In prayer” “

The European episcopates have been swift in their reactions to the death of John Paul II. Among the first were the bishops of his “beloved Poland” who, in an initial declaration, expressed the hope that “John Paul II would enlarge the circle of saints and even today is interceding for us at the Throne of God”. So wrote the Polish bishops in a statement issued in Poland immediately after the death of John Paul II. “The great humanism of John Paul II – they continued – shone forth in his genuine respect for all men”. Poland “Over 200,000 faithful, many bishops and the highest authorities of the State gathered yesterday in the square where almost 26 years ago John Paul II had prayed for ‘the Spirit to descend on this land, to renew it’. It is as if this message had been made present”, said Bishop Zbignew Kiernikowski of Siedlce in a briefing to Sir, after the great prayer meeting in Pildsucki Square in Warsaw on 5 April, led by Cardinal Jozef Glemp, and in the presence of the head of state Kwasniewski. “The fact that now we in Poland can gather together in this square, in a totally free way, in a new geopolitical situation: this is the result of that invocation made by the Pope 26 years ago”, added Monsignor Kiernikowski. He also remarked that “yesterday in the square an atmosphere of gratitude to God for the service of John Paul II to Poland and to the whole world could be felt”. The Polish bishop further underlined the fact that in the dioceses of the country, “apart from the liturgies and prayer meetings organized by the pastors during these days of mourning, many spontaneous initiatives of the population, who meet together to pray and meditate, can be noted. Of course it cannot be said that the faith in Poland today is greater than it was a quarter of a century ago, when the Pope was elected. But something has happened, something far greater than could then have been foreseen”. Italy On hearing of the death of John Paul II, on the evening of 2 April, Cardinal Vicar Camillo Ruini drew up the “special notification”, as prescribed by the Apostolic Constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis”, to inform the Roman people of the death of their bishop. “Today, Saturday 2 April, at 21.37 hours – says the statement issued by the Vicariate of Rome – in the first vespers of the Feast of Divine Mercy, the Lord called to himself the blessed soul of the Holy Father John Paul II. We collect our thoughts in prayer for him, who loved us so much. We pray that the Lord may accept him into his eternal fullness of life. We thank God for having donated to us a Pastor who led from the heart, who bore witness to Jesus Christ by his life and by his word, and who travelled with indefatigable courage along the road that leads from Christ to man. We know that this great Father has not abandoned us and we entrust ourselves to his intercession, to maintain intact and alive among us his precious heritage of faith and of love. May the Virgin Mary, to whom John Paul II consecrated his whole life – and his last prayer – take him into her maternal arms and protect the people of Rome”. Austria “The Pope’s death is a sorrowful moment of leave-taking”: but at the same time we need to recognize with Christian joy that John Paul II has reached the goal of his life, he has come home”, declared Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, president of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference, on hearing of the Pope’s death. “I hope and believe that the Pope is with God”, said the cardinal. Schönborn warned against classifying the dead pontiff as either “progressive” or “conservative”, since, he said, “he was too great for categories of this kind. The cardinal emphasized, instead, the Pope’s “commitment to life, human rights, world justice and dialogue between religions. John Paul II always believed in an illuminating way in the resurrection; Christians can now accompany him in his return home”. The cardinal also underlined the fact that “the Pope’s life had been lived in public, right up to his last moment. He showed that suffering, illness and death are part of life”. Germany “The Pope has left us. John Paul II has died just as he lived and acted: mentally present almost until the end, full of dedication to his own service and completely entrusted to the will of God”: this was the first reaction of Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Bishops’ Conference, to the news of the Pope’s death. A press release declares: “He announced throughout the world the glad tidings: ‘Open wide the doors to Christ’ to all Christians and to all religions, to all mankind, and especially to the poor. His determination caused the fall of many walls, not least the Iron Curtain. The steadfastness of his faith brought hope to many even in the most difficult situations. We have lost a courageous witness of the Gospel, a great man of world history and an example that remains not only for Catholics to follow. The world has become a poorer place. Sadness, gratitude and fidelity to his spiritual testament remain”. Spain John Paul II “was an extraordinary gift of God for the Church and for the world”, and Spanish Catholics “would never forget him”, declared Monsignors Ricardo Blasquez and Juan Antonio Martìnez Camino, respectively president and general secretary of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, who as soon as they heard of the Pope’s death sent a letter of condolence to Cardinal Camerlengo Eduardo Martinez Somalo, in which they express “profound grief”. “In his long and fruitful pontificate – write the Spanish bishops – the closeness of the Holy Spirit has been made almost palpable”. The Spanish bishops express “profound gratitude for his faithful and unconditional dedication to the cause of the Gospel and to the mission he received from the Lord”. “The Catholics of Spain – they emphasize – will not forget John Paul II, the first Pope who came to visit us, leaving us, as in better times, on the paths of holiness”. John Paul II in fact visited Spain five times: in 1982, 1984, 1989, 1993 and 2003. Last night Spanish Catholics took to the streets and piazzas, singing hymns and holding lighted torches, to commemorate “the Pope who loved Spain”. Portugal From the faithful at the Marian sanctuary of Fatima gathered in uninterrupted prayer in the days following the Pope’s death to the condolence of all the bishops and the representatives of the Moslem and Jewish communities and of the other Christian Churches: so Portugal is grieving for the Pope’s death. The government has also declared three days of national mourning. At Fatima – especially close to the Pope’s heart – news of his death was announced while a prayer vigil was in progress in the sanctuary. Cardinal José Policarpo, Patriarch of Lisbon and president of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference, thanked God “for the gift of this pontificate”, characterized by “universality”, and declared how deeply he had been struck “by the profundity and intensity of the last moments of the Pope’s life and the way in which they were accompanied by people of various beliefs and religious confessions throughout the world”. The majority of Portuguese bishops had words of mourning and recalled their cherished memories of John Paul II. The representatives of the Moslem and Jewish communities and of the other Christian Churches also expressed their condolences, while the Islamic community of Lisbon expressed its “solidarity with the Catholic world”. For the Jewish community, too, the Pope was “an exceptional figure who will leave an enduring sign in the history of the Church and of the world”. France An invitation to light candles and lamps throughout France, up till the day of the funeral, not only in churches but “wherever possible”, has been made by the president of the French Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Jean-Pierre Ricard, in a message to the faithful. “May these flames be a sign of our prayer and of our gratitude to the Holy Father who right to the end invited us to have trust and bear witness to hope”. “John Paul II is dead – writes Ricard -. Pilgrim of hope, he has reached the end of his journey. His sufferings, his fortitude in illness, his death, are like a last sign of the sense he wished to give to his existence: a union with Christ, a love for life, and a total faith in the Resurrection. His death fills us with grief. We weep for a father. But at the heart of our sorrow we still hear him say: ‘do not be afraid'”. Switzerland The Swiss bishops join in the mourning of the Catholic Church for the passing away of John Paul II. “We are extremely grateful for the service rendered to the Church and to the world by Pope John Paul II over the last 25 years and we are convinced that God’s blessing was perceptible for the whole world in the actions of John Paul II. His dedication on the world political scene led substantially to the final disappearance of the Iron Curtain and to the reconciliation between once hostile powers. His activity as an imperturbable guarantor, his words of admonition and his personal example for the realization of peace between peoples and religions, have given an historic significance to this pontificate”. The bishops also recalled the Pope’s commitment as “defender and advocate of the poor”, “his faith in the young”, which “proved contagious and touched people’s hearts”, and his defence of “the family in which he saw one of the most precious assets of humanity but also one of the most threatened”. Prayers are being recited and requiem masses celebrated throughout Switzerland. Hungary Every day before the Pope’s funeral – due to take place at 10.00 am on Friday 8 April – the bells of all Hungarian churches will peal at midday, as a tribute to John Paul II. “He was the first Pope in history to visit Hungary”, said Cardinal Péter ErdO, archbishop of Budapest and president of the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference, as reported by the Catholic press agency Magyar Kurir. “He was particularly close to the peoples of Central and Eastern Europe and he gave many saints to the Church, including the martyrs of the 20th century”. The Hungarian Church has proposed that a Pater Noster, an Ave Maria and a Gloria be recited at the end of every month for the Pope, and that church bells throughout the country be pealed once each day at midday until the day of the funeral. A solemn requiem mass was celebrated on 4 April, in the basilica of St. Stephen at Budapest, with the participation of all the Hungarian bishops. The Hungarian Jewish community has also expressed its condolences, and recalled “the Pope’s contribution to the improvement of relations between the Church and Jews”. The Calvinist bishop Gusztav Bolcskei, for his part, recalled the “memorable” gesture of the Pope, during his visit to Decebren in 1991, in the place that commemorates the preachers of the reformed Calvinist Church condemned to prison. He has also proposed that a commemorative plaque be erected in memory of John Paul II in the same site. Bulgaria “By his life John Paul II totally fulfilled the Lord’s will: if the rulers