cochin, Kerala, the focus will be on evangelization, while Mumbai will remember “dialogue, youth and the family”.
Tomorrow, 1 February, in New Delhi, to open the celebrations, a book edited by the Episcopal Conference will be presented which covers John Paul II's Visit to India, covering 14 destinations. The text contains testimonies from Bishops, men and women religious and also Hindu leaders. A statue of the Pope will also be inaugurated inside the Apostolic Nunciature.
On 2 February, a solemn Mass will be celebrated in the Cathedral of New Delhi, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, numerous Bishops and faithful. Meanwhile a statue of Pope Wojtyla will also be unveiled within the Cathedral. A special meeting with men and women religious on the theme of “vocations” has also been planned.
On 3 February, there will be a symposium on “the Life and Teaching of John Paul II”. The same day, Cardinal O'Connor will pay tribute at the monument erected in honour of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of his homeland, recalling his commitment to create a country where religious freedom is protected and has an important place.
Events in other Indian cities will follow, where a large participation by the faithful local communities is expected. “The entire Indian population, of all religions, is attached to the figure of John Paul II. His presence is remembered with affection and joy at his Beatification,” concludes Fr Karakombil. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 31/1/2011)
