Diplomatic relations between India and the Holy See were established soon after India’s independence. India’s Ambassador in Berne, Switzerland, has traditionally been accredited to the Holy See which maintains a Nunciature (Embassy) in New Delhi, presently headed by a Nuncio (Ambassador).
2. India has the second largest Catholic population in Asia which also including those from Kerala dating from Apostolic times. With a shortage of priests and nuns from developed countries, a large number of Indians have joined various Roman Catholic Orders and a number of them have started occupying high positions within the Catholic Church institutions including those in Rome. India and Indians have a positive image in the Catholic community.
3. Although the strength of the Christian (and hence the Catholic) community forms only a small proportion of India’s population, the Holy See has always acknowledged the importance of India, both in global and Asian terms. There have been three Papal visits to India so far. The first Pope to visit India was Pope Paul IV, who came to Bombay in 1964 to attend the International Eucharistic Congress. Pope John Paul II visited India in February 1986 and November 1999. During his latter visit, he met the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and EAM. He participated in the concluding session of Synod of Bishops of Asia at which he signed and released post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation.
4. Several Indian dignitaries have, from time to time, called on the Pope in the Vatican. These have included the late Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1981 and Shri I.K. Gujral in September 1987. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, called on Pope in June 2000 during his bilateral official visit to Italy. On the sad demise of H.H. Pope John Paul- II, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice President attended the ceremony in April, 2005. Shri Oscar Fernandes, Minister of State for Programme Implementation and Statistics attended the ceremony for installation of the H.H. Pope Benedict XVI on 24 April, 2005. Shri Oscar Fernandes, Hon’ble Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, accompanied by an official delegation visited the Vatican on 10-13 October, 2008 to participate in the Canonization ceremony of Sister Alphonsa on 12 October, 2008. An Indian delegation led by Prof. K.V. Thomas, Hon’ble Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution visited Vatican from February 17-19, 2012 to participate in the Investiture Ceremony on appointment of Archbishop George Alencherry of Syro- Malabar Church as the Cardinal of the Catholic Church. During this visit, Hon’ble Members of Parliament Mr. P.T. Thomas, Mr. Anto Antony and Mr. Jose K. Mani were also part of the Indian delegation.
5. Pope John Paul II had always had a very special regard for the late Mother Teresa. After the passing away of Mother Teresa, Pope sanctioned the traditional process of verification leading eventually to the beatification of the Mother. The Pope beatified Mother Teresa on the 19 th October, 2003 in the presence of an estimated gathering of over 325,000 people.
6. Ambassador Ms Chitra Narayanan presented her Credentials to His Holiness the Pope Benedict XVI on 29 May 2009.
July 2012