John Paul II – The Passing of the Shepherd

April 2 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Death of John Paul II.

The last Sunday in the Pope's life was Easter Sunday, March 27, 2005. On that day, at noon, the ailing Pope approached the window of his apartment to greet the crowds of believers and tourists gathered in St. Peter's Square and to offer the traditional blessing Urbi et Orbi (To the City and the World). However, he was no longer able to speak a word; he only blessed the faithful.

John Paul II was well aware of the fact that he was dying. On the last day, he wanted to have a lot of peace. He asked to have the Gospel of St. John read to him, and in the evening, he asked his loved ones to celebrate the Holy Mass at his bedside, and he received a few drops of the Eucharist, after which he gradually lost consciousness.

The Pope died on 2 April 2005 at the age of 84. Death occurred at 9:37 p.m.

Two days before his death, John Paul II entrusted the Church and the world to Divine Mercy. In a special telegram dated March 31, 2005, for the Solemnity of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, he wrote, among other things: 'I want to entrust the Church and the world, all people across the entire earth, and also myself in my weakness to this Love. ' The telegram was read in the sanctuary the day after the Pope's death, on Sunday, April 3.

 The pontificate of the 264th successor of St. Peter lasted 26 years, 5 months, and 16 days and was the third longest in the history of the papacy, after St. Peter and Pius IX.

 According to the tradition surrounding the burials of popes, a short biography written in Latin was placed in a special metal tube in the coffin with the body of John Paul II. The beginning of this document, called "rogito," reads: In the light of Christ risen from the dead, on 2 April A.D. 2005, at 9: 37 p.m., while Saturday was drawing to a close and we were already beginning the Lord's Day, the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church's beloved Pastor, John Paul II, departed this world for the Father. The whole Church, especially the young, accompanied his passing with prayers.

The time of the Pope's death generated immense media interest, unmatched by any other event in world history. It is no secret that the world's television stations had already invested significant sums for the right to place cameras in locations that provided a favorable view of St. Peter's Square.

The testimony that the dying John Paul II gave to the world was referred to as his 'fifteenth encyclical'. "The dying John Paul II reminded me of Christ, with the difference that Christ on the cross could speak, whereas the Pope passed away in silence," said Dr. Renato Buzzonetti, a few days before the Pope's death. The Italian doctor accompanied him from the beginning of his pontificate until the last moments.

During the last Way of the Cross of his life, the seriously ill pope celebrated on Good Friday, March 25, 2005, in his private chapel, watching the broadcast of the traditional Way of the Cross in the Colosseum on the TV screen. At the end of the service, the Pope held a large wooden cross in his hands. The photographs capturing these moments are among the most famous images of his entire pontificate.

The funeral of John Paul II, which took place on April 8, 2005, in Rome, became the largest gathering of the most significant representatives from around the globe in history. The farewell of Pope Wojtyła was attended by two hundred official delegations, including heads of state and government, representatives of royal and princely families, leaders of various denominations and religions from across the world, and heads of the largest international organizations.

Before closing the wooden coffin with the body of John Paul II, a rite was performed to cover his face with a white veil. This was accompanied by a prayer to the Lord of life and death: 'We believe that the life of John Paul II is present in You. May his face, no longer illuminated by the light of this world, be forever illuminated by your eternal and inexhaustible Light. May his face, which has searched your paths to show them to the Church, rejoice in your grace. May his face, which we will no longer see, enjoy your presence."

The funeral liturgy for John Paul II was presided over by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the dean of the College of Cardinals, alongside 160 cardinals and patriarchs from the Eastern Churches, as well as a few million believers from around the world. In his homily during the Mass for the Pope's soul, Cardinal Ratzinger said: "We can be sure that our beloved Pope is now at the window of the heavenly Father's house, seeing us and blessing us. " The body of John Paul II was laid to rest in the grave on May 8 at 2:20 p.m.

John Paul II was proclaimed blessed on May 1, 2011, by his successor, Benedict XVI. The ceremony took place in Vatican City, accompanied by the applause of one and a half million believers. In his homily, Benedict XVI noted that "even on the day of John Paul II's funeral, 'we felt the fragrance of holiness wafting through the air, and the People of God showed their worship for him in various ways." The Pope explained that "John Paul II is blessed because of his strong and generous faith, an apostolic faith. "

The beatification process of Pope John Paul II was among the shortest in history, lasting five and a half years. After his death on April 2, 2005, the hopes of the faithful that John Paul II would be recognized as a saint were evident during the funeral ceremony in the Vatican. Those gathered in St. Peter's Square raised banners bearing the inscription 'Santo subito, ' meaning 'Saint immediately.'

The road to the canonization of John Paul II began with Pope Francis's decision on July 5, 2013. On that day, the pope issued a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to the intercession of the Blessed John Paul II. This miracle was confirmed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which examined the medically inexplicable healing of Floribeth Diaz from Costa Rica, who had been suffering from an inoperable aneurysm.

The canonization of John Paul II took place in April 2014, marking the culmination of the journey to sainthood for a pope who emphasized the significance of holiness throughout his life. During his lengthy pontificate, he beatified and canonized more blessed individuals and saints than all his predecessors combined since the late 16th century.

The beatification and canonization of John Paul II occurred on Divine Mercy Sunday. Saint John Paul II, Pray for us

Until next time

fr. george