Catholic priest wins hearts by singing Lord Krishna devotional song at Kerala church feast | WATCH

Kottayam (Kerala): At a time when divisive forces attempt to drive wedges between communities, a Catholic priest in Kerala’s Kottayam district has delivered a resonant message of unity through the power of music.

Fr Francis Pullukattu, a priest at St Mary’s Church in Ithithanam under the Changanacherry Archdiocese, mesmerised attendees at a church feast by singing a revered Lord Krishna devotional song, a moment that has since gone viral across social media.

An unscripted moment of interfaith bonding

The uplifting scene unfolded during a musical evening organised as part of the church’s annual Eight-Day Lent feast. Upon seeing local Hindu devotees who had joined the celebrations, Fr Francis accepted their impromptu request to step onto the stage.

He delivered a soulful rendition of ‘Radha than premathodano Krishna...’, a legendary devotional track originally sung by K J Yesudas for the album Mayilpeeli. The priest’s heartfelt performance left the audience spellbound.

Reflecting on the gesture, Fr Francis shared that he could not turn down the affectionate request from his neighbours.

“When I finished singing, local devotees ran up to embrace me. My eyes filled with tears of joy. Expressing my Hindu brothers’ and sisters’ devotion to Guruvayurappan through song brought me immense peace,” he said.

A musical answer to past controversies

The gesture holds broader relevance in the region. Months earlier, a Hindu devotional troupe, Nandagovindam Bhajans, earned praise for singing a Christian devotional hymn at a temple in Kottayam. However, fringe elements ignited a controversy at the time, provocatively asking whether a church would ever allow Hindu devotional songs on its premises.

Fr Francis’s performance at St Mary’s serves as a quiet, powerful answer to those critics, demonstrating that faith and mutual respect easily transcend rigid boundaries. As videos of the rendition circulate online, citizens across India are praising the priest for championing secular harmony during challenging times.