Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘deeply pained’ by Pope Francis’ death, says he was ‘greatly inspired by his commitment’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed his grief at the death of Pope Francis, saying that he was ‘deeply pained’ by his passing.

PM Modi offered his condolences to the global Catholic community, remembering Pope Francis as a ‘beacon of compassion’.

“Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world,” he said.

“From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope,” Modi added.

Recalling his meetings with the Pope, the Prime Minister shared that he was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive development.

PM Modi further cherished Pope Francis' love for the people of India.

“I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace," he said in a heartfelt note on X.

PM Modi's meetings with Pope Francis

The first meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Pope Francis happened in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“During a brief conversation, the cordial relations between the Holy See and India were discussed,” said a brief note by the Holy See Press office soon after the visit.

Their first meeting lasted for nearly an hour, where the two discussed a broad range of issues including the pandemic.

Pope Francis and Narendra Modi met for the second time in 2024 on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy. They met with a warm embrace at the Outreach session of the G7 Summit in Apulia.

Modi invited Pope Francis to visit India and said he admired the pontiff’s commitment to serving the people.

“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 PM said in a post on X.

Pope Francis dies at 88

Pope Francis, the 266th Catholic Church leader, died this morning at his residence and the announcement was made by Cardinal Farrell, camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.

Pope Francis, who was 88 at the time of his passing, was recently discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he spent five weeks receiving treatment for an infection that led to double pneumonia.

The body of the pope will be displayed at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican for mourning, and a mass will take place on each day. Mourners lined up for miles to see the body of Pope John Paul II, the last serving pope to die, in 2005 as per a report in the CNN.