The Vatican celebrated a solemn Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the name of Pope St. John Paul II on the 20th anniversary of his death.
At the ceremony, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, gave an emotional homily in which he recalled the figure of the Polish pope as a “tireless pilgrim” who dedicated his life to peace, justice and human dignity.
CARD. PIETRO PAROLIN
We remember with gratitude and admiration his untiring service of peace, his passionate warnings, diplomatic initiatives to try to the end to avert wars, and this until the extreme times of his life, when the fragility of physical strength was already evident. And well that many of his appeals and warnings remained unfortunately unheeded as happens even to great prophets.
Some government officials were also present at the ceremony. Among them, the Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni or Cardinal Stanislao Dziwisz, Archbishop Emeritus of Krakow and former personal secretary of John Paul II.
CARD. STANISLAUS DZIWISZ
Former personal secretary of John Paul II
We firmly believe that he himself now looks down on us from above, supported by the whole church in his pilgrimage to eternity.
A celebration in which Pope Francis could not be present, who remains in his residence to continue with the rest prescribed by the doctors.
JH
