Persecuted and displaced, the Rohingya saw in Pope Francis the love of Christ

The meeting in 2017 in Bangladesh with a delegation of one million exiles from Myanmar was one of the most touching moments in the pontiff's trip. He often remembered that embrace in the following years. “Pope Francis was a beacon of hope for the marginalised, a voice for the voiceless, and a man whose humility touched hearts across all boundaries,” Peter Saiful told AsiaNews. Fr Josim, a tribal convert to Christianity whom the pontiff ordained a priest in Dhaka, was told: “Your hands are holy. Use these hands for holy work.”

Dhaka (AsiaNews) – One of the most touching deeds that made Pope Francis go down in history was his 2017 visit to Bangladesh, which included a meeting in Dhaka with a group of Rohingya refugees who had fled violence in Myanmar.

Silent tears and heartfelt words that marked the embrace moved the world and became a symbol of his deep commitment to justice and compassion. On that occasion, Francis prayed with the Rohingya.

Since then, he has often reminded the world of their suffering. More than a million Rohingya live in Bangladesh, forcibly displaced from Myanmar where they are persecuted.

“Even though we are few and often forgotten – dispersed, marginalised, and afflicted – we grieve with the global Church,” said Peter Saiful, a representative of the small Rohingya Catholic community, also displaced in Bangladesh, speaking to AsiaNews.

“Pope Francis was a beacon of hope for the marginalised, a voice for the voiceless, and a man whose humility touched hearts across all boundaries,” Saiful explained. “As members of a persecuted and displaced people, we saw in Pope Francis the living compassion and solidarity of Christ. That encounter during his visit is a deeply moving and unforgettable moment in our community’s history.”

Pope Francis liked to say: “You cannot be a Christian without living like a Christian, and you cannot be a Christian without practising the Beatitudes. And one of the Beatitudes is to welcome the stranger.”

Rohingya Christians are grateful to God for the pope’s life and ministry, dedicated to justice, peace and the unity of God's people.

“We pray for the Catholic Church and for all who were shaped by his leadership,” Saiful added. “May they find comfort and strength in this time of sorrow. And may the memory of Pope Francis continue to inspire the global Church to walk in mercy, truth, and love.”

Francis “was an extraordinary humanitarian leader who championed peace, compassion, and human dignity,” said Archbishop Bejoy N. D'Cruze of Dhaka, giving voice to the mournful sentiments of the entire Catholic community.

“He stood steadfastly with the poor, refugees, migrants, and all marginalised communities. His advocacy for religious harmony and interfaith dialogue will remain a guiding light for generations to come,” added the prelate, who also chairs the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh.

“The death of Pope Francis is not only a profound loss for Catholics worldwide, but also a significant blow to global moral and spiritual leadership,” Archbishop D’Cruze noted. “In his life, he created a culture of presence – with the poor, the powerless, and the forgotten. May he now be our beacon in eternity. We pray for the eternal rest of his soul.”

Pope Francis left an indelible mark on the Catholic Church in Bangladesh. During his apostolic visit in 2017, he ordained 17 Bangladeshi deacons to the priesthood. One of them was Fr Josim Murmu, now 37, who now serves as a parish priest in Thakurgaon, northern Bangladesh.

“I still vividly remember how he hugged and touched me during our ordination. It was a beautiful, sacred moment,” he said.

A neophyte, Fr Josim was baptised in 2003 and then entered the seminary. “After our ordination, the Holy Father told us, ‘Your hands are holy. Use these hands for holy work.’ Those words have stayed with me ever since. They inspired me to lead a life devoted to God and to serve with humility and love.”

In honour of the late pontiff, the government of Bangladesh has declared three days of national mourning starting Thursday. Special interfaith prayers were held in memory of the Holy Father.

The head of the Bangladesh’s interim government, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, personally led the country's delegation to Rome at today's funeral.

"Pope Francis was a towering figure of moral clarity, humility, and compassion in our time,” reads a statement issued by the government. “His lifelong dedication to justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being resonated far beyond the Catholic world. His leadership, rooted in the values of fraternity and service, inspired global efforts to uplift the poor, protect the vulnerable, and build a more humane and peaceful world.”

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