Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, serving from March 13, 2013, until his death on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. As the first pope from the Americas, the first from South America, and the first Jesuit pope, Francis left an indelible mark on the Catholic Church and the world. Known for his humility, commitment to social justice, and efforts to reform the Church, his papacy was both transformative and polarizing.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pope Francis have shared two key moments of diplomacy and warmth, with their meetings in 2021 and 2024 reflecting India’s commitment to interfaith dialogue and global cooperation.
First meeting in 2021 – A landmark moment at the Vatican
On October 30, 2021, Prime Minister Modi met Pope Francis at the Vatican for the first time, ahead of the G20 Summit in Rome and COP26 in Glasgow. This was the first such meeting between an Indian PM and the Pope in over two decades.
During their hour-long discussion, they touched upon global peace, environmental concerns, and India-Vatican relations. Modi gifted the Pope a silver candlestick and a book on India’s climate commitment. In return, Pope Francis presented Modi with papal documents, a bronze plaque inscribed with “The desert will become a garden,” and his World Peace Day message.
The Vatican also noted that Modi had extended an invitation for Pope Francis to visit India, a proposal that has been under discussion since 2017 but remains unfulfilled.
Second meeting in 2024 – A G7 moment of global unity
Fast forward to June 2024, the leaders met again—this time in Apulia, Italy, during the G7 Summit Outreach session. Modi and Pope Francis embraced warmly, and once again, the Indian PM invited the pontiff to visit India.
Modi shared on X, “Met Pope Francis on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India.”
The Pope, who was then 88, had made a surprise appearance at St Peter’s Square during Easter 2025, shortly before his passing on April 21, 2025.
