Pope Francis will be remembered as beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the passing of Pope Francis, who died on Monday at 88, saying that the first Latin American pontiff will be remembered as a “beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage”.

Modi recalled his meetings with Pope Francis and the religious leader’s affection for the people of India, and said he was inspired by the commitment of the head of the worldwide Catholic Church to inclusive and all-round development. Modi and the late pope last met on the margins of the G7 Summit in Italy last year.

“Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community,” Modi said in a post on X.

“Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world. From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden,” he said.

Modi said that Pope Francis ignited a spirit of hope for those who were suffering. “I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace,” he said.

Modi included photos of his visit to the Vatican in October 2021 and his meeting with Pope Francis last year in his social media post.

After their last meeting on the sidelines of the outreach session of the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, in June 2024, Modi had said on social media that he admired the pontiff’s “commitment to serve people and make our planet better”. He had also invited Pope Francis to visit India.

Modi’s visit to the Vatican in October 2021 marked the first meeting between an Indian prime minister and the pope in more than two decades. At that meeting, the two leaders discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenge posed by climate change.

Diplomatic relations between India and the Vatican date back to 1948, and India is home to the second largest Catholic population in Asia.

US vice president JD Vance, who arrived in India on Monday after a visit to Italy, had a brief encounter with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Sunday morning to exchange Easter greetings.

Vance, a Catholic, had clashed with the pontiff over the Donald Trump administration’s immigration policies. Pope Francis and other Vatican officials have criticised Trump’s policies, especially his plans to deport millions of migrants from the US and widespread cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programmes. Pope Francis called the immigration crackdown a “disgrace”.

Pope Francis was also an outspoken critic of Israel’s policies in Gaza, including the bombardment of Palestinian civilians. During a brief appearance before thousands of pilgrims in St Peter’s Square for the Easter Sunday mass, he called for a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned the “deplorable humanitarian situation” caused by Israel’s 18-month war on the Palestinian enclave.