had listened to his words, the world would now be a better place”, said Bishop Georgi Jovcev of Sofia-Plovdiv, in Bulgaria, in commenting on the Pope’s death to Sir. A solemn requiem mass for the Pope was concelebrated by the apostolic nuncio Msgr. Giuseppe Leanza, the bishop of the diocese of Sofia-Plovdiv Msgr. Gheorgi Jovcev and the president of the Bulgarian Bishops’ Conference Msgr. Hristo Projkov in the Catholic church of St. Joseph in the Bulgarian capital on 3 April. Many politicians, priests and religious and a throng of faithful attended the rite. Masses and vigils in memory of John Paul II were held in all Bulgarian dioceses. The Bulgarian Orthodox patriarch  Maksim has also expressed his condolences, calling John Paul II “a charismatic figure who struggled so much for peace in the world and for love to reign among men”. “He fulfilled his mission to the end – commented the metropolitan of Vidin Dometian – and thanks to him the meeting between the religions has made enormous strides”. The Pope, added Father Mario Polzin, Capuchin friar, “has succeeded in giving witness even by his death”. Groups of pilgrims will depart for Rakovski, the city with the largest number of Bulgarian Catholics, to give their last farewell to the Pope, who visited Bulgaria in 2002. Belarus “The news of the passing away of Pope John Paul II was greeted in Belarus with great sorrow not only by Catholics but also by many Orthodox Christians and even by many non-believers”, said Archimandrite Sergius Gajek, Apostolic Visitator for the Greek-Catholics of the country, in a comment to SIR. In the media, especially on websites, various tributes to the pontificate of John Paul II have appeared. “The condolences expressed to Catholics by the Christians of other confessions can also be found on them”, says Father Gajek. A communiqué issued by the Apostolic Visitator himself declared: “The Merciful Christ, Friend of man (Philantropos), has called to His Kingdom his faithful Servant, the Holy Father John Paul II, Supreme Pastor of the Catholic Church. During the 27 years of his pontificate His Holiness John Paul II, as Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church, has shown particular attention to and love for Belarus. As we are seeing at the present time, so many Christians in Belarus, irrespective of their confession, are profoundly grateful to him for his actions and for his intercession with God, especially during the Soviet period. In these days of farewell, and in particular on the day of his funeral, we wish to present to God, rich in Mercy, our warm gratitude for the Petrine Ministry of John Paul II, the tireless herald of Divine Mercy”. Slovenia “Today, 2 April 2005, on the vigil of the Sunday of Divine Mercy, in the time of Easter, Jesus, the Risen Lord, has called to himself his faithful servant, the Holy Father John Paul II (1920–2005). His departure saddens us, but in our faith and trust in God we express our great gratitude for the Providence with which he guides the Church and for granting him to us in the decisive times of the last century”. So writes Msgr. Franc Kramberger, president of the Slovene Bishops’ Conference, in a statement issued following the death of John Paul II, whom he calls “one of the greatest popes in the history of the Church”. “His words, his numerous apostolic letters and encyclicals, and his pastoral journeys have guided us to the genuine teaching of the Gospel, to the implementation of Vatican Council II and to Christian life and witness; his example of pastoral dedication, steadfast hope and boundless faith have confirmed us in our faith and fidelity to Jesus Christ and to his Church. The Supreme Pontiff was among the first heads of state in the world to recognize the independence of the Slovene state. He twice visited our country. During his first visit he confided to the young: “The Pope loves you!” – and encouraged us all with the popular proverb: “Korajža velja! Courage is worth it!”… We could best express our deep gratitude to him by taking to heart his teachings and fervently praying in the days ahead to intercede for us with God, that the Church in Slovenia and in the world may remain faithful to her mission”. England and Wales The Cardinal Primate of the Catholic Church of England and Wales, Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, has commemorated the Pope as “friend and spiritual guide”: “John Paul II was difficult to label. He was irremovable in some of his convictions, because he was convinced that as a Catholic it was his duty to preach in all seasons. But he was not rigid, or forced by traditions. He could be extremely radical in the way in which he overcame the barriers of faith and ideology to appeal to the humanity of all people. It would not at all be right to characterize Pope John Paul II as a rigid conservative”. Scotland Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien, archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, described John Paul II as “teacher”, “traveller” and “pastor”. He also recalled the “enthusiasm” of this pope, for whom, even when he was weak and ill, “the spirit of service had not ended until the Lord called him to him”. According to Archbishop Mario Conti of Aberdeen, in spite of his “enormous” responsibilities, the pope had “remarkable capacity” for “listening to each of his interlocutors as if he were the sole person that mattered in that precise moment”. Croatia “John Paul II guided the whole of humanity along the road of peace and of love”, said the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanic, in a