On April 2, the Catholic Church commemorates yet another anniversary of the death of Saint John Paul II, the pilgrim Pope who became one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century and who was declared “Santo subito” by the faithful on the day of his death and during his funeral.
The pontificate of Saint John Paul II is the third longest in the more than 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, as he remained in the Chair of Saint Peter for 26 years and five months.
To commemorate the anniversary of his passing into the House of the Father, we share six facts you may not have known about his death.
1. John Paul II died of a cardiocirculatory collapse
Saint John Paul II died on April 2, 2005, at 9:37 p.m. (Rome time) on the eve of the Sunday of Mercy, a feast established during his pontificate. He suffered from “septic shock with cardiocirculatory collapse due to an already detected infection of the urinary tract.” This was detailed in an exhaustive report on his agony and death in the Vatican.
During the last week of his life, he received processed food through a nasal tube. Doctors indicated that the problems with his food intake and breathing resulted from Parkinson’s disease.
2. His funeral doubled the population of Rome
75 heads of state attended his funeral, including presidents, princes, and other authorities. The population of Rome doubled during this event, and attendees waited more than 24 hours to see him in person.
Everything fell utterly silent when St. Peter’s Square was at total capacity.
3. John Paul II’s last words were in Polish
The Vatican report specifies that six hours before his death, John Paul said in Polish, “with a fragile voice and whispered words, ‘Let me go to the House of the Father.'”
The Italian newspaper La Repubblica quoted a Polish priest, Jarek Cielecki, who claimed that the Pope died “an instant” after uttering “amen” with great effort.
4. He listened to the prayers of the faithful days before his death
Thousands of faithful gathered to pray out loud and keep vigil in St. Peter’s Square in the days leading up to his death.
The then Archbishop of Krakow and Personal Secretary of John Paul II for more than 40 years, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, assured that the Pope listened to the crowd’s prayers.
5. Incredibly ill, John Paul II gave a last blessing from his window
After his failed and moving attempt to provide the Urbi et Orbi blessing on Easter Sunday of 2005, which drew applause and tears from the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope John Paul II – who, after his second hospitalization, suffered from “nutritional deficits and marked weakness” – appeared at the window of his room on Wednesday, March 30 to give the blessing.
This new attempt was also unsuