The Easter breakfast was family one. Only the closest people. No guests. Only the Holy Father, nuns, and we secretaries, says the Archbishop. -It was very homely. The Pope blessed what was lying on the table. And, then we were breaking the egg. And, we were making wishes of health and everything to work out well. The Holy Father wished us God’s blessing. The Archbishop says that sometimes Professor Styczeń joined them, whom the Holy Father treated as one of the household members. He recalls that the table was beautifully decorated. There were flowers on it; there was a lot of greenery, palm leaves. Photos of the Easter table in the papal apartment are impressive. The nuns took a great care of it – he says. -They painted Easter eggs themselves. We did not do it due to the lack of time, but we appreciated their work a lot. Just like for Christmas, for Easter we also had a real feast at home also for the eye. In each corner there was a smell of the spring. And cake. Like at home. It was a little different as at the Christmas table, because Easter is less family, more spiritual. Maybe that is why we did not invite more guests. After breakfast there was a moment to pray, rest, the Holy Father was preparing for the holy Mass.
The holy Mass was usually in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. There were tens of thousands of worshippers on the square in anticipation of the Easter message. And, the blessing of Urbi et Orbi. In his Easter message, the Pope always referred to what he wrote for Lent- explains the Prelate Ptasznik. – It was not a homily in the sense of solving moral problems. It was a message preached to the people of the Risen Christ with all the enthusiasm of the faith. On the Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, John Paul II had this enthusiasm even more than usual. This is what Archbishop Mokrzycki says. It’s like he got wings – he recalls. – Although, he has been very weak in the last few years. He smiled a lot. Joked; as when he got a big chocolate egg during the ceremony. It was a meter high or even a meter and a half. Then, we were giving it to the children’s house or kindergarten. We had a lot of joy from it.
With the permission of Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki – “A place for everybody”
“Znak” Publishing House, Krakow 2013
