ADDRESS OF H.E. MR AMITAVA
TRIPATHI
NEW AMBASSADOR OF THE
REPUBLIC OF INDIA
TO HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Clementine Hall
Thursday, 18 May 2006
I have the honour to
present the Letter of Recall of my predecessor and the Letter by which His
Excellency the President of the Republic of India has been pleased to
accredit me as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of my country
to the Holy See.
At the outset, I would
like to convey to Your Holiness the renewed felicitations of the
Government and the people of India to your appointment to this high office
last year and to convey to you our expectation that under your supreme
leadership, the Holy See would continue to be a beacon of hope for the
whole world.
It is a matter of
great satisfaction that the diplomatic relations between India and the
Holy See, established more than half a century ago have been strengthening
over the years. Your much esteemed predecessor, His Holiness Pope John
Paul II's visit to India in November 1999 had infused a new strength in
our bilateral relationship, besides providing a great opportunity to
exchange view-points on issues of common concern. Indeed, the Indian
people as a whole cherished the visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II,
one of the most charismatic figures in the millennial history of the Roman
Catholic Church.
Respect for all
religious beliefs and traditions has always been an import hallmark of my
country, which has given birth to a number of major religions of the world
and where other major religions of the world have subsequently found home.
Indeed, but for the immense tolerance of India towards social diversity,
multi-ethnicity, multi-lingualism and pluralism, some of the world's
ancient civilizations and cultures would have simply disappeared. Few
countries in the world can claim this level of tolerance and human
understanding.
Your Holiness,
Christianity in India goes back right to the very first century of its
existence when one of Christ's own Apostles St Thomas landed on our
western coast in AD 52. We also celebrate this year the 500th birth
anniversary of St Francis Xavier of Navarre, who had contributed immensely
to the spiritual and educational life of India and whose mortal remains
lie today in the Church of Bom Jesus in Goa. Educational institutions
established in India after this great Saint's name continue to play an
immensely important role in our human development.
Your Holiness, our
firm commitment to religious tolerance and peace is deeply rooted in
India's culture and we shall continue to work to achieve our ideal of one
universal family. It will remain our constant endeavour to promote mutual
respect and peaceful co-existence among the peoples and nations of the
world. We strongly believe that no problem is too great as to be incapable
of being resolved through peaceful dialogue and also that co-existence and
cooperation are always to be preferred over contention and confrontation.
Your Holiness, in
conclusion, I would like to thank you sincerely for the kind and gracious
manner in which you have received me today. I would also like to take this
opportunity to assure you that I am fully committed to promoting and
strengthening the mutual understanding as well as the bonds of friendship
and cooperation between the Holy See and India.
Thank you.
