New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a message for the Christian community during his visit to Delhi’s Sacred Heart Cathedral on the occasion of Easter: “My doors are always open to you, and you can reach out to the PMO for any assistance.”
His half-hour stay Sunday evening at the church is being interpreted as part of an outreach to the Christians at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to woo them in Kerala and other parts of the country, in a bid to expand its footprint.
Hours before Modi’s visit, the Delhi BJP carried out its first-ever Christian outreach event during which party workers paid door-to-door visits to Christian households with Easter greeting cards in PM Modi’s name.
Meanwhile, in Kerala, BJP leaders visited Bishops’ homes on the occasion of Easter Sunday.
The party is also expected to send out a message to the international community, especially with India set to host the G-20 summit later this year.
“This was the first time a Prime Minister visited this church, so it was a happy moment. He lit a candle and offered prayers. We also gave him a gift,” Archbishop Reverend Anil J.T. Couto was quoted as saying.
According to Parish Priest Father Francis Swaminathan, the PM’s visit sent out a larger message to the nation. “His visit to the church is a message in itself. … His visit to our church has furthered the message of unity in diversity in our country,” he told ThePrint.
Romeo, a church member, was full of praise for Modi with whom he clicked a selfie. Another church member, who did not wish to be named, said he did not expect the PM to spend 30 minutes with them.
The members said the Sacred Heart Cathedral was informed Thursday about the PM’s upcoming visit. This was the first time a prime minister visited the church, as well as Modi’s first recorded visit to a church in India after being elected the PM in 2014.
He had previously visited a church in Colombo that was attacked by bombers on Easter in 2019. Modi has also met various church representatives and Christian spiritual leaders in the last few years, including his meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican in October 2021.
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‘PM said he likes gardening’
During his visit Sunday, PM Modi was received by Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Auxiliary Bishop Deepak Valerian, and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) general secretary Jervis D’Souza, among others.
After arriving at the church at 5:30 p.m., he spent half-hour during which he lit a candle in front of the statue of Jesus and watched a performance by the children’s choir.
Father Swaminathan said Modi took photos with the group and interacted with the school children present there. After attending the prayer, he planted a podocarpus (plum pine) sapling outside the church.
Modi then reportedly said that his doors were always open for members of the Christian community. “The PM said that his doors are always open for them should they face anything, and they can always reach out to the PMO for any assistance,” said Father Swaminathan.
Church members also said the PM spoke briefly about his hobby of gardening and shared tips. “He came with us, went inside the church, and then planted a sapling. He praised our garden and the way it was maintained, and also gave tips on how to keep a plant alive. He revealed that he likes gardening and suggested burying a clay pot filled with water near a plant to keep it green and help it live longer,” Father Swaminathan added.
The PM also reportedly suggested that they take a group photo and told them how they can access photos with him using the NaMo App.
“He asked us to join him for a group photo and then explained how to access those photos. He asked us to submit a selfie on the NaMo app which would give us access to all the photos with him,” said Romeo.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has also visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral a few times, besides former president Ramnath Kovind who visited on Christmas in 2021, and President Droupadi Murmu who visited on Christmas Eve last year.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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