Reverend Father J Felix Raj, the vice-chancellor of St Xavier’s University, Calcutta, on Thursday delivered the first Christmas lecture 2021 at Santiniketan’s Parasmani, a centre for research and social outreach run as an unit of Visva-Bharati.

He spoke on “Jesus Christ in the eyes of Tagore” before teachers and noted civil society members. “Jesus and Tagore have many things in common. They were great spiritual leaders and teachers ... They had similar vision, ideas and teachings.”

He referred to Tagore’s 10-month stint as a student at the St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Calcutta. “He studied there until April 1876. He was uncomfortable with formal schooling and left.…The person who seems to have had the greatest impact on young Tagore was Father Alfonso de Penaranda, a Spanish Jesuit.”