– How Easter looked like at home?
– The most family like was Sunday. Nuns in the morning prepared breakfast: eggs, cold cuts, cheeses, mazurek (short crust tart), Easter cakes (baby wielkanocne). There were also pisanki (Polish Easter eggs). Nuns prepared them; everything traditional, Polish. The Holy Father blessed the food. Then, we were breaking the eggs and exchanging wishes of health, strength, and God’s graces, as well as a wish that everything goes well. We ate the Easter breakfast among the closes ones: the Holy Father, nuns, and Secretaries.
A story of one, if not a record like, then definitely, a spectacular one, lateness is associated with the Easter time. It is not a secret that John Paul II was often late – for meetings, for meals. Even, as it turns out, for Masses. Usually, there was one reason. He was praying somewhere on the side, he was lying down in a cross like shape in the chapel, he was praying Rosary in bedroom, or he was meditating the Word of God. I remember that at that time, we were changing the clocks. It was exactly on Easter Sunday. The Holy Father did not remember it, or did not realize. He still was supposed to pray Lauds, do his meditation, and he had to go to the St. Peter’s Square to celebrate the Mass at 10 a.m., if I remember correctly. All were concerned as to what happened that the Pope is still not there. They were waiting and waiting. We were trying to make the Holy Father to leave as soon as possible. However, on the other hand, we did not want to interrupt the prayer. We were late the entire 20 minutes. And, that was the Mass which was broadcasted to the entire world. Later on, we were laughing, but at that time it was not that funny. If I recall correctly, it was the year 1998.
With the consent of Archbishop Mokrzycki “He liked Tuesdays the most”
M Publisher, Kraków 2008
