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George Iype in New Delhi

Greetings of Diwali in Chinese. Prayers for the cyclone victims in Orissa. A special remembrance of the Kargil martyrs. A papal donation of US $300,000 to the victims of the cyclone. The High Mass that Pope John Paul II led in New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday morning was marked by piety, unity and charity.

More than 60,000 people, who included Catholics from across the country, many Asian bishops, ambassadors and other Delhi-based foreign dignitaries, orphans, the elderly and the terminally ill, thronged the stadium as the Roman Catholic pontiff arrived in the Popemobile.

As a 200-member choir sang in the background, the Pope went around the stadium blessing the faithful.

Soon a variety of dances from tribals and schoolchildren followed. A group of 60 tribals from Ranchi danced to a Sadri song as they led some 180 bishops, 1,000 priests and 80 altar boys to a huge platform specially designed for the Mass.

Thus the Eucharist that officially closed the Synod of the Asian Bishops began by praising Diwali, the Festival of Lights, thanking Jesus Christ for his wonderful gifts, and praying that the light of Christ may always dwell in his faithful, helping them become the light around the world.

"Live as children of the light," was the theme of the Mass. The theme was elaborated with what Rabindranath Tagore had put most beautifully: "In the dance of your festival of lights, my heart will throb and my life will be one with your smile."

Archbishop Alan de Lastic, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, who welcomed the Pope, begun by thanking President K R Narayanan, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani for the trouble-free papal stay in New Delhi.

He dedicated the Mass to the victims of the country's worst cyclone in Orissa and to the martyrs of the Kargil conflict. On behalf of the Pope, Archbishop de Lastic announced that the Vatican is donating US $300,000 for the victims of the Orissa cyclone.

The Pope began the introductory rites by stating that he valued very much his second trip to India after a gap of 13 years. "God bless India. God bless Asia," he said.

Followed readings of the scriptures in Hindi and English. While a deacon went to the lectern to read the Bible, three nuns approached with a garland and two trays of flowers. The deacon consecrated the garland on the scriptures and the flower trays were placed at the foot of the lectern.

The Bible reading over, the Pope delivered a thirty-minute homily wishing everyone a happy Diwali. "We rejoice with them, in this Eucharist here in India. We too exult in the light and bear witness to the One who is the true light that enlightens every man," he said.

Prayers of the faithful followed in seven Asian languages -- Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese. The Chinese prayers specially greeted Indians on Diwali and urged for God's light on everyone in Asia.

Soon a group of six Bharat Natyam dancers led a large offertory procession while seven nuns performed aarati (sign of veneration) with light, flowers, camphor and incense.

The highlight of the Mass was the Pope himself offering Holy Communion to 30 physically and mentally disabled persons, orphans, the elderly and terminally ill. Hundreds of priests spanned across the stadium to offer Holy Communion to the rest of the faithful in the large congregation.

After concluding the Holy Communion, the pontiff read Angelus, the closing discourse of the Holy Father. "To you, mother of the Church, we entrust the results of the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops. Lead the Church in Asia in the joyful proclamation of faith in Jesus Christ our Saviour and in generous service to the peoples of this continent," he said.

The Pope said he was entrusting the clergy, the consecrated men and women of the faith and the laity of the Church in Asia with the task of renewing and sustaining them in a spirit of zeal and commitment to the great task of evangelisation and service.

Soon the Pope handed over his apostolic exhortation, 'Ecclesia in Asia', to 30 selected representatives of local Asian churches. The representatives showed the documents to the congregation, signalling their acceptance while the faithful sang with applause.

The Mass ended with a touch of Indianness by the Pope blessing the country in Hindi. "Bharat ko aashirwad, shanti. Bharat ko ashirwad, shanti. God bless you all."

The Pope's Visit

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