Saint Pope John Paul II's powerful legacy continues to inspire Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Many of us even remember certain moments of his pontificate, including the final moments of his earthly life.
Do you remember where you were when you heard the news of Pope John Paul II’s passing?
Pope John Paul II’s final public appearance was on March 30, 2005. He was wheelchair bound and unable to speak. His health had been rapidly deteriorating due to Parkinson’s disease and other complications.
Despite these physical challenges, Saint Pope John Paul II continued to make regular public appearances. This bold gesture allowed the public to witness a formerly young and lively Karol Wjotyla embrace his cross of suffering with grace.
Saint John Paul II died on the evening of April 2, 2005.
During the final hours of Saint John Paul II’s life on earth, the Holy Father further embodied the Catholic teaching on redemptive suffering.
On the night of his death, the Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday was celebrated in his private apartment. John Paul II received Our Lord in the Eucharist and his Last Rites.
Shortly before passing, Saint John Paul II uttered his final words:
"Let me go to my Father’s house."
Thousands of pilgrims from across the world kept vigil outside his Vatican apartment during his final hours. They prayed and sang hymns.
At 9:37 p.m., Cardinal Leonardo Sandri announced the death of Saint Pope John Paul II to the faithful gathered in Saint Peter’s Square, saying,
"Our beloved Father John Paul II has returned to the house of his Father.”
“May our prayerful silence accompany these first moments of the Holy Father John Paul II in Heaven with Christ,” he continued.
His death occurred during First Vespers of Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast he had established. Many noticed the spiritual significance of this.
Journalist Joaquin Navarro-Valls offered an inside look at the saint’s final moment, saying,
“The first prayer recited in the room at the time of his death was not the prayer the Church usually does, which is a prayer for the soul’s salvation. No, it was a prayer of gratitude. Naturally, not because of his passing, but because of his rich life that ended at that historical moment.”
Instead of reciting traditional prayers for the dead, the crowd outside his window sang the Te Deum in thanksgiving for his life, as if to suggest his sanctity right away.
Pope Saint John Paul II served as Pope from 1978 until he died in 2005. Throughout his papacy, he spoke on many topics.
You can find some of my favorite bits of wisdom from this powerhouse saint here.
The World Reacts to Saint John Paul II’s Death
Dr. Paul Kengor, author of "A Pope and a President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th Century," explained the global impact of the Pope’s passing:
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Death of Saint John Paul II
You can find EWTN’s "Untold Stories of St. John Paul II: 20 Years After His Passing below: