“Archbishop Moses Costa was always in favour of poorest of the poor, the truth, the humanity! He dedicated his entire life for the oppressed and people in the periphery. He was not just a follower of philosophy, but also a preacher of the philosophy he always believed in. He has set a great example to the people of all religions.”
Said Dr. Jinobodhi Vikkhu during an Inter-Religious mourning meeting on Friday, 28 August 2020 on the death of Late Chattogram Archbishop Moses M. Costa, CSC. The event was organized by the Chattogram Archdiocesan Commission for Christian Unity and Inter-Religious Dialogue which was chaired by the Diocesan Administrator Fr. Leonard C. Rebeiro, moderated by the Commission Coordinator Mr. James Gomes, and participated by 49 prominent religious leaders of four major religions existed in the city.
Former Archbishop of Chattogram, Late Moses Costa, CSC died on 13 July 2020 at the Square Hospital, Dhaka due to bilateral ischaemic stroke with haemorrhagic transformation and later buried at the Cemetery of Cathedral of our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Chattogram. The prelate was announced and installed Bishop of Chattogram in 2011 and later appointed Archbishop in 2017. During the episcopal tenure, he has taken the Church in Chattogram to a great extent, especially the Diocese of Barisal is erected and Chattogram is raised to the rank of Metropolitan Archdiocese during his tenure.
The mourning meeting started with a minute of silence in reverence to the departed soul of Late Archbishop Moses Costa followed by a song of Tagore Tumi Robey Nirobey performed by television and radio artist and teacher of St. Placid’s School & College Mrs. Indrani Pathok. Attendees then garlanded the photo of the archbishop and lightened candles. Following the opening speech of the Dialogue Commission Coordinator Mr. James Gomes, attendees spontaneously took part in sharing personal memories with the Late Archbishop.
“Archbishop Moses Costa came into this world as a messenger of God, he has completed the mission in the world and left us all responding to the call of God! He loved all the people irrespective of caste, religion and financial status. I research on Sufism. Once I have invited Archbishop Moses to a national meeting of Maijbhandar Dorbar Shorif. In his speech, he inspired us to realize the deeper meaning of inter-religious dialogue out of unconditional love towards the humankind. Now we realize, we were too late to know him.”- Dr. Selim Jahangir, Sufism research fellow.
“I have attended so many programs with the visionary leader Late Archbishop Moses. I always found his sympathetic heart for the poorest of the poor, most oppressed and people in the periphery. When a ship comes from a foreign port, it anchors at the local port. Late Archbishop Moses came into this world as a ship of love for a short tenure and anchored at the hearts of the people in Chattogram. He will remain everlasting at our hearts.”- Prof. Swadesh Chakrabarti, Renowned Islamic theologian and social leader.
The program ended by the vote of thanks from Fr. Leonard C. Rebeiro. Attendees then prayed at the grave of Late Archbishop Moses M. Costa, CSC.
