Morari Bapu was warmly welcomed by Cardinal Tauran at the PCID headquarters in the Vatican. Following the meeting with other senior priests and scholars at the PCID, Bapu was invited to visit the renowned St Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world.
Morari Bapu meets Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID). peer Lord Popat of Harrow is also seen .
Following the start of Morari Bapu’s historic Ram Katha in Rome, Bapu was invited to meet His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID).
The PCID is the central office of the Catholic Church for promoting inter religious dialogue, and has in recent years done a lot of work to promote mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between Catholics and the followers of other religious traditions.
Morari Bapu was warmly welcomed by Cardinal Tauran at the PCID headquarters in the Vatican. Following the meeting with other senior priests and scholars at the PCID, Bapu was invited to visit the renowned St Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world.
Speaking before the visit, Morari Bapu said “I am organising Ram Kathas at all those places which enlighten the feeling of humanity. Rome is also one such seat of faith for millions. Audiences from the Vatican are also expected to attend the discourse and I will also go and pray in Vatican City“.
Bapu has paid tribute to the life of Jesus Christ during his Katha touching on his principles which mirror those of the Hindu faith. Bapu paid homage to Jesus Christ, “for sacrificing themselves for propagating the domain of truth (Satya), of love (Prem) and of Compassion (Karuna).
The recital, which is lasting 9 days is taking place in the vicinity of the Vatican City and has so far seen 1,000 Hindu devotees attend from across the world.
The recital has been tagged as ‘unprecedented’, being the first and largest congregation of Hindu’s in the holy Catholic city, just a stone’s throw away from St Peter’s remains one of the most holy places for the Catholic faith. The recital marks a huge step forward in promoting interreligious dialogue between Hindus and Catholics.
The recital is set to continue until Sunday 6 July, with even more visitors expected from across the globe. Cardinal Tauran, is set to visit the recital later this week.
Lord Popat, a member of the British House of Lords and a key organiser of the recital, said that Cardinal Tauran’s visit will mark a high moment for all those attending.
“The intention of this recital is to foster deeper links and understanding between Christianity and Hinduism. Having a representative of the Vatican, a man as distinguished and honourable as Cardinal Tauran, visit us will help to underline how important religious understanding and tolerance is.”
Lord Popat went on “as with all of Bapu’s recitals, the key messages will be world peace and how we should uphold the values of truth, love and compassion. These are values that Hinduism shares completely with Christianity.”
During his recital, Morari Bapu has been reading from the ancient Hindu text the Ramanyana, whilst drawing parallels with everyday situations we all face. In a unique twist, he has also been using stories and quotations from the Bible to help draw attention to the teachings of Christ.
The aim of the recital is for Hindus across the globe to gain a better understanding of Catholicism and the contribution it makes in people’s lives all over the world. The recital, which started on on 28th June will last till Monday 6th July- has been attracting hundreds of Hindu pilgrims. The event is also being broadcast live around the world.
Bapu said he felt the need to hold his next Katha in Rome on account of the spiritual vibrations and the sacred memories of Christian faith. The Katha’s message of embodying Truth, Love and Compassions blends well with Christian values and verities.
“The Vatican city is the land of sacrifices and suffering by the Saints and Prophets. This provides the best possible environment for Universal Peace and amity among nations. This Ram Katha is being organized because of my sheer love and admiration for the teachings of Christianity.
“The Ramayan is as relevant today as it was when it was written four centuries ago. In fact, in the modern world divided by hatreds, blasphemies and callousness, the values or Ram Katha – Truth, Love, Compassion are needed more for the world in which we live.”
Bapu has millions of admirers across the globe including Conservative peer Lord Popat of Harrow who has been devoted follower for over 30 years. His work for the British Government has led to several meetings between Bapu and the Prime Minister David Cameron.
Previous Kathas have been held in notable locations including Jerusalem, the Amazon rain forest in Brazil, the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal and Mount Kailash in the Tibet as well as smaller events in Washington DC.
