MUMBAI, India – Church leaders in India marked the 20th anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II on Wednesday, paying tribute to the saint who ruled the Church for 26 years.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias and Archbishop John Rodrigues of Bombay along with Father Constancio Rector celebrated a special Mass at Holy Name Cathedral to commemorate the anniversary.

Gracias and Rodrigues reflected on St. John Paul II’s remarkable legacy, highlighting his unwavering commitment to the Gospel, his tireless advocacy for human dignity, and his unshakeable optimism in the face of adversity.

The celebration served as a powerful reminder of the enduring impact of St. John Paul II’s papacy and his continued inspiration to Catholics around the world.

The cardinal paid homage at the Statue of Pope John Paul II that was created in 2011.

“As a student priest, I knew John Paul II when I was studying in Rome and when I was helping out in different places,” Gracias told Crux.

“He made such an impact in the Church and in the world in so many different ways. He was like a colossus. A very charismatic man, whose voice was heard – listened to. He was not afraid to speak the truth and never worried about whether he was popular or not popular. People listened to him. He made a difference,” he said.

“Politically, he confronted communism; but he also confronted dictators  too, like in Chile, Haiti etc. He was not afraid. He always spoke about communalism and then also about capitalism by itself, which could also be bad. He was very direct and clear. All political analysts say that Reagen and he were the architects of the fall of the Soviet Union. He was not afraid to go to Poland and speak there. He had an attack on his life and also two others which were foiled I believe,” the cardinal said.

“John Paul II was really the first to openly start dialogue with the Jews, the Hindus, the Muslims and other religions. For him it was natural that we are all searching God together. It was something new at that time, but he took the first initiatives,” he continued.

“He also opened up Science to the Church. Like the encyclical Fides et Ratio – Faith and ‘Reason’ – he was ready for research. He was not afraid of the truth. The truth is with Jesus – he was not afraid of the truth. That was his moto – Do Not Be Afraid,” said Gracias.

He said that intellectually John Paul II made a difference to the Church, and administratively he gave confidence.

“He was one who promulgated the Code of Canon law and also the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He made a very big difference in the understanding of people’s faith. The ‘Theology of the Body’ was his initiative. He also implemented Vatican II,” the cardinal said.

“John Paul II could be very demanding. He would scold the bishops if they did not do their duty. He was a very confident man of deep faith. He had a great devotion to our Lady. I remember his very first words when he became pope were ‘open your doors to Christ’,” he added.

Gracias also said that when John Paul II visited India, “he was loved by all.”

“We recorded the great devotion and amazing welcome in all cities. There was great turnout by youth and strong attention to interreligious dialogue and charity,” he said.

The cardinal said for Christians and also for peoples of other faiths, Pope John Paul had a strong call to respect human dignity and the role of religion in one’s life, also in the public arena.

“When he died, I remember the people in Agra were so grieved as if a world figure had died. He put the Church on the map,” he said.

“He tried to control abuse and any wrongdoing. Popularly he was called St. John Paul the Great,” Gracias added.

“We had the Mass at the same time as that in Rome to be in harmony with them. We prayed and thanked God for the gift of John Paul that the kingdom of God which he established comes in our country, our Archdiocese, and our families. In this time of Lent, it is time for us to be partners with Jesus,” the cardinal told Crux.