Over the years, his condition deteriorated a lot, physical fitness decreased, strength decreased. He was then brought from the apartment by elevator to the first floor, along the corridors of the Prima Loggia he was taken to the elevator right next to the Pauline Chapel and further down to the Basilica, in order to allow him to celebrate the Holy Mass. By the end of his life, he couldn’t do it at all. To the Courtyard of Sixtus V, right at the entrance to the aforementioned elevator, a car drove up, in which a special platform was mounted. The Pope sitting in a wheelchair was led inside the car, drove it around the entire apse of the Basilica along the Via della Fondamenta and drove into the church. From there, he was transported to a sacristy in the Basilica on a trolley specially designated for him, where a chasuble was put on him and on a movable platform he was taken to the altar.
It was a great pain to see him in such a state when he was suffering so much. After all, I remember how he ran, how strong he was, how strong he was at the beginning of his pontificate. As in the first years, he approached the altar of the Basilica vigorously, with a strong step. There was a ceremony – I was standing in the Basilica near the exit – when the flags of all countries of the world were spread along the central nave on the floor. And, the Pope walked on them, as if he were traversing particular parts of our globe. The entire Papal entourage followed a different path, only he was walking in the middle. It was very symbolic…
Magdalena Wolińska-Riedi “It happened in the Vatican”
Znak Publishing House. Kraków 2020
Pages: 55 – 56
