‘Apostle of the margins’: Indian cardinals, bishops bid farewell to Pope Francis

Along with Cardinal Poola, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad, the three others who will take part in the election process are Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, the Archbishop of Goa and Daman; Cardinal Cleemis Baselios, the Major Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram; and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, the Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church.

The death of the Pope sets in motion the Interregnum – the intervening period between two papacies. There will be a period of Sede Vacante, meaning “the seat is vacant”, until a new Pope is elected from among the 253 cardinals. As many as 138 cardinals will be able to serve as electors in the next conclave. Cardinal over the age of 80 cannot take part in the election.

Cardinal Poola said, “With humble gratitude I remember the singular honour and immense responsibility he bestowed on me by naming me a cardinal during his pontificate… We will remember Pope Francis as the Pope who dared to dream ‘a Church that is poor and for the poor’… With courage, he opened the doors that had long been shut. He reminded us that the Church is not a fortress but a field hospital.”

Cardinal Ferrao also released a condolence message, saying, “His (Pope Francis’s) unwavering commitment to the Church and his dynamic endeavours in promoting peace, inter-religious dialogue, social justice and care for creation will be long remembered and cherished… His vision to transform the Church into a synodal community, one that listens, discerns, journeys together and embraces inclusivity, has left an indelible mark on the Church at all levels.”

In a circular, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), whose president is Cardinal Ferrao, said, “Pope Francis held a special love for India and longed to visit our land. He consistently reminded us of our duty to care for the poor and to build a synodal Church. In his recent message to the lndian Bishops gathered at the 36th CCBI Plenary Assembly in Bhubaneswar in January 2025, the Holy Father urged them to prioritise the poor and the vulnerable in their ministry, calling upon them to open wide the doors of the Church.”

It also said, “Pope Francis canonised five lndian saints – St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and St. Euphrasia Eluvathingal on 23rd November 2014, St. Joseph Vaz on 14th January 2015, St. Mariam Thresia Chiramel on 13th October 2019 and St. Devasahayam Pillai on 15th May 2022.”

Cardinal Ferrao further called upon all dioceses, parishes, religious communities and families to observe nine days of mourning and to offer special prayers. “As a visible sign of our grief, church bells should be tolled to signify our sorrow and announce the passing away of our Supreme Pontiff,” he said in the CCBI circular.

Archbishop of Bengaluru Peter Machado, one of the top Catholic leaders in the country who has been at the forefront of several socially challenging causes, said, “In his humility, he chose not to reside in the traditional Apostolic Palace but in the modest Vatican guest house – a choice that echoed the Gospel call to simplicity and solidarity.”

The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) also issued a statement, saying, “The Church in India joins millions of faithful across the world in mourning the loss of a shepherd who led the global Catholic Church with extraordinary courage, compassion and humility.”

It said that he “urged the global community to take concrete actions against climate change and environmental degradation, uniting people of all faiths and ideologies in the care for creation”.

CBCI will also observe nine days of mourning and prayer for the Pope across all Catholic churches in the country, the statement said. A Holy Mass or communion will also be offered at all Catholic churches in the country on April 22, the CBCI said.