Philosopher, theologian and writer Raimon Panikkar dies at 91

Barcelona (ACN).- Raimon Panikkar was one of the most internationally recognised Catalans. He received many honours abroad and at home, such as the Legion d’Honneur of the French Republic and the Presidency’s Medal of the Italian Republic. However, Panikkar was a humble and plain man, a person who was irradiating “a needed spirituality” as the Catalan President said. The president of the UNESCO’ Association for Interreligious Dialogue, Nathalie Reverdin, remembered one of his famous sentences: “There is not a single religion which is chemically pure”, underlining the need for interreligious dialogue and to take the best of each one.

According to UNESCO’s association, Panikkar “contributed to initiate a Copernican change in the world of interreligious relations” and in the theology and philosophy of religions”.

Panikkar was one of the top Catalan intellectuals. He has died at 91 years old in the small village of Tavertet, where he moved in 1987 when he came back to Catalonia. Panikkar was a lecturer in several European universities, as well as India and the US. He had a Ph.D in Philosophy, Sciences and Theology. He has written more than 50 books 1,500 articles in more than 6 languages: Catalan, Spanish, English, French, Italian and German.

In 1946 he was ordered priesthood. In 1954 he travelled to India for the fist time, the country where his family came from. There he discovered Buddhism and Hinduism. Between 1964 and 1971 he spent his time between Varanasi, Rome and the University of Harvard. In 1971 he was a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California.

In 1987 he decided to come back to Barcelona and settled in Tavertet. There he founded the Fundació Vivarium Centre d’Estudis Culturals, which later changed its name to Fundació Vivarium Raimon Panikkar. This foundation wants to offer paths to foster values such as peace and world justice.