August 6, 2025
A Momentous Day in the History of the ICMC and The Blessing ChurcH
Mönchengladbach Bishop Attends the General Audience of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter’s Basilica, by Invitation of Metropolitan Prof. Dr. mult. Thomas Schirrmacher
Mönchengladbach Bishop Attends the General Audience of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter’s Basilica, by Invitation of Metropolitan Prof. Dr. mult. Thomas Schirrmacher
A Historic Day for the India Christian Mission Church (ICMC)
and the Evangelical Mission of The Blessing Church (TBC) – August 6, 2025
Vatican City / Mönchengladbach, 6 August 2025 –
In a moment of profound ecclesial significance, Bishop Michael Chandrathas, Suffragan Metropolitan of the India Christian Mission Church (ICMC) for Continental Europe and Presiding Bishop of The Blessing Church in Mönchengladbach, was accorded the rare honor of attending the General Audience of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.
This distinguished participation came at the gracious invitation of his Archbishop, Metropolitan Prof. Dr. mult. Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, one of the most eminent global voices for religious freedom and interconfessional dialogue.
The occasion, witnessed by more than fifty thousand pilgrims from across the world, unfolded in an atmosphere of deep spiritual solemnity and visible unity of the global Church.
Bishop Chandrathas’ pilgrimage to Rome was undertaken in close spiritual concord with His Eminence Archbishop Dr. John SDR Nakka, Primate of the ICMC worldwide. His presence at this audience stood as a deliberate and public witness to the dignity, unity, and unwavering spiritual solidarity binding Christians across traditions and continents.
The invitation extended by Metropolitan Schirrmacher not only marked an expression of personal esteem, but also underscored the growing role of the ICMC and The Blessing Church in Europe’s and the world’s shared Christian witness.
Reflecting upon the moment, Bishop Chandrathas remarked:
“To stand so near to the Holy Father, to receive the Apostolic Blessing, and to join thousands of the faithful at the very heart of Christendom was a moment of deep emotion and sacred significance. In that solemn gathering, I sought to bear visible testimony to our shared faith and to the unifying Gospel of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.”
For both the Evangelische Gemeindemission TBC and the ICMC, the day will be remembered as a milestone in their history. In an era of global uncertainty, the event affirms that unity of faith, mutual respect, and the lived reality of Christian brotherhood remain the Church’s most enduring witness to the world.
