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Update: October 30, 2021 11:10 PM STI

Vatican City [Vatican], October 30 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday briefed Pope Francis on India’s ambitious initiatives to tackle climate change as well as its success in delivering one billion doses of Covid vaccination -19 during their meeting at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
A statement from the PMO said the two leaders discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for people around the world. They also discussed the challenge posed by climate change.
The Holy See Press Office said in a statement that the cordial relations between the Vatican and India had been discussed.
“Pope Francis received in audience, at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Narendra Modi. During a brief conversation, the cordial relations between the Holy See and India were been discussed, “the statement said.
The PMO statement said it was the first meeting between an Indian prime minister and the Pope in more than two decades.
In June 2000, the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited the Vatican for the last time and met the then Pope John Paul II.
Prime Minister Modi also invited the Pope to visit India at an early date, which was gladly accepted, the statement added.
The Prime Minister has on several occasions, notably in his monthly radio show ‘Mann ki Baat, spoken of India’s rich and varied past and spoke of the “human gems” born in the country and of those who dedicated their life in the service of people.
During his Mann Ki Baat program in July this year, Prime Minister Modi shared an interesting and moving story highlighting that India had handed over the Holy Relic or Icon of Holy Queen Ketevan to the government of Georgia and the people there. -low.
Prime Minister Modi said that the words which were spoken in praise of India at this ceremony are indeed very memorable. “This unique ceremony not only strengthened the relations between the two nations but also between Goa and Georgia. It is because these holy relics of the holy queen Ketevan were found in 2005 in the church of Saint Augustine of Goa”, he had declared.
“Friends, the question that arises in your mind must be … what is it and when and how did it happen? In fact, this is an incident about four to five hundred years. Queen Ketevan was the daughter of the king family of Georgia. In 1624, after ten years of imprisonment, she was martyred. According to an old Portuguese document, the mortal remains of St. Queen Ketevan were kept in the convent Saint Augustine of Old Goa. But, for a long time, it was believed that his remains buried in Goa were lost during the earthquake of 1930 “, he added.
The Prime Minister said that thanks to the tireless efforts of the Indian government and historians, researchers, archaeologists and the Georgian Church of Georgia, the relics were successfully discovered in 2005.
The Prime Minister mentioned Sister Mariam Thresia in her Mann ki Baat program in September 2019. She was honored in Vatican City and Pope Francis declared her holy.

“Our mother India, our country is a bountiful land! Many human gems have sprung up here. India has not only been the birthplace of such amazing people, but also the land of their karma. And these are the people who have devoted themselves to the service of others. One of these illustrious Indians is honored in Vatican City on October 13. It is a matter of pride for every Indian that, on October 13, His Holiness Pope Francis will declare Sister MariamThresia holy, “he said. .
“Sister Mariam Thresia, during her short life span of 50 years, worked for the good of mankind by becoming a noble example to the whole world. Whatever task Sister Mariam Thresia undertook and accomplished, she did so with the utmost dedication and devotion. the fields of education and social service. She had built many schools, homes and orphanages, and throughout her life remained dedicated to this cause “, added the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister paid special homage to Jesus Christ on December 31, 2017 and said that, as in other parts of the world, Indians also celebrated Christmas with warmth and joy.
“The godly occasion of Christmas reminds us of the great teachings of Jesus Christ which placed great emphasis on the spirit of service, ‘Sewa bhaav.’ The essence of the spirit of service can also be felt in the Bible “, he had declared.
In special tribute to Jesus Christ on Christmas in December 2016, the Prime Minister said it was the day to “make service, sacrifice and compassion matter in our lives.”
“The poor do not need our favors but our loving acceptance.”
The Prime Minister had referred to the holiness of Mother Teresa to Mann ki Baat in August 2016 and noted that although she was born in Albania and her mother tongue was not English, she nevertheless transformed her life. and did everything to be able to serve the poor.
“When Mother Teresa, who has served the poor in India throughout her life, receives holiness, it is only natural that we Indians feel proud. The Indian government will send an official delegation under the leadership of our Minister of Foreign Affairs Sushma Swaraj to represent 125 crore Indians at the canonization ceremony to be held on September 4, “he said.
The government had proactively worked to rescue 46 Indians from war-torn Iraq in 2014.
In 2015, Father Alexis Prem Kumar, who returned to India eight months after his kidnapping in Afghanistan, gave credit for his return to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it was because of him that he was here.
Father Tom Uzhunnalil, who spent 18 months in ISIS captivity, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2017, shortly after his return to India.
The prime minister also interacted with cardinals in January this year.
In 2019, the Prime Minister began his visit to Sri Lanka by paying tribute to one of the sites of the horrific Easter Sunday attacks, St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade. (ANI)