Udaipur: Hundreds of people Thursday attended the funeral of a British priest who made India his home and poor his main love.

Father R H Lesser, who has worked in Rajasthan as a diocesan priest for decades, died in Udaipur on March 25 after prolonged illness. He would have turned 87 on May 31.

Retired Bishop Joseph Pathalil of Udaipur led the requiem Mass in Our Lady of Fatima Church. Father Bruno, who preached the homily, hailed Father Lesser as a saintly priest who spent his life for humanity and interreligious harmony.

Bishop Devprasad Ganawa of Udaipur led the funeral rites. Among the dignitaries were Bishop Thomas Pious of Ajmer, his predecessor Bishop Ignatius Menezes and Jaipur Vicar General Father Edward. Many nuns and priests from various parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh also attended the services.

Father Lesser spent his retired life at St Paul’s School, Udaipur.

Funeral

Father Lesser was born in 1928 in London and ordained a priest on June 4, 1955. He spent more than six decades in India writing and working mostly in Rajasthan, a northwestern Indian state.

Father Lesser was a prolific writer, producing 102 books , mostly on religious and moral subjects, and more than 5,000 articles , poems and book reviews.

His love for India and its culture led him to explore the saints of the Bhakti movement, a Hindu religious movement of the medieval period that promoted the belief that moksha (heaven) was attainable by everyone. This led him to translate the doha (couplet) of Kabir Das into modern English verse.

He has also written a collection of Muslim prayers and a book on the saints and sages of India, an examination of the life and teachings of the important Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh saints.

He also broadcast about these saints on the External service of All India Radio and British Broadcasting Corporation in English and Hindi.

He was a fluent speaker in Bhil, Hindi and English. He was much sought after retreat preacher for priests, nuns and seminarians. He was spiritual director for numerous priests, nuns, students and nurses.

He has preached in England, Holland, Malaysia, Malta, Italy, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.