Catholic Church in Venezuela: 40 years ago San Juan Pablo II visited the country

This week, Venezuela commemorated the 40th anniversary of The first visit of Pope San Juan Paul IIfrom January 26 to 29, 1985, in which he toured various cities such as Caracas, Maracaibo, Mérida and Ciudad Guayana.

The Polish Pope arrived in Merideña lands, in the Venezuelan Andean mountains, on January 28. He officiated the Mass in the sorceress sector, there he told the crowd that “it can be rightly said that the Andes constitutes the spiritual reserve of the nation.”

“Through what evidence does the faith of contemporary Christians pass? What are the evidence in which she must mature and grow here, in Venezuela? How should this faith be so that the apostolic inheritance truly responds to the inheritance of the centuries? ”The Pope questioned in his homily of that day.

“That faith that has suffered and suffers the attacks of secularism and secularism, must be renewed. And renew faith It is to deepen the knowledge of Catholic doctrine; is to make the vital experience of love to God and the brothers; It is to announce to others the gospel. Only that renewed faith will be able to lead to fidelity: fidelity to Jesus Christ, to Church and man, ”he added.

As part of this year’s celebrations, the archbishop of Mérida, Mons. Helizandro Terán, presided over the Mass in the Jesús Maestro University Parish, the same place where the Eucharist of 1985 took place.

An exhibition was also inaugurated San Juan Paul II, Pilgrim of Hope; Within the framework of the 2025 Jubilee, where a “historical, documentary, artistic and audiovisual work is shown around the preparation and visit of San Juan Pablo II to Andean lands,” according to the Archdiocese of Mérida. The exhibition will be open to the public until October, at the Archdiocesan Museum.

The Pontiff continued his trip, the first papal visit in the history of Venezuela, in Ciudad Guayana, on January 29.

Guayana Ciudad celebrates the anniversary of the Pope’s visit without electricity

The local newspaper Caroní mailremember that it was San Juan Pablo II who created the Diocese of Ciudad Guayana in 1979, establishing as a procathedral to the parish Our Lady of Fatima, in Puerto Ordaz.

Although in the 90s the cathedral began to be built, which is named after the Polish Pope, the first stage has only been completed due to lack of resources. The newspaper ensures that this ecclesiastical jurisdiction “has the peculiarity of being the only one in the world that does not have a cathedral.”

“Crucial work has been carried out thanks to the support of local families and companies such as CVG and Ferrominera. Every Sunday comes around 350 to 400 people to Mass, ”said Fr. Gerardo Moreno, pastor of the cathedral. However, the presbyter says they have not received a response from local authorities on how to finish building the remaining stages, despite several meetings.

This January 29, more than 1,500 people approached the San Juan Pablo II Cathedral, half building, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pope’s visit. Through a video in xFr. Moreno highlighted the devotion of the participants, who went to the Mass despite the continuous electrical cuts in the city.

In Caracas, a message to the young people that remains in force

In the Venezuelan capital, on the night of January 28, the Polish Pope met thousands of young people at the Olympic Stadium of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV). In those years, the country entered an economic and social crisis of great size.

In that context, San Juan Pablo II questioned each of those present, with words that charge today even more validity, due to the difficult situation that the country is going through more than two decades ago:

“Young Venezuelans, will they let themselves be reduced by difficulties, or will they have the courage to be real Christians and build a more fair, more fraternal, more cozy and peaceful society?” The Pope asked at the beginning of his speech.

Given the response of the crowd, the Pontiff remarked that Venezuelan youth was living “a historical moment not exempt from difficulties and problems,” but pointed out that the only way to improve reality is through the Gospel, with the impulse of the spirit Holy, that “transforms man, society and the Church.”