Ernakulam (AsiaNews) – This morning I celebrated a special mass to remember the third anniversary of the death of our beloved pope John Paul II. John Paul II loved India and was a great admirer of Mahatma Gandhi. Today dioceses across India are remembering him with celebrations in his honour.

He truly was a citizen of the world.  He was the conscience of the world.  He knew how to focus the entire world’s attention on the problems of peace and human rights.

John Paul II was a man of God, a holy man and importantly a man who transmitted joy and peace to people all around him.  He was great communicator of the Message of Love, Peace and Goodwill- he lived the Gospel and was a visible witness of the Gospel.

At the same time he was the voice of the voiceless, the freedom fighter, the peace advocate and the human rights guardian in the world.

John Paul II loved India, in 1986 on his  ten-day visit, the Pope travelled through the length and breadth of the country visiting Shillong, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta, where he met with his friend Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkatta.

He loved India. He loved the growth of the Church and the sterling missionary works, especially in the fields of education and healthcare … The Pope also prayed at the monument of Raj Ghat dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi to pay respects to the Father of the Nation, whom he has described as “a great apostle of non-violence”. For this pope it was very clear, that inter religious dialogue is one of the great ways of evangelization.

I remember his visit to Kerala.  Over one million faithful attended the mass he celebrated during which he beatified two people of the Syro Malabar Church. He seriously studied the problem of tensions between the eastern and Latin rite churches here in India, giving important directives for better coexistence.

For me personally, I have met hem several times.  Pope John Paul II took me out of my monastery –where I was a Redemptorist priest- and appointed me Bishop.

During his second journey to India in ’99 I had the privilege of following him closely and witnessing his special devotion to Our Lady.

After the death of Pope John Paul II and before his funeral, I along with 45 Cardinals signed a ‘statement’ stating or requesting that the process of beatification of J Pope John Paul II should begin immediately.

In fact at my bedside table, I have the statue of Our Lady and the photograph of Pope John Paul II and me.

* Archbishop Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabar Church