Christianity is said to have arrived in India with Saint Thomas, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, who spent some years in South India and possibly died there. However, others believe that the first missionary to arrive in the country was Saint Bartholomew. Historically, Christian missionary activity started with the advent of Saint Francis Xavier in 1544. He was followed by Portuguese missionaries at first and eventually by missionaries from other countries like Denmark, Holland, Germany and Great Britain. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries Catholic as well as Protestant missionaries preached Christian doctrines in India and also made important contributions to social improvement and education in India.
Much of the modern influences in the Indian society can be attributed to the role of Christianity in India.Christian missionaries helped in setting up schools and colleges all over India and also spread the message of faith and goodwill in the country.Christianity and its teachings influenced a number of intellectuals and thinkers in India, including Mahatma Gandhi.Today, the Christians in India number about 30 million and consist of people from every denomination of Christianity.
We don't know why John Paul II wanted to hide this picture for years. The Vatican published this picture recently, for first time. This picture was taken by one of his security guards just when the Pope was attacked and was falling down in his Papamobil. You can see the pain in his face.
Take a look at the above picture. You can see Mother Mary holding John Paul II in Her arms when he was shot in 1981.
This happened on May 13, 1981. Pope John Paul II was shot as he arrived in St. Peters Square to speak to the people who had gathered there. When he was shot, he was holding the rosary, which he always carried. When he fell to the ground, out of nowhere, a woman rushed to his side and embraced him. That pic is shown above. The picture is said to have been taken by one of the gathered people who was busy taking Popes pics with his camera.. The woman vanished as quickly as she appeared.
The gunman was apprehended in the square and sentenced to life in prison. The pope was critically wounded but survived after surgery and a long recovery. The surprising fact is that all the bullets passed just past his vital internal organs. When he recovered finally, the first thing Pope asked for was his rosary. When he got it in his hands, he said that he felt Mother Mary directing the bullets path through him.Sure, John Paul II was always in the habit of praying the rosary regularly. He had once said The best prayer I like is the Rosary.
Joaquin Navarro Valls, who is the one spokesman from The Vatican, said that they made a lot of studies for years of this incredible picture and of course about the quality of the developing of the picture because when it was developed nobody could see very well because the image was not clear. Finally, and after so many controls and being looking and checking by all the experts in ph otogra ph y (around the world), they decided that there were no tricks in it and today they give us this beautiful gift from our Mother of God. You can see the Mother of God holding John Paul II in her arms. Beautiful right?
