The 5 sentences that marked his pontificate

“Don’t be afraid!” Open, open the doors to Christ all large! »»

This is probably the best known sentence of the long pontificate of John Paul II. It was pronounced from its beginnings as bishop of Rome, during the inauguration mass of its pontificate, celebrated on October 22, 1978.

Paraphrasing the words of Christ (especially during the transfiguration, in Mt 17,7), this word marked its time, inviting the world – then in the midst of the Cold War – has a new hope.

“France, older girl of the church, are you faithful to the promises of your baptism?” »»

Francophone and Francophile, the Polish pope went eight times in France – including a visit to Reunion. His first trip to the country took place in 1980, twelve years after May 1968 and while dechristianization began to sustainably characterize France. Seeing in France “the educator of the peoples” by his “alliance with eternal wisdom”, John Paul II worries about this situation and wants to relaunch the momentum of faith in the country.

“I am a son of this nation, and that is why I feel deeply all his noble aspirations, the desire to live in truth, in freedom, in justice, in social solidarity – the desire to live his own life”

In June 1983, Jean-Paul II returned to his native country, Poland-he had already gone there for the first time in 1979, a few months after his election. Then satellite country of the USSR, power begins to see its yoke stretch, under pressure from the monster demonstrations guided by the Solidarność union, founded in 1980.

Always very attached to Poland, Pope John Paul II multiplies the gestures and words of support towards this movement. Playing for many, starting with his compatriots, the fight against communist dictatorships, John Paul II is often seen as a key player in the fall of the USSR in 1991. During his 26 years of his pontificate, he will go to his country of origin in no less than nine times, often for long visits.

“Confess our responsibilities as Christians for today’s ills”

For John Paul II, the great jubilee of the year 2000, to be really a moment of reconciliation with God, must begin by recognizing his own faults. On March 12, 2000, he asked for forgiveness in the name of the Church and Christians for many mistakes.

During this unprecedented repentance ceremony, six prayer intentions are read, asking for forgiveness for sins committed in the name of Christianity. “Let us pray that, in the memory of the suffering endured during history by the people of Israel, Christians know how to recognize the sins committed by many of their people against the people of the Alliance”, he thus asked in one of them.

“I looked for you. Now you have come to see me. And thank you ”

These are the last words of Pope John Paul II, reported by his spokesperson Joaquin Navarro-Valls. While John Paul II is dying and the world understands that the Polish pope lives his last days, the faithful meet each evening in prayer at Place Saint-Pierre, under the windows of his private apartment of the Apostolic Palace.

On the evening of April 1, 2005, the spokesperson explains the next day, “the pope probably thought of the young people he met around the world during his pontificate”. And addressing them, he has therefore pronounced these words several times. On the evening of April 2, John Paul II died.