"It is a matter of great pride for us at the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) that we were invited to send a delegation to pay respects to the late Holy Father and to attend his funeral (on April 26, 2025). This was made possible through the long-standing contacts between our colleague Ruzbeh Hodiwala and the Vatican through its Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue,” noted a message from Dorab Mistry, erstwhile ZTFE president. The funeral was six days after Pope Francis succumbed to a heart attack and stroke at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, April 21.
As ZTFE interfaith coordinator, Hodiwala who regularly participates in conferences at a Rome-based interfaith forum — previously represented by Dr Homi Dhalla (founder of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation) — had reached out to the Vatican office. In a report readied for Parsiana he mentioned, "The Vatican promptly provided details of the designated meeting point for the day of the funeral.” Hodiwala and Ervad Yazad Bhadha, resident priest at ZTFE, "were instructed to arrive at 8.15 a.m. just outside the Vatican’s boundary wall in the Aurelia neighborhood where we collected our entry passes from the Vatican representatives. Alongside members of other faith groups, we were then guided through the southern entrance at Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani to St Peter’s Square where a special section of rows had been reserved for interfaith representatives.”
The presence of Zoroastrians at the funeral was acknowledged by leading media outlets, including Corriere della Sera, il Post, Sky TG24, Vatican News (Polish edition), The Washington Post, and others. The Washington Post stated that "in addition to the 164 national delegations, other faiths sent high-level representatives to Francis’s funeral. The list includes Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Jains, as well as leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, Methodists, the World Evangelical Alliance, and others.” According to the website of Vatican News, 12 reigning monarchs and 55 heads of State, 14 heads of Government, and other high officials were expected with "more than 4,000 journalists having requested accreditation from the Holy See.”
The wooden coffin of the deceased Pontiff, sealed the prior evening, was placed in front of the altar facing St Peter’s Square, noted a description by the Vatican News of the four-hour ceremonies planned for April 26. "His casket was placed, following established tradition, on a Persian carpet. A Heriz carpet from northwest Iran…demarcating holy ground,” as reported in www.theartnewspaper.com.
Top: Pope Francis; inset and above: Ervad Yazad Bhadha (l) and Ruzbeh Hodiwala at
the funeral at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City Photos: Mustafa Field
"Seeing the general public and nuns with sleeping bags in the morning was an indicator that they had possibly spent the night on the streets to be able to get a front view,” stated Hodiwala. An estimated crowd of several hundred thousand witnessed the funeral on gigantic screens. According to the Vatican News, "This diverse crowd represents the Church of Francis, the one that welcomes ‘everyone, everyone, everyone,’ as he tirelessly repeated.” After the mass came the homily, prepared by the dean of the College of Cardinals, and next the prayers of the faithful in French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German and Chinese, before the Eucharistic liturgy, holy communion, and the rite of final commendation.
"For me, personally, it was quite surreal to see the book of the gospel placed on the casket and its pages slowly turning due to the breeze,” recalled Hodiwala.
The celebration was continuously accompanied by the choir of the Sistine Chapel, even when the coffin was transported to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major over a distance of about four kilometers through the streets of the capital as helicopters and drones hovered overhead. Upon arriving at the Liberian Basilica, the coffin was welcomed by "the last ones,” a group of poor and marginalized people who had earned a special place in Francis’s heart. They were the ones to give the final tribute before the coffin was carried to the altar of Saint Mary Major.
Following the funeral, the ZTFE, along with other faith organizations, received a formal note of gratitude undersigned by the secretary for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican, recognizing their participation and expression of solidarity during the time of mourning.
"Over the years, several Zoroastrians have had the honor of representing Zoroastrianism at the Vatican, calling upon successive Roman Pontiffs. Parsiana (December 1982) published a piece on Maneckji Kursetji, a Parsi from Bombay, who was introduced to Pope Gregory XVI in the 1840s during his travels in Europe,” mentioned Hodiwala. Former ZTFE vice president Ervad Rusi Bhedwar, and Indian ambassador to Italy Homi Taleyarkhan had interacted with Pope John Paul II. Among Zoroastrians from the UK who had met Pope Benedict XVI were Tina Mistry, Malcolm Deboo and Lord Karan Bilimoria. Dhalla is privileged to have met three successive Popes — John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis.
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 5, 2025 that followed the mid-spring Maidyozarem Gahanbar, ZTFE organized a special remembrance service by their priests followed by delicious lunch prepared by Farida Vora at the Zoroastrian Centre.
"VE Day marks the formal end of World War II in Europe—a day when the guns fell silent and peace began to return to the continent. As we celebrate this milestone, we remember with pride the vital role played by the ZTFE and the Zoroastrian community in the war effort. From the battlefield to the home front, our community contributed with courage, skill and dedication during both World Wars in Europe, Africa and Asia,” noted the ZTFE website.