US President Joe Biden attended private mass in Delhi church ahead of G20 Summit
US President Joe Biden wished to hold a private mass while in Delhi. “I received an invite from the US embassy asking me whether I can celebrate the Holy Eucharist for the President. They sought an appointment with me, met me personally at the clergy home, and they told me that it is a short service of 20 minutes.
They asked if they could avail my services, which I gladly accepted," the priest told news agency ANI. The private mass for Joe Biden was conducted on Saturday, 9 September. “It was an occasion for me to be in faith and fellowship with the President of America who is a born Catholic and a devout Catholic" the priest said. “He began to share with me how he cherishes his grandmother's faith and that was the starting point of our discussion.
I had prepared a minute-to-minute liturgy for this purpose so that we keep to the timing." Father Nicholas said. "I took the intention of praying for the success of G 20 summit, also praying for both the countries, India and America, and we prayed that all things may go well in both these countries. I involved the President in reciting the prayers.
Mass went on and Holy Communion was administered to President Biden and also the other attendants, including his personal assistants" the priest added. After the mass service was over, the priest gifted Biden with the Goan sweet Bebinca. Whereas, President Biden gifted the priest a seal of the President of the United States.
“When the communion service was over, I gifted him the Goan delicacy of Bebinca, which I had brought with me recently during my visit to my home state. And the President was grateful to me that I had given him time to celebrate the Eucharist. And he said wait, I will gift you something.
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