Every Sunday, thousands of the faithful converge on the Oval, bowing to the gods of cricket. No other religion had such a grip on the ground. But, in Dec 1964, for a brief spell, this parish of players was outnumbered by one of the smallest religious communities in the country.In a phenomenon never seen before or since, tens of thousands of Christians descended on the Oval for the 38th Eucharistic Congress, a quadrennial Christian gathering catapulted to cult status by its star guest: Pope Paul VI.It was the first time in the history of the papacy that the leader of the Catholic Church visited Asia; indeed, Pope Paul VI was the first modern pope to travel outside Italy, making India his second port of call after the Holy Land. The historic event, from Dec 2-5, drew legions of both doubters and the devout from around the world. The multitude—an estimated 100,000—was dominated by Christians, but people of other faiths also gathered around the white, cubist altar that rose above the masses to catch a glimpse of the ‘Pilgrim Pope’.Last Sunday, a smaller congregation gathered around that iconic altar—only this one sat squarely in the palm of a hand, and those circling it were pilgrims of a different order. They were participants in a guided heritage walk called Soul Strolls, organised by the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum and led by its director, Joynel Fernandes. “The altar for the Eucharistic Congress, conceived as an ‘open-air cathedral’, was designed by a Hindu architect from Kolkata, Suraj P Subherwal,” said Fernandes, holding out the palm-sized replica— one of several memorabilia, including usher passes, commemorative medallions and archival recordings.“Soul Strolls was initiated to take the museum beyond its walls, inviting people to encounter art, history, culture, and faith on the streets, in churches, cemeteries, and community spaces. Through these immersive walks, we hope to uncover layered memories and living traditions that continue to shape both the city and the archdiocese,” said Fernandes.Oval Maidan was the nerve centre of the congress, a space large enough to hold the assembly and close enough to the Archbishop’s House in Colaba, where the papal delegation, including Pope Paul VI, was housed. The maidan was one of the places where masses tocultural shows unfolded. Some of these places were pitstops on the tour, such as Cooperage and Stephen’s Hall, where ground plans were made and the inventory of sacred objects was stored.These included thousands of items donated from around the world: more than 500 copes and stoles gifted by the Holy Father himself; a consignment from Colombia of large and small hosts to be distributed at Mass; and 456 bottles of Mass wine from France. Paulina, one of these gifts, is on permanent display at the entrance to Holy Name Cathedral. A bronze bell depicting Saints Gonsalo Garcia and Francis Xavier, who served in India, it was designed by Enrico Manfrini, the ‘sculptor to the popes’, donated by the Pope to Bombay.Bombay was chosen as the site of the Congress in 1958 for its cosmopolitan character and capacity to host a major international event. The choice also spotlighted the Church’s global reach in Asia, and in India, where Christians, fewer than 3% of the population, could still flourish. This spirit of religious inclusivity was evident at the Pope’s reception on the Santacruz tarmac, welcomed by the then PM Lal Bahadur Shastri and senior leaders like Indira Gandhi.The political heft was matched by the people power on the streets, where men, women, and children scaled trees and walls to catch sight of the passing pontiff.
