Park of Mercy opens in Krakow

“I hope that in this difficult time, in the light of many events that raise our concern, we may remember the words of Pope John Paul II, who once said ‘Have no fear’, offering comfort to the Polish nation,” Prime Minister Beata Szydło said at the opening ceremony on Monday.

Szydło alluded to a speech delivered by the Pope, marking the inauguration of his pontificate in October 1978. She again referred to the late Polish pontiff when she spoke directly to pilgrims arriving in Krakow for this week’s celebrations: “I deeply believe that [the WYD] will offer us a great teaching that will ‘renew the face of the earth’.”

The phrase “Lord, sent forth your spirit and renew the face of the earth, this earth,” was first articulated by John Paul II in 1979, on the Polish pontiff’s first pilgrimage to his homeland. Historians agree that the visit breathed hope into the Polish nation and helped pave the way for democratic reform in the country after decades of communist rule.

The opening ceremony held at the park, located on the premises of the John Paul II Institute in Krakow’s Łagiewniki district, a day ahead of the six-day event, was attended by Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, Environment Minister Jan Szyszko and his Italian counterpart, Gian Luca Galletti. (aba)

Source: PAP