Pope Francis is coming to India at the invitation of Narendra Modi

Pope Francis has accepted the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the country, Relations with the Vatican changed in 2017 following the failure of negotiations for a papal visit to a Hindu-majority country. The date has not yet been determined.

Are in India 20 million Catholics, about 1.5% of the country’s 1.3 billion population. 80% of the Indian population is Hindu.

In 2016, Francisco said he was “almost certain” that he would come to India next year along with Bangladesh. However, Indian Catholic Church leaders have failed to persuade Modi, The leader of a nationalist government, called him.

The last pope to come to India Juan Pablo II, In 1999 in New Delhi to publish a papal document on the church in Asia.

“I had a very loving meeting with Pope Francis. I had the opportunity to discuss various issues with him and invited him to come to India.Modi wrote on his Twitter account on Saturday.

Pope to the Prime Minister a Bronze medal With the inspiring inscription for one day of the COP26 Climate Summit: “The desert will become a garden” And various papal documents, including the message for this year’s Peace Day and the document on human brotherhood.

One with Modi salribuyó Book on the silver chandelier and the country’s commitment to the environment.

“Thank you for your visit”According to a video released by the Vatican, Pope said in English holding Modi’s hands. “I’m happy”Added.

The Indian Foreign Ministry said the pope had been summoned “Visit to India in advance and it was gladly accepted”.

The Vatican report details the meeting between Francis and Modi, the first meeting between a pope and an Indian prime minister in more than two decades. Modi is in Rome to attend the G20 summit of the world’s richest nations.

When the 2017 visit failed, church officials said the Indian government had raised planning issues for the prime minister. On the contrary, Francis visited Myanmar and Bangladesh. On his return to Rome, the Pope admitted that he wanted to go to India, but it was not “Procedures lasted and time is up”.

Pope Francis visited US President Joe Biden on Friday. The meeting lasted 90 minutes, As reported by the White House. This is the longest meeting Francisco has had with the US President. He spoke with Barack Obama for 52 minutes and with Donald Trump for half an hour. “You are the most important peace warrior I have ever known.”. Biden told the Pope.

The White House elaborated on the topics discussed at the meeting: “Among his audience with Pope Francis today, President Biden thanked his saint. Advocating for the world’s poor and victims of hunger, conflict and persecution. He praised Pope Francis’ leadership in the fight against He defended the climate crisis, as well as the fact that the epidemic ends for all through the distribution of vaccines and a fair global economic recovery..

(With information from EFE, Reuters and AP)

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