Diocese of Kohima, under the leadership of Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, organized three official Requiem Eucharistic celebrations to pray for the repose of the soul of the late Holy Father, Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 in the 12th year of his papacy.
According to a diocesan report, the first Requiem Mass was celebrated on April 24 at Holy Cross Church, Dimapur, followed by a second on April 25 at Mary Help of Christians Cathedral, Kohima. The final Mass is scheduled for April 26 at St. Joseph Church, Chümoukedima.
Delivering the homily during the Eucharistic celebration at Kohima Cathedral, Bishop Thoppil was stated to have paid tribute to the late Pontiff, describing him as a globally admired spiritual leader. He reportedly highlighted Pope Francis’ distinctive traits, including his charismatic personality, simplicity, closeness to people, and his use of what the Bishop termed a “fresh and unconventional vocabulary” in papal discourse.
The Bishop was further reported to have drawn attention to several historic firsts during the Pope’s tenure—being the first Jesuit Pope, the first Latin American Pope, and the first non-European Pope in over a thousand years. He also noted that Pope Francis assumed leadership of the Church following a rare historical event—the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, which was the first papal resignation in six centuries.
During the homily, Bishop Thoppil also recalled some of Pope Francis’ most impactful and widely quoted expressions such as “Don’t forget to pray for me,” “Don’t forget the poor,” “The smell of the sheep,” “The Church as a field hospital,” “Throwaway culture,” and “Incisive feminine presence.”
These were said to be more than just words, and were described by the Bishop as values the late Pope lived out in his ministry. The Bishop also reportedly quoted the Pope’s own reflection that “death is not the end of everything, but a new beginning.”
The Mass at Kohima Cathedral was attended by dozens of priests, religious men and women, and a large number of faithful who gathered to pray for the eternal repose of Pope Francis’ soul.
Similar attendance was reported at the Mass in Dimapur, with a strong turnout also expected at the concluding service in Chümoukedima.