On April 2nd, the 20th anniversary of the death of Saint John Paul II will be celebrated. To commemorate this date, a Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica. The ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, and will be attended by Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, former personal secretary to Pope Wojtyla.

You can follow this event live on our Facebook Live.

A message of blessing from Pope Francis

On February 12th, Pope Francis sent a letter to Cardinal Dziwisz, expressing his closeness and blessing to all the faithful who will participate in the celebrations of this significant anniversary. In his message, the Holy Father wished for “a Jubilee Year filled with peace and hope,” invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary and Saint John Paul II.

Program of Celebrations

The commemorative Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica at 3:00 p.m. and will be open to all the faithful without a pass. Subsequently, at 9:00 p.m., a prayer vigil will be held in St. Peter’s Square, with prayers in Polish and Italian. This vigil will be presided over by Monsignor Tadeusz Wojda, president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, who will also concelebrate the evening liturgy.

Saint John Paul II: A Living Legacy

In the days leading up to the Mass, Cardinal Baldassare Reina sent a message to priests, religious, and faithful of the Diocese of Rome, highlighting the life and legacy of Saint John Paul II as “a great gift,” not only for the universal Church, but also for the Roman community. His message included an invitation to join in an act of Thanksgiving for the life and pontificate of the late Polish Pope.