I still remember that day, the day Pope John Paul passed away. April 2nd, 2005 was a black day for the world. And yes, Im not just saying Catholics. Pope John Paul was a man who touched the hearts of everyone, regardless of religion.
I remember seeing my mother cry that day, and being 15 at the time, I didnt really understand why. We grew up in Kuwait and, like most children our age, cared more about attaining a social status than to read the newspaper daily..
My mother then sat us down and began to talk about him, the wonderful things he had done, the kind, gentle person he was. And then it all made sense.
Pope John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyła On 18th May, 1920 in the Polish town of Wadowice.
He was the youngest of three children of Karol Wojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died when he was 8 years old.
He was ordained a priest on November 1 ( All Saints Day ), 1946. Pope Pius XII appointed him auxillary Bishop of Kraków on July 4, 1958. On 26 June, 1967, he became an Archbishop.
In August, 1978, he was elected Pope after the demise of Pope John Paul I.
Wojtyła became the 264th Pope according to the chronological list of Popes and the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years. At only 58 years of age, he was the youngest pope elected since Pope Pius IX in 1846, who was 54.
I remember watching documentary after documentary on how wonderful he was, how he tried to maintain world peace, the numerous trips to various nations and the good he did everywhere he went.
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| The Pope with Bill Clinton |
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| Pope John Paul II with Princess Diana |
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| The Pope with Mother Teresa |
He even forgave the Turkish gunman who shot him and seriously injured him on May 13th, 1981 in St. Peter's square in Vatican City! In 2008, Mehmet Ali Agca applied for Polish citizenship and asked to continue the remainder of his sentence in a prison in Poland as he wanted to live in the country where the Pope was born!
"I am not a stranger to your country because the national hero of Poland, Pope Karol Wojtyla is my spiritual brother," Agca said, referring to John Paul by his other name.
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| Pope John Paul talks to Mehmet Ali Agca |
On Saturday 2 April 2005, at about 15:30 p.m., Pope John Paul II spoke his final words, "pozwólcie mi odejść do domu Ojca", ("Let me depart to the house of the Father"), to his aides, and fell into a coma about four hours later.
Inspired by calls of "Santo Subito!" ("Saint Immediately!") from the crowds gathered during the funeral, he spent no time starting the process of Beatification, which would normally not start till 5 years had passed since the death of the person.
His Faith in the late Pope was not in vain. In 2006, Sister Marie Simon- Pierre was cured of Parkinson's Disease, which had left her crippled so she could hardly move. After she prayed to the late Pontiff in June 2005, she was cured overnight and her neurologists were baffled to discover that all indications of the disease had disappeared!
"I was sick and now I am cured," she told reporter Gerry Shaw. "I am cured, but it is up to the church to say whether it was a miracle or not."
It was confirmed a miracle and today, the 1st of May, 2011, the Benediction of Pope John Paul was held in Rome. His coffin was exhumed on April 29th, 2011 and is left at the altar all day for devotees to pay their respects after which it will be moved to its final place of rest.
The Feast of the Divine Mercy falls today this year. It was instituted by the late Pope and it was after the first Mass of Divine Mercy Sunday that he passed away.
Pope John Paul II inspired the lives of many and his beatification is celebrated worldwide. He still lives on in the hearts of millions.
