“If it pleases the Lord,
I come to India...and I come.”
The Pope did come.

These were Pope Paul VI’s words to His Eminence Cardinal Valerian Gracias on the night of September 30, 1964 expressing his keenness to visit India.

Millions lined Mumbai’s roads to greet the Pope as they waved flags of India and the Vatican. Seen here is Pope Paul VI with Cardinal Valerian Gracias in a ‘pope-mobile’ customised by Mahindra & Mahindra. It became the prototype design for the vehicle used by all Popes. It was also possibly the first time when a Pope used an open vehicle with full access to the crowds.

50 years later, we are at the Catholic Communication Centre at Archbishop’s House, Colaba. Strains of a popular Coldplay track waft in the background as we get a pulse on an onerous task at hand; it’s less than a month before a photo exhibition opens to the public; this will be the centrepiece around many events planned by Mumbai’s Catholic Church to celebrate the golden jubilee of the 38th International Eucharistic Congress.