Pope Francis' bond with India: Canonisations, new Indian Cardinal and unfulfilled visit

Pope Francis's connection with India was marked by a mix of hopes and challenges. His long-held wish to visit the country remained unfulfilled. However, just months ago, he elevated an Indian priest, who is a Vatican official, to the rank of Cardinal--a notable moment for the Catholic community there.

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Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Easter Monday. He was 88.

The Pope was diagnosed with double pneumonia.

His efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict over how Holy Mass is performed in the Syro-Malabar Church, one of the Oriental Catholic Churches, did not succeed.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis also moved forward with the sainthood causes of a few much-revered Indian figures, offering quite moments of pride for many of the faithful.

During his papacy, in 2014, Pope Francis elevated Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia Eluvathingal from Kerala to sainthood.

In 2019, another Kerala-born Catholic nun, Mariam Thresia, was declared a saint by Pope Francis at a function held at St Peter's Basilica in Rome.

She was the third nun and fourth clergy member from the Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Church to be canonised into the league of saints.

His papacy also saw Devasahayam Pillai, who embraced Christianity in the 18th century, being declared a saint--becoming the first Indian layman to be canonised.

Devasahayam was recommended for the process of beatification by the Vatican in 2004, at the request of the Kottar Diocese, the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India.