Union Minister V Muraleedharan meets Pope Francis in Vatican City

Pope Francis. Pic/AFP

Vatican City: Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Sunday met Pope Francis in Vatican City and presented him the copy of 'Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi' and 'Caparisoned Elephant' of Kerala temple festivals.

"Met His Holiness @Pontifex this morning. Presented 'Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi' and 'Caparisoned Elephant' of Kerala temple festivals reflecting India's age-old traditions. Also met HE Paul R Gallagher," the minister tweeted.

The minister is currently on a two-day visit to the Vatican City in Rome to attend the Canonisation ceremony of Sister Mariam Thresia. He is accompanied by a delegation of officials, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Sister Thresia is the fourth from Kerala, who attained sainthood. Prior to her, Vatican had declared three Kerala-born Indian Catholics, including Sister Alphonsa, Sister Euphrasia, and Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara, as Saints.

Sister Thresia was canonised by the Pope earlier today. Breaking the shackles of gender stereotypes, Sister Thresia had founded the Congregation of the Holy Family, which was officially accepted in 1914.

Sister Thresia was born on April 26, 1876, in Thrissur, Kerala. She passed away on June 8, 1926, and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in April 2000. On July 1 this year, Pope Francis had formally approved her canonisation at an ordinary public consistory of cardinals on causes of canonisation at the Vatican.

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