"A sign and a testimony of the Resurrection of Christ". With these words, the Pope defined today the Papacy of John Paul II during Mass in repose of his soul, which he officiated today in Saint Peter’s Square on the third anniversary of his death. "We relive with excitement the hours of that Saturday night, when the news of his death was received by a huge praying crowd which was filling up Saint Peter’s Square", began Benedict XVI: "For several days, the Vatican Basilica and this Square had really become the heart of the world. An uninterrupted flow of pilgrims paid tribute to the body of the revered Pontiff, and his funeral was one further testimony of the esteem and affection which he had conquered in the souls of so many believers and people from all corners of the earth". According to the Pope, "we can read all the life of my beloved Predecessor, in particular Peter’s ministry, in the sign of Christ Resurrected. He had great confidence in Him, and with Him he had an intimate, unique and uninterrupted conversation. One of his many human and supernatural qualities, he also had an exceptional spiritual and mystical sensitivity. One could just look at him when he prayed: he literally plunged into God and all the rest seemed to become alien to him at those times. For him, Holy Mass was the core of every day and of the whole life". (continued)
