Pope Paul VI

When Shri Nathji was traveling to India from London, the plane stopped over in Rome. Shri Nathji decided to halt for a day. He visited the Vatican. People in Italy suggested that he seek a private audience with the Pope. But Shri Nathji preferred to be one amongst the crowds. A large number of Catholic priests and Nuns gathered around Shri Nathji, attracted by the Divine Radiance of his personality, and asked who he was. He was dressed in a yellow turban, and a white sherwaani at the time. "Is he an Indian Pope?" an innocent bystander asked. The Pope came out, carried on his throne by four men, his hands raised upwards in blessings. "Papa! Papa!" the crowds roared out. Shri Nathji shut his eyes and raised his hands upwards, blessing the Pope. It was a strange sight. The Messenger of God blessing God and being blessed by God! The Pope caught a glimpse of Shri Nathji amidst the crowd of Italians gathered there on the day. For a brief second, his gaze was halted, a startled look came into his eyes, a recollection, a spark of recognition appeared to flicker for a while, and then disappeared.

Shri Nathji’s blessings were to remain with Pope Paul VI. He was to be one of the most unusual Popes of his times. It was no coincidence that some time later the Pope visited the shores of India–the first Pope ever to have done so in the history of mankind. Perhaps unconsciously, it was in return for the visit Shri Nathji had paid him at the Vatican. It was Shri Nathji’s great love for Catholics that took him all the way to Rome to the Pope. This father figure of the millions of Catholics the world over was to be a special recipient of the Grace of God.

Paul VI born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (26 September 1897 – 6 August 1978), reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it. He fostered improved ecumenical relations with Orthodox and Protestants, which resulted in many historic meetings and agreements. Paul VI sought dialogue with the world, with other Christians, other religions, and atheists, excluding nobody. He saw himself as a humble servant for a suffering humanity and demanded significant changes of the rich in America and Europe in favour of the poor in the Third World. His positions on birth control and other issues were controversial in Western Europe and North America, but were applauded by people in Eastern and Southern Europe and Latin America. Pope Paul VI became the first pope to visit six continents, and was the most travelled pope in history, earning the nickname "the Pilgrim Pope".