Remembering Polish-born pope
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
18.05.2018 13:30
A number of religious events and other observances will be held in Poland over the next several months to remember the Polish-born pope who became the leader of the Roman Catholic Church four decades ago.
Photo: pixabay.com
Friday marked the 98th anniversary of the birth of Pope John Paul II, who headed the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005 and was later declared a saint.
Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski in the southern city of Kraków was on Friday expected to launch months-long commemorations of the 40th anniversary of Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyła being elected pope.
A host of religious, cultural and academic events will be held throughout the country until October to mark the anniversary. The commemorations will take place under the common motto of "You must be strong with the power of faith, hope and love,” public broadcaster Polish Radio's IAR news agency reported.
John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła in the southern Polish town of Wadowice on May 18, 1920, served as pope from October 16, 1978 until his death on April 2, 2005.
He was declared a saint in 2014.
Father Prof. Wojciech Zyzak, rector of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, said that “a call for human dignity,” in both moral and ethical terms, but also socially and politically, was a key feature of John Paul II’s pontificate.
John Paul II, the third longest-serving pope in history, was a strong supporter of Poland's anti-communist Solidarity movement. He is recognised as helping to end communist rule in Poland.
(gs/pk)
Source: IAR