The Saint John Paul II National Shrine will host a week of celebrations Oct. 16 through Oct. 20 to honor its patron saint’s feast day.
The celebrations will start on Oct. 16 – the anniversary of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla’s election to the papacy in 1978 – and will end on Oct. 22 – the feast day of Saint John Paul II and the date of his installation as pope.
During the whole week, in addition to its “A Gift of Love, The Life of Saint John Paul II” permanent exhibit, the shrine will have for veneration a first-class relic of Saint John Paul II. Visitors may obtain a plenary indulgence, participate in the Shrine’s daily masses in honor of Saint John Paul II, and pray at the Hour of Mercy with the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.
On Oct. 16, the Saint John Paul II National Shrine honors the 46th anniversary of the election of St. John Paul II to the papacy. Another native son of Poland, Father Pawell Sass, will celebrate Mass at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Shrine choir performing Totus Tuus, composed by Henryk Gorecki for the pope’s pilgrimage to Poland. A reception follows with Polish food and a discussion about the “Worldwide Impact of Karol Wojtyla’s Election to the Papacy.” Register at Events | Saint John Paul II National Shrine (jp2shrine.org)
On Oct.18, the shrine will remember the 40th Anniversary of the martyrdom of Blessed Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Polish priest and martyr killed by communist officials in 1984 as he served as chaplain of the Solidarity movement. Pilgrims coming to the shrine that day will have the opportunity to venerate the first-class relics of Blessed Jerzy starting at 5 p.m. and attend a 6 p.m. screening of the movie about his life, “Messenger of the Truth.”
On Oct. 19, the shrine will host a “Walking with John Paul II” pilgrimage. Pilgrims are invited to walk with “The Pilgrim Pope” from Christ the King Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland through Rock Creek Park. Pilgrims will stop along the route to pray with the words of St. John Paul II, culminating with the veneration of his relic and the Holy Mass at the Shrine at 1:30 p.m. There will also be 7.5, 4.5, and 1-mile options for the pilgrimage. Register at Events | Saint John Paul II National Shrine (jp2shrine.org). The registration fee includes snacks and water along the pilgrimage route and lunch at the Shrine.
On Oct. 22, the shrine will celebrate the feast day of Saint John Paul II with the Mass of St. John Paul II celebrated at noon and 5:30 pm followed by a reception and fellowship. That evening, the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will lead their signature monthly program “Evenings with the Merciful Jesus” which includes an inspirational talk, adoration, praise and worship, music, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, refreshments, group discussion, and fellowship.
“Saint John Paul II will be remembered and celebrated hundreds of years from now as a man of deep prayer, rich theological vision, courageous leadership, personal humility, unfailing kindness, and steadfast witness to the Gospel in pilgrimages to 129 countries,” said Anthony Picarello, executive director of the shrine. “This weeklong celebration at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine helps pilgrims reconnect with the pivotal moment of his election, with his pilgrim spirit, and with the universal call to holiness that he preached to each of us with his words and actions.”
The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is located at 3900 Harewood Road in Northeast Washington, D.C. For more information, call 202-635-5400 or visit jp2shrine.org.