message to Croatian Catholics. “Thank you, Holy Father, for the love towards God and towards man that you tirelessly professed. Thank you for everything you did for your beloved Croatian people”, declares the statement put out by the Primate of Croatia. “John Paul II has left this world, but he remains close to us, and this closeness has linked all the faithful and all those who respected the Pope in a great chain of prayer”, concluded Bozanic. The Pope visited Croatia on three occasions. Turkey Requiem masses for John Paul II were celebrated in all the Catholic churches in Turkey, where some 60,000 Catholics live. According to the spokesman of the Bishops’ Conference, Msgr. George Marovitch, Christians of other confessions and Moslems also took part in the rites. Liturgies in commemoration of the Pope were also celebrated in the Armenian Church. In those places where Catholic churches do not exist, Catholics prayed together with Protestants in memory of Karol Wojtyla. Russia The death of the “Slav Pope” has filled Russian churches. On 3 April the archbishop of Moscow, Msgr. Tadeuz Kondrusiewicz, celebrated a requiem mass during which he recalled his last meeting with John Paul II on 8 March, when the Pope was convalescing in the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. The Holy Father has asked him “How are things in Russia?”. The archbishop urged the faithful to pose themselves the same question and to use it as a stimulus to do ever better. Archbiship Kondrusiewicz also asked the faithful to pray “as a sign of thanksgiving for all the Pope has done in the conviction that he will henceforth live in the presence of the Lord”. Liturgical services were also held in all 220 parishes of the country, in twelve different languages. Bosnia-Herzegovina “God has called to himself a great messenger of peace”, declared the archbishop of Sarajevo, Cardinal Vinko Puljic in commemorating John Paul II. He also said the pope would ‘go down’ to history as a great Pope also for us in Bosnia-Herzegovina, because “he had dedicated himself so much to the achievement of a just peace in this country and of equality of rights for all its peoples”. “In those difficult days of war, when we had the sensation of having been abandoned by everyone – wrote the archbishop in his message – our Pope repeatedly told us, under the eyes of the world: You are not alone! We are with you and shall increasingly be so”. “His tears in St. Peter’s basilica for our sufferings are now turned into our tears for the loss of our beloved Father”. The cardinal also exhorted “all the faithful to pray and to express due respect for this great Pope who succeeded in throwing a bridge between the various religions and finding a common denominator for peace in the world”. Ukraine Catholics in Ukraine cannot reach Rome to give their last salute to the Pope, given that there is not enough time to obtain the necessary visa. The consular division of the Ukrainian Embassy in Italy – reports a dispatch in the Ukrainian Catholic press agency “Risu” – says it has not received any instruction to abbreviate, in exceptional cases (such as the Pope’s funeral), the necessary procedures for the issuing of visas. Generally, five weeks are needed to obtain an appointment and from 10 to 14 days to receive a visa. Travel agencies, too, can do nothing to speed up the procedure. Meanwhile, the Apostolic Nunciature in Kiev has placed at the disposal of the faithful (from 10 am to midnight) a book of condolence in which they can write their personal thoughts on or tributes to John Paul II. France (2) A great mobilization is helping to bring large numbers of French youth and faithful to Rome for the Pope’s funeral. Every possible means of transport is being used: special trains, buses, ships, and flights. The website inXL6 (of the youth ministry of the French Bishops’ Conference) provides an update on the situation and presents all the projects and useful numbers for those wanting to go to Rome to participate in the Pope’s funeral. From Toulon, for example, it is possible to depart by ship for Civitavecchia and thence continue the journey to Rome by car or bus. In the diocese of Bayonne, there are those who are planning to leave by motor coach on Thursday 7 April, participate in the Mass in St. Peter’s Square and begin the return journey immediately after, sleeping en route, so without any hotel bookings. The charismatic Emmanuel Community has obtained from the SNCF (French Railways) the chance to organize special trains for Rome, for an overall capacity of 1,700 places. The special trains are being added to the normal French train timetable which consists of two regular couchette trains to Rome (already completely booked for the next few days) and three TGVs (with 1,100 places per day). To the departures for Rome the French dioceses have added a huge mobilization in the form of novenas, rosaries, masses and prayer vigils. Television coverage of the funeral in Rome will be transmitted live in the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris from 8.30 am on, while a prayer vigil in memory of John Paul II will be held in Notre-Dame in the evening. “It will be a prayer of thanksgiving and hope – said Archbishop André Vingt-Trois of Paris -. We will give thanks to God for the already visible fruits of the pontificate of John Paul II”. Meanwhile the French Bishops’ Conference has announced that to enable the bishops to be present in their dioceses during this particularly intensive week, the plenary Assembly that was supposed to have been held from 5 to 8 April has been cancelled.