Pope Francis to likely visit India after 'Jubilee Year' 2025: Union minister George Kurian

Pope Francis is likely to visit India after 2025, following the Jubilee Year celebrations. Union Minister George Kurian confirmed the anticipated visit, stating that both Prime Minister Modi and the Christian community eagerly await the Pope's arrival. An official invitation has already been extended, with the Vatican finalizing the details.

NEW DELHI: Union minister of state for minority affairs, George Kurian on Saturday said that Pope Francis , the head of the Roman Catholic Church, is likely to visit India after 2025. The visit is set against the backdrop of the Church's celebrations for the Jubilee Year in 2025. "The Church is celebrating 2025 as the Jubilee Year of Jesus Christ's birth.

So, the Vatican says that the Pope will be engaged during the (next) year," Kurian told news agency PTI. "So, as per the information we received, Pope Francis will visit India after the Jubilee Year. We expect that he will be visiting (the country) at the earliest," he added.

Kurian said that India has already invited Pope and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also personally extended an invitation during their meeting at the G7 Summit's Outreach session in June, held in Apulia, southern Italy. The union minister stated that the remaining details and arrangements would be determined by the Vatican, with the visit scheduled according to Pope Francis' convenience. He made this remark to the media while being part of the delegation that traveled to the Vatican for the ordination of Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad, a native of Kerala, who is being elevated to Cardinal by Pope Francis during a ceremony on Saturday.

He further highlighted that both PM Modi and the christian community are looking forward to Pope Francis's upcoming visit to the country. In September, Goa minister Mauvin Godinho said that Pope Francis was expected to make his journey to India, "sooner than expected". Earlier on Wednesday, the Cardinal and archbishop of Goa and Daman, Filipe Neri Ferrao had requested governor P S Sreedharan Pillai to ensure that there is an official written invitation from the Centre to the Pope to visit India.

"I think that will be a very great blessing," Ferrao said at the Raj Bhavan during the visit of the Vatican delegation that is in the state for the Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier. "I think the visit of the Holy Father will gladden our hearts, and I know Pope Francis is longing to visit India," the cardinal added Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

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