Two Popes: A Kerala journo turned diplomat shares memories

Venu Rajamony, a former Indian diplomat, has fond recollections of his distinctly different experiences with the two Popes. He had met one Pope while he was a journalist four decades ago in Kochi. His meeting with Pope Francis happened in 2018 at the St Peter's Square while serving as the Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands.

Rajamony was a reporter with an English daily when he was assigned to cover the two-day visit of then-Pope John Paul II. The Pope had arrived in Kerala to beatify Sister Alphonsa and Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara. His legal knowledge had landed him a job as a journalist to cover the High Court. "When the Pope's arrival in Kerala was finalised, I was assigned to cover the visit. I didn't get a chance to meet him but got an opportunity to document his visit as a reporter," said Rajamony.

In September 2018, Rajamony got in touch with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Vatican City so that he could meet the Pope. "I was really moved by his humility, his approach towards refugees and his non-conventional style. The authorities had a letter sent to the Vatican foreign office, and a date and time were fixed," said Rajamony.

The visit was scheduled on September 27, 2018. Kerala was then reeling from the devastating floods. Rajamony saw the Pope make his way in a popemobile, waving at the crowd. The meeting was part of a general audience. As the Pope came closer, Rajamony had a brief interaction with the pontiff. "I told him about the Kerala floods. He said he will pray for the Keralites. There was so much warmth in the way he spoke and held my hand. His demise is a great loss. He was always with the poor, and he always spoke from his heart," said Rajamony. "It was a sunny and windy day in the Vatican. I chose to wear my best bandhgala with a red handkerchief in my breast pocket," he recollected. His wife, Saroj Thapa, had accompanied him during the visit.

Pope Francis had prayed for the Kerala flood victims at the Angelus in August 2018. "In recent days, the inhabitants of Kerala have been harshly struck by intense rains, which have caused flooding and landslides, with heavy loss of human life, with many people missing and displaced, with extensive damage to crops and homes. These brothers and sisters would always be supported by our solidarity," Pope Francis had said.