The “Tree of Life” symbolizes the interconnected nature of all things in the universe. Fr Cedric Prakash SJ, who recently had the occasion to meet Pope Francis in the Vatican, explains why he chose this symbol as a gift for the Pope. The Tree of Life is depicted as a large tree with roots that spread inward to the ground and branches that spread outward to the sky. It represents the interconnected nature of all things in the universe and celebrates unity in diversity.
It is also the symbol of the Indian city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state where the 16th century Sidi Saiyyed Mosque features ten beautiful stone latticework windows featuring the delicately carved Tree. It’s also where Jesuit Fr. Cedric Prakash, founder and Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace currently lives and works.
Last week he was in Rome for a 2-Day Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs that wrapped up with a papal audience. Describing his meeting with Pope Francis as one of the great and memorable moments of his life, Father Cedric explained that after his “inspiring and meaningful” address, in which the Pope told those present to go forward in their work with courage and with hope, he also took time to meet personally with those present.
“I carried with me two things: one was a replica of the Tree of Life, the other a stole embroidered with the Tree of Life,” Father Cedric said. The stole, he explained, was made by women from the slums in Ahmedabad who work at St. Mary’s training center for women. They do excellent embroidery and train women to earn their livelihoods.
Before coming to Rome, the Jesuit priest said, “I spoke to the director of the center, Sr. Silvia, and told her I may have the possibility of meeting the Pope and I would like to give him a stole with the Tree of Life, and she had it done.” Father Cedric told me of the Pope’s reaction to the gift and of how he described it as a “stola Magnifica, elegant,” immediately asking Father Cedric to put it on him.
“The way he responded to the stole and the way he looked at the replica of the Tree of Life was a moment I will never forget,” he said. Vatican News Department
