Trips outside Rome were a pleasant diversion. Once a month, on Tuesdays. Mostly in the mountains. (…)
– How did people react when they saw the Pope? Do you remember any funny situations?
– They were surprised. Like a sheep shepherd who saw the Holy Father. He wanted to come up, but the security was quick. The Pope had to intervene. Only then was he admitted. John Paul II asked: “How is it going? Is everything OK?” A conversation ensued. Spontaneous, very pleasant. A symbolic meeting. The sheep shepherd meets the Pope.
– Let us return to specific days in the life of John Paul II. Msgr. Stanisław Dziwisz said that the health condition of John Paul II always deteriorated significantly on Fridays, on the day reminding about the death of Jesus Christ. Did you also notice it?
– It was true. When Friday came, the Holy Father was suffering from various ailments. Most of all, his head hurt. I remember at breakfast he said, “I have a headache!” And Msgr. Dziwisz: “Please, the Holy Father, today is Friday”. People who were closest to it thought it was natural. And it was so. Every Friday I saw that the Pope was going through some suffering. And he experienced the Way of the Cross very much. As I looked at him, I thought that he was directly participating in the Passion, in the redemption of the world with the Savior, Jesus Christ.
It was different on Saturday, which is a day particularly associated with the Mother of God. Sister Tobiana once asked: “Did you notice that the Holy Father on Saturdays is different?” At first, I didn’t pay attention to it. But after this question, I noticed that when Saturday came, John Paul II was becoming joyful, cheerful, relaxed and very, very calm. He liked Saturdays a lot.
Secretary of the two popes – an interview with Fr. Archbishop.
Mieczysław Mokrzycki. Literary Publishing House.
