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Bangladesh honors cherished Italian priest's final wish

Missionary Father Rigon who spent over 60 years in the South Asian country buried there one year after his death
Bangladesh honors cherished Italian priest's final wish

A woman breaks down after touching the coffin bearing the mortal remains of Italian Xaverian missionary priest Father Marino Rigon, who was buried at St. Paul's Church in Mongla, a busy seaport in Bangladesh on Oct. 21 one year after his death in Italy. (Photo by Uday Halder/ucanews.com)

Published: October 22, 2018 09:39 AM GMT
Updated: October 23, 2018 05:05 AM GMT

The remains of an Italian missionary who served the people of Bangladesh selflessly for over six decades were returned from Italy and buried with state honors on Oct. 21, one year after his death, in line with his final wishes.

Father Marino Rigon from the St. Francis Xavier Foreign Mission Society (popularly known as the Xaverians) was laid to rest at St. Paul's Church in Mongla of Bagerhat district in southern Khulna diocese.

Father Rigon died on Oct. 20, 2017 in Vicenza, Italy at the age of 92 after suffering numerous ailments related to old age.

Turkish Airlines flew his casket to Dhaka airport in the early hours. It was then transported by helicopter to Mongla for the farewell ceremony and Mass.

Just prior to this, the missionary's remains were presented for a public homage at Sheikh Russel Stadium in Mongla and at the church-run St. Paul's High School, which he was formerly based.

Father Rigon served in Bangladesh for more than six decades until 2014. He launched a documentary about his life and works in Dhaka in October 2010. (Photo by ucanews.com)

 

Tens of thousands of people from all faiths and backgrounds, including senior government officials, paid their last respects to one of country's most famous Catholic missionaries.

The coffin was then draped with the national flag of Bangladesh and a contingent of police paid state-level honors to him with a full gun salute. 

Bishop James Romen Boiragi of Khulna said the church was proud to have Father Rigon buried in Bangladesh.

"Father Rigon had a selfless love for Bangladeshi people that cut across all faiths and ethnic groups. He was an outstanding model of humanity," Bishop Boiragi told ucanews.com.

"He deserved and had the right to make this his final resting place [as he requested earlier] and it is a great honor for the church and the state to have him among us forever."

Qazi Sazzad Ali, an ex-guerrilla during Bangladesh's war of independence from Pakistan in 1971, hailed Father Rigon as a "hero of the age."

"He was great man... He made remarkable contributions to Bangladesh's society, people and culture. Our country is blessed and honored to help him fulfill his final wish," Ali told ucanews.com.

Bishop James Romen Boiragi of Bangladesh's southern Khulna Diocese leads a funeral Mass for Father Rigon on Oct. 21. (Photo by Uday Halder/ucanews.com)

  

From Venice to Sundarbans

Born on Feb. 5, 1925 in Venice, Father Rigon was ordained a priest in 1951. He traveled to East Pakistan — since renamed Bangladesh — in 1953 as a missionary for St. Paul's Church in Mongla.

He was mostly based in the diocese, near the Sundarbans mangrove forest, before returning to Italy in 2014 to receive medical treatment.

Father Rigon agreed to return home but only on the condition that he be buried in Bangladesh, church officials told ucanews.com.

While in Bangladesh, he pioneered setting up dozens of schools and hostels in the southern part of the country to serve children from greatly impoverished families.

He set up sewing centers for unemployed rural women and advocated for farmers' and fishermen's rights.

During Bangladesh's war of independence from Pakistan in the early 1970s, Father Rigon helped displaced victims of the war and local Bengali guerrilla fighters by providing them with food, shelter and counseling.

During his long service, Father Rigon translated about 40 Bengali books into Italian, including some by the prominent poet Rabindranath Tagore, who pocketed the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. 

He also translated the works of popular folk poet Jasimuddin and the songs of Lalon Shah, a famous mystic singer, philosopher and social reformer. 

Father Rigon's outstanding work brought him numerous awards and, in 2009, he was bestowed with honorary Bangladeshi citizenship. As his legend grew, a local TV channel produced a 40-minute documentary about his life and works in 2010.

In 2012 he was awarded the Bangladesh's two top civilian awards, the Liberation War Honor and Friends of Liberation War Honor.

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