John Paul II went to our Father’s house 15 years ago – on April 2, 2005 at 9:37p.m., on the first Saturday of the month and the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday. On that evening on St. Peter’s Square, in churches and chapels of the entire world, on city’s squares and by the crosses standing at roadside, millions of human hearts had a great prayer vigil. As Cardinal Dziwisz recalls: “Our streets and churches were filled with the silent whisper of the praying people who wanted to be together on this day and unite with the departing Pope to accompany him with his love and thus thank him for the gift of his life and holiness. He knew that he was leaving surrounded by a great family, like a father among loving children.”
After 15 years, senior Archbishop of Kraków confesses that he returns with memories to those moments of unity, when he today looks at the empty St. Peter’s Square, when he sees “empty churches and frozen streets. The world stopped as it stopped 15 years ago. Then, we felt orphaned, but we were able to strengthen each other and seek comfort in God, which is the Source of Life. Can we today, as we did it at that time, remain in mutual love, in mutual pain and longing? Can we seek hope and draw strength from the truth? Although, we cannot physically meet today, but after all, our community is real and exists despite the closed doors of our homes?” – asks the closest aide of St. John Paul II.
Having in mind that all public celebrations related to the 15thanniversary of the death of St. John Paul II, on Thursday, April 2nd at 7:00 a.m. in the St. Peter’s Basilica at the relics of St. John Paul II, a holy Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski. The Mass will be celebrated in the intention of all the dead and living members and benefactors of the John Paul II Foundation.
At the same time, we ask for spiritual unity on this day at 9.37 p.m. and placing burning candles in your windows following with a prayer through the intercession of St. John Paul II to cease the corona pandemic. We need each other together to pray to our merciful God and to beg Him to stop this plague.
