This April 2, 20 years of the death of St. John Paul II, one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century, and who from the moment it was announced that he had died was cheered by the faithful Catholics as “sudden holy”.
His pontificate lasted 26 years and 5 months, making him the longest third in the more than 2,000 years of history of the Catholic Church.
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To commemorate the anniversary of his departure to the father’s house, we share six data that you might not know about his last days and death.
1. The last blessing
After his bankrupt and moving attempt to give the blessing City and the World On the last Easter Sunday of 2005, which started the applause and crying of the faithful gathered in the Plaza de San Pedro, Pope John Paul II – which after his second hospitalization suffered “Nutritional deficit and marked weakness” – – he appeared again to the window of his room on Wednesday, March 30 to give the blessing.
This new attempt was not successful either. That appearance “was the last public station of his painful via crucis,” says the Acta Apostolic Seewhich contains details about the last days of the Pope’s life.
2. The vigil of the faithful
Thousands of faithful gathered to pray out loud and make vigil in the Plaza de San Pedro in the days prior to the death of San Juan Pablo II.
The personal secretary of John Paul II for more than 40 years, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, said the Pope listened to the prayers of the crowd.
3. Mass during his agony
The Vatican report explained that the eyes of John Paul II were practically closed in a mass held at the foot of his bed on the afternoon of March 31, 2005.
“But at the time of consecration, he weakly raised his right hand twice, that is, when the bread and wine rise. He made a gesture indicating that he was trying to hit his chest during the recitation of the prayer of the Lamb of God.”
That day the deceased Cardinal Marian Jaworski, close friend of John Paul II since they were young priests in Poland, administered the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.
4. His last words
The Vatican report on his death states that six hours before, John Paul II said in Polish, “in a very weak voice and with murmured words: ‘Let me go to the father’s house’.”
The Italian newspaper La Repubblica He cited a Polish priest, Fr. Jarek Cielecki, who said the Pope died “a moment” after pronouncing the word “amen.”
5. The cause of his death
San Juan Pablo II died on April 2, 2005 at 9:37 pm (Rome time) on the eve of Sunday of Mercy, a party established during his papacy. He suffered a “septic shock with cardiocirculatory collapse due to an infection, already detected, of urinary tract.” This was detailed by an exhaustive report on his agony and death made in the Vatican.
In his last week of life he received processed food through a nasal tube. The doctors pointed out that the problems in food intake and the breathing of the 84 -year -old Pope were a consequence of Parkinson’s disease.
6. A mass funeral
75 heads of state attended their funeral, including presidents and princes, among other authorities. The population of Rome (Italy) doubled in the course of that event and the attendees waited more than 24 hours to see it in the present body.
When the San Pedro Square was at the top of its capacity, everything was completely silent.
Originally published on April 1, 2020. It has been updated for republication.
Central writing
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