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.
Agencies