In the evening of October 22nd, Poles gathered together at St. Peter’s Square, a silent witness to the inauguration and the entire pontificate of St John Paul II. The Rosary was prayed, hymns were sung and flowers were laid on the spot where our Pope was shot. This prayer meeting was culminating one week of solemn celebrations of the 45th anniversary of the election of Card. Karol Wojtyla as a successor of St. Peter in Rome
Msgr. Paweł Ptasznik, Chairman of the Administrative Council of the Foundation responsible for the pastoral care of Poles in Rome, summarizing the celebrations expressed his joy that the Polish community remains close to John Paul II: “It was an exceptional time. We have always tried to remember the anniversary of the election of John Paul II and the liturgical commemoration. But this year, because of the 45th anniversary of this occasion, we tried for the whole week to be close to the Polish Pope, his teaching and his work.” There was no lack of representatives of Church and State institutions in Rome. Among the local Polish community present today, many still hold memories of personal encounters with our greatest compatriot in history.
