For a mid-week afternoon, St Pius X Church in Mulund West is unusually buzzing. A couple  of florists are seen sitting below the eaves of the church, making bouquets—deep red and white gerberas, interspersed with yellow, along with long stems of white chrysanthemums. The bouquets will adorn a table in front of the altar, where the relic of late Pope John Paul II will arrive half-an-hour later.

As the minute hand moves, the mood gets more expectant. Ushers run in and out, while the choir sings hymns to fill the silence. By 3.30 pm, the parishioners start to trickle in, eager to choose the best vantage point to view the relic. In a matter of minutes, the church is packed to the brim.