All the Cardinals approached him to pay homage. He, seeing the approaching Cardinal Wyszynski, embraced him and hugged him tightly. Meanwhile, white smoke was rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.
“So here goes the Slavic Pope, the People’s Brother”- more than a century earlier wrote the great poet, Juliusz Słowacki.
I was on the St. Peter’s Square, at the entrance to the basilica, and I heard Cardinal Pericle Felici announcing the name of the new Pope: this was my bishop! My bishop!
Of course, I enjoyed it, but I was like a stone. I thought to myself, “It happened!” It happened, what was not supposed to happen. In Krakow there were people who prayed for him not to be elected. They wanted him to stay in the diocese, not to leave. No one believed anything like this could happen. And, yet it happened! It happened! Also in Poland, after a moment of disbelief, there was an explosion of joy.
The nation took to the streets, to the squares, wanted to shout out their happiness, emotion and pride that the Son of the Polish land became the Successor of St. Peter. Meanwhile, someone recognized me in the crowd, walked up and led me to the entrance to the Vatican, which because of the conclave was still closed. In the “room of tears” adjacent to the Sistine Chapel, the Pope tried on new robes. He was to show up in the loggia window on the outside of the Basilica and give his blessing. Approaching the balcony and seeing the unmeasured crowds, he asked one of the people accompanying him if a few words should be said. He was told that the protocol does not have it. But John Paul II, upon reaching the “loggia of blessings”, guided by inner desire, spoke. “May Jesus Christ be praised!” “Forever and ever. Amen.” “I do not know if I can express myself clearly in your … our Italian language. If I make a mistake, you will correct me…” And, thunderous, endless applause erupted
With the consent of Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz – “Testimony”.
TBA marketing communication Publishing House. Warsaw 2007
