Utterly fascinating video of first ever Papal visit to India - Pope Paul VI visit to Bombay in 1964, and his wonderful message to President of India & Archbishop of Bombay
I find this video to capture an utterly fascinating piece of religious history of Christianity in India. The first pope (of Roman Catholic Church) to ever visit India (as per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_See%E2%80%93India_relations#Bilateral_visits) was Pope Paul VI, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Paul_VI, (previous name: Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini), in December 1964. He was an Italian.
Here's one of the archival videos of this visit: The Pope In India (1964), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qn__9BqS7U, 6 min. 35 secs published by British Pathe.
Pope Paul came to India on an Air India plane! As he came down the steps he did a Namaste gesture (folding palms) at the people gathered to see him!
Pope Paul was received at Santa Cruz airport (then Bombay had only that airport) by then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and other dignitaries including Smt. Indira Gandhi (who would have then been a Union (federal) minister), and Archbishop of Bombay, Cardinal Gracias.
He attended a Eucharistic Congress in Bombay (the grounds where the congress was held seem to be one of the big maidans (open grounds) after Churchgate terminus).
Cardinal Gracias is the same Cardinal on whom one of my schools, Cardinal Gracias High School in Bandra (East), Bombay, was named. At the time I was studying in the school (1974 to 1978), I don't think I knew much about all this given that I am a Hindu and would not have been in a position to read about such history. But now I am very happy to see the Cardinal on whom one of my schools was named, receive Pope Paul VI, on the first ever visit of a Pope to India!
The then president of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan also is shown meeting the Pope.
Pope Paul VI seems to have been a charismatic Pope! I think he was able to connect well with Indian people on this visit. A lovely smiler and somebody who seems to have been a likeable person!
Pope Paul VI visited an orphanage and also visited the famous Mount Mary Church (official name: Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Mount,_Bandra) in Bandra West in Bombay!
I thoroughly enjoyed and feel very blessed by seeing this video. May God bless all who were involved in making the video and also digitizing it and putting it up on youtube!
And then I have been simply bowled over by the wonderful kindness and graciousness shown by Pope Paul VI in his message to President of India and Archbishop of Bombay. I have reproduced below the text from http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/speeches/1964/documents/hf_p-vi_spe_19641205_thanks.html
MESSAGE OF PAUL VI
TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA
AND TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF BOMBAY
BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FOR ROME
Saturday, 5 December 1964
His Excellency Doctor Sarpavepalli Radhakrishnan,
President of the Republic of India
New Delhi.
As we leave the territory of India on Our happy return to A Rome, We cannot omit to reiterate to Your Excellency the profound and sincere gratitude We feel for the honour done to Us by Your Excellency and by the Government of India, and for the innumerable kindnesses which made Our visit a spiritual success. We beg Almighty God to reserve for Your Excellency and the beloved Indian people a rich recompense of favours and graces, particularly of harmonious peace in justice.
PAULUS PP. VI
* * *
Having returned safely to Our home after the unforgettable celebration of the Eucharistic Congress in Bombay, We would ask Your Excellency kindly to accept this further assurance of Our pleasure and honour in meeting You personally, of Our thankfulness for the many acts of kindness shown us during Our visit, and for Our prayerful. good wishes for Your Excellency in the fulfilment of Your high Office, as well as for the Government and people of Our beloved India, invoking upon all the choicest favours of divine benevolence.
PAULUS PP. VI
To His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias,
Archbishops House, Bombay
With indelible remembrances of the incredible enthusiasm and touching sincerity of Our welcome by the Indian People, and from a heart filled with glorious memories of the International Eucharistic Congress in Bombay, which owes so much to Your indefatigable and generous labours, We send You, beloved son, the assurance of Our heartfelt and undying gratitude for Your exquisite hospitality, and for all the kindnesses You have shown Us during Our pilgrimage, asking God to reward You with his richest graces. We lovingly impart to You, and bestow upon Your great Archdiocese, and upon the Hierarchy, Clergy, Religious and faithful of beloved India, Our appreciative and most affectionate Apostolic Blessing.
