By our religious Correspondent
New Delhi: There is no possibility for Pope Francis to make a visit to India next year, though the Prime Minister of India , Narendra Modi had invited the Pope twice since October 2021. Both the invitations had been accepted gladly by the Pope, according to Cardinal Designate George Jacob Koovakad , a priest of Changanacherry archdiocese. At present Koovakad is a part of the Vatican’s diplomatic corps and is responsible for organizing papal trips.
Koovakad was recently at Changanacherry and reportedly said that it would not be possible for the Pope to visit India next year (2025) because of Jubilee year.
Pope Francis had gladly accepted Modi’s invitation on October 30, 2021 when the latter was at Rome to participate in the G-20 summit. Modi had invited Pope Francis again some months back.
Modi met the Pope at Vatican on October 30, 2021 and they had cordial talks for about an hour as against the scheduled time of half-an-hour.
Modi gifted Pope a silver candle stand and a book “Climate Climb: India’s strategy, actions and achievements.
Pope Francis gifted the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a bronze plaque bearing an inscription from the Old Testament. The Prime Minister gladly accepted the gifts and invited him to visit India. Pope also accepted Mod’s invitation.
According to Church sources here, though the Prime Minister had invited the Pope twice, the Government of India had not sent an official invitation to the Vatican in this regard.
It is the procedure after inviting a head of the State, to send an official invitation . The glitch in not materializing the Pope’s visit to India is the absence of the official invitation from the Government of India. The Jubilee year was the non-materialization of Pope Francis’ visit to India is only an alibi, the sources said.
Pope Francis would visiting Turkey in May 2025 in spite of the Jubilee, it was announced by the Vatican recently.
Koovakad would be given the red biretta , the title of cardinal, on Dec 08 at the feast of the Immaculate Conception at Vatican among others.
“It is a great honor for the for the Syro-Malabar Church as one of its sons is elevated as cardinal directly, which is the first in India”, the official spokesperson for the Syro-Malabar Church, Fr Antony Vadakkekara said. Until now only archbishops were named cardinals in India.
