Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - To mark the first anniversary of the death of the servant of God Pope John Paul II Rome diocese organised a Rosary Prayer in St Peter’s Square in the evening of Sunday 2 April. Tens of thousands, Romans and visitors, filled the square flooded with the light of thousands of candles. The prayer vigil began with the reading of some of Karol Wojtyła’s writings with intervals of hymn singing by Rome Diocesan Choir. At 9pm the Pope appeared at his study window to lead the Rosary prayer at the end of which he gave a brief address. “It is already a year since the death of the servant of God John Paul II, almost at this exact hour - Pope Benedict XVI said -, but his memory lives on as we see from numerous initiatives planned for these days all over the word. He is still present in our minds and in our hearts, he still communicates to us his love for God and his love for humanity; he still inspires people, young people especially, with the enthusiasm of the goodness and the courage to follow Jesus and his teaching”.
To try to summarise the life of the great Pontiff Pope Benedict XVI used two words: "fidelity" and "dedication", that is “total fidelity to God and unreserved dedication to his mission as Shepherd of the universal Church”. “Fidelity and dedication still more convincing and moving in the last months… his illness faced with courage made everyone more attentive to human pain, physical and spiritual suffering; he gave suffering dignity and value, showing that the human person is of value not for his or her efficiency or appearance, but as a human being, created and loved by God. In word and deed dear John Paul II never tired of telling the world that if man lets himself be embraced by Christ this does not lessen the richness of his humanity; if he adheres to him with all his heart he is not denying himself anything. On the contrary, the encounter with Christ renders our life even more enthralling. Precisely because he drew ever closer to God in prayer, contemplation, in love with Truth and Beauty, our beloved Pope was able to be a travelling companion for each of us and to speak with authority even to those distant from the Christian faith”.
Pope Benedict XVI encouraged those present to “welcome the spiritual legacy he left us”: live tirelessly searching for the Truth which alone can satisfy our heart, not be afraid to follow Christ to carry to everyone the news of the Gospel which is leaven of a humanity of more brotherhood and solidarity. Via TV link the Pope then addressed people gathered in front of the archbishop’s house in Krakow, Poland, for the stations of the Cross led by Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, former personal secretary of Pope John Paul II: “The memory of John Paul II lives on and so does the sense of his spiritual presence - Pope Benedict XVI said in Polish -. May the memory of the special love he had for his compatriots be light to illuminate your way to Christ”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 3/4/2006 - righe 36, parole 583)