PAULUS PP. VI
--- end text of Pope Paul VI message ---
[I thank vatican.va and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
Here's one of the archival videos of this visit: The Pope In India (1964), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qn__9BqS7U, 6 min. 35 secs published by British Pathe.
Pope Paul came to India on an Air India plane! As he came down the steps he did a Namaste gesture (folding palms) at the people gathered to see him!
Pope Paul was received at Santa Cruz airport (then Bombay had only that airport) by then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and other dignitaries including Smt. Indira Gandhi (who would have then been a Union (federal) minister), and Archbishop of Bombay, Cardinal Gracias.
He attended a Eucharistic Congress in Bombay (the grounds where the congress was held seem to be one of the big maidans (open grounds) after Churchgate terminus).
Cardinal Gracias is the same Cardinal on whom one of my schools, Cardinal Gracias High School in Bandra (East), Bombay, was named. At the time I was studying in the school (1974 to 1978), I don't think I knew much about all this given that I am a Hindu and would not have been in a position to read about such history. But now I am very happy to see the Cardinal on whom one of my schools was named, receive Pope Paul VI, on the first ever visit of a Pope to India!
The then president of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan also is shown meeting the Pope.
Pope Paul VI seems to have been a charismatic Pope! I think he was able to connect well with Indian people on this visit. A lovely smiler and somebody who seems to have been a likeable person!
Pope Paul VI visited an orphanage and also visited the famous Mount Mary Church (official name: Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Mount,_Bandra) in Bandra West in Bombay!
I thoroughly enjoyed and feel very blessed by seeing this video. May God bless all who were involved in making the video and also digitizing it and putting it up on youtube!
And then I have been simply bowled over by the wonderful kindness and graciousness shown by Pope Paul VI in his message to President of India and Archbishop of Bombay. I have reproduced below the text from http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/speeches/1964/documents/hf_p-vi_spe_19641205_thanks.html
MESSAGE OF PAUL VI
TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA
AND TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF BOMBAY
BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FOR ROME
Saturday, 5 December 1964
His Excellency Doctor Sarpavepalli Radhakrishnan,
President of the Republic of India
New Delhi.
As we leave the territory of India on Our happy return to A Rome, We cannot omit to reiterate to Your Excellency the profound and sincere gratitude We feel for the honour done to Us by Your Excellency and by the Government of India, and for the innumerable kindnesses which made Our visit a spiritual success. We beg Almighty God to reserve for Your Excellency and the beloved Indian people a rich recompense of favours and graces, particularly of harmonious peace in justice.
PAULUS PP. VI
* * *
Having returned safely to Our home after the unforgettable celebration of the Eucharistic Congress in Bombay, We would ask Your Excellency kindly to accept this further assurance of Our pleasure and honour in meeting You personally, of Our thankfulness for the many acts of kindness shown us during Our visit, and for Our prayerful. good wishes for Your Excellency in the fulfilment of Your high Office, as well as for the Government and people of Our beloved India, invoking upon all the choicest favours of divine benevolence.
PAULUS PP. VI
To His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias,
Archbishops House, Bombay
With indelible remembrances of the incredible enthusiasm and touching sincerity of Our welcome by the Indian People, and from a heart filled with glorious memories of the International Eucharistic Congress in Bombay, which owes so much to Your indefatigable and generous labours, We send You, beloved son, the assurance of Our heartfelt and undying gratitude for Your exquisite hospitality, and for all the kindnesses You have shown Us during Our pilgrimage, asking God to reward You with his richest graces. We lovingly impart to You, and bestow upon Your great Archdiocese, and upon the Hierarchy, Clergy, Religious and faithful of beloved India, Our appreciative and most affectionate Apostolic Blessing.
PAULUS PP. VI
--- end text of Pope Paul VI message ---
[I thank vatican.va and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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