On April 30th, an Inter-Denominational and Interfaith Memorial Meeting was held at Cathedral Dharmapolli Hall in Barishal to honour Pope Francis. Organised by the Barishal Diocese, the gathering brought together religious leaders and community members from various faith traditions.
The event was attended by The Rt. Rev. Shourabh Pholia, Bishop of the Barishal Diocese, Rev. Richard Uttam Biswas, clergy, religious sisters, and Mr. Richard Ratan Halder, Diocesan Secretary, along with 20 members of the Church of Bangladesh congregation.
In his tribute, Bishop Pholia reflected on Pope Francis’s legacy, stating, ‘Pope Francis was a symbol of humility. His ever-present smile reflected the love and kindness in his heart. His clarity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to justice continue to inspire us.’ He also shared the personal blessing of having met Pope Francis in person.
Several distinguished leaders paid tribute during the memorial, including Bishop Emmanuel Rozario (Barishal Catholic Diocese), Brother Eric (Taizé Community), Mufti Mawlana Dr. M. A. Salam (Chairperson, Bangladesh Jatiya Imam Samity, Barishal), Sreeman Baldev Balram Das Brammochari (ISKCON), Indrabangsha Vikkhu (Vice Chancellor, Kuakata Kendrio Seema Buddhist Vihara), Mr. Philip Barman (Baptist Church), and Mr. Francis Bepari (Caritas Bangladesh).
