It was as if Mother Teresa’s soul had seeped into each and every one of the millions who had gathered at St. Peter’s Square.

For a few unbelievable hours, it was as if the world had evolved, had become one, had magically transcended the lethal squabbles that have come to define our mundane existence. Why else, just when the Mother was declared a saint, why would a man from Kosova spring from his seat and hug me, a complete stranger? And why did I, who had never taken kindly to such exhibitions of closeness, feel happy?

Though I have been to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican more than five times, the visit on Sunday will forever be etched in my mind. I think there must have been a million passionate people who stood soaked in love and peace present there. It was as if the whole world had descended upon St. Peter’s Basilica, thousands from India.
Everyone gathered there stood for togetherness and against hatred and war, because here was a person who stood for love and passion. Beyond that, Mother asked everyone to love their enemy and neighbour with the same vigour.

The gathering was far more than a biblical mass, showing that conscience can be right if we think beyond caste, creed, religion and borders. The overall feel was of immense hope that peace can still be right despite global communities of the world being divided, civil war being fought in many parts of the world, people killing each other for no reason.

I was sitting in the Indian enclosure with people from Macedonia and Kosova when Pope Francis declared Mother a saint. The Indian enclosure was closest to the altar that we were hardly 50 feet away from Pope Francis.

The Indian contingent was led by Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and had Lok Sabha members K.V. Thomas, Anto Antony, Jose K. Mani and Conrad Sangma, Goa deputy chief minister Francis D’souza, Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Catholic Bishops Council of India secretary-general Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas. Pope Francis has shown the world where Mother Theresa stands. He spoke about compassion to be shown towards the downtrodden. The Pope, too, was full of love and compassion.

When Pope Francis declared Mother a saint, which was the first function, huge applause erupted. I have never seen such a scene where each person who gathered there gushed with pride. Some parts of the Mother were alive in each person present. There was a “personal connect” between each person and Mother then, when she was ordained as a saint. Once the function ended at 12.15 pm local time, there was a celebratory mood. The mood at the Vatican on Sunday was largely of compassion, love and caring for the world as well as caring for each other.

On Monday morning Ms Swaraj, with three others from the Indian contingent, will meet Pope Francis. He usually meets only one person at a time, but he was firm that he wanted to meet at least three from India.

I am now a changed person as I think I can be a lot more compassionate. At the end of the day, we are here to share and deliver things. I believe I am a man of action and I would work for all types of people irrespective of caste, creed and religion. My wife, Sheela, has been working as a volunteer at Mother’s orphanage in New Delhi. Fortunately I could work with Mother on numerous occasions in Kolkata.

Alphons Kannanthanam, formerly with the Indian Administrative Service, is at present a member of the BJP national executive.

(Source: Asian Age)