POLAND: Huge crowds gather in Poland's main cities to watch the beatification of John Paul II

Record ID: 860797

  • Title: POLAND: Huge crowds gather in Poland's main cities to watch the beatification of John Paul II
  • Date: 2nd May 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF CHILDREN UNDER UMBRELLA
  • Embargoed: 17th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Poland, Poland
  • City:
  • Country: Poland
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA5AL4043W3ACVJJMTB1T1M8BSZ
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  • Story Text: Thousands of people gathered in Krakow and Warsaw on Sunday (May 1) to watch a live transmission of John Paul II beatification ceremonies from the Vatican.
    Tens of thousands watched the event on a large screens at Warsaw's Pilsudski Square and outside Lagiewniki Sanctuary in Krakow.
    Tens of thousands of Poles are among more than a million people attending the ceremony in Vatican.
    Beatification is the last step before sainthood and the beatification process of John Paul II was one of the shortest in the history, taking only six years since his death in 2005.
    Among the people who watched the beatification ceremony on Warsaw's main square was a corporate manager, Pawel Pitera, who said John Paul II deserved to become saint in the future.
    "Without doubt he deserves to become a saint, because he loved all people and acted in a way which set a good example of how to live for other people. His words were simple and straightforward in a way that everybody could relate to them," said Pitera.
    The Pope was beatified on the day the Church celebrates 'The Feast of Divine Mercy', which coincidentally fell on May 1 this year, the day that communist Poland used to recognise 'Worker's Day'.
    The coincidence is ironic, because John Paul II is revered in Poland as the man who provided the spiritual inspiration for the overthrow of atheist communism.
    During his first pilgrimage to Poland in 1979, which acted as a catalyst for The Solidarity movement, John Paul II attended a Holy Mass at Pilsudski Square.
    Ewa Fijalkowska, an interpreter living in France, pointed to the fact that his words had been very important for all Poles and gave them strength and energy in their struggle against the communist regime.
    "He was able to mobilise Polish people and make the most of the hidden strength within us, which we tend to forget about. We are a great nation and this is what he encouraged us to realise," said Fijalkowska.
    Pope John Paul II's next step towards sainthood will be taken once a second miracle is recognized officially by the Vatican.
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