Meghnagar: Catholic Diocese of Jhabua, Bishop Swami Basil Bhuriya succumbed to novel coronavirus on Thursday while undergoing treatment at Indore.
Since Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Jhabua and Alirajpur districts of western Madhya Pradesh come under the jurisdiction of Jhabua Diocese, there was a wave of mourning among thousands of Christian community in these districts.
Pope Francis on July 18, 2015, appointed Basil Bhuriya, SVD, as bishop of Jhabua. At the time of appointment, Father Bhuriya was apostolic administrator of the diocese and member of the provincial council of the Society of Divine Word.
Bishop Bhuriya was born on March 8, 1956, in Panchkui parish in Jhabua. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum of Pune. He made his solemn profession in the Society of the Divine Word on June 12, 1985. He was ordained a priest on May 5, 1986.
He served in the parishes of Muvalia in Baroda diocese, Dhar in Indore and Rajgarh in Jhabua. He was also parish priest of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church of Thandla Jhabua when he became the bishop.
Bishop Bhuriya was found Covid-19 infected on April 3. He was admitted to St Francis Hospital in Indore for treatment and later shifted to Chaitharam Hospital on April 15. He was recovering from the infection, but on Thursday at around 1 am, he suffered cardiac arrest. Bishop Bhuriya’s last rites will be performed in Meghnagar cemetery on Friday with religious rituals.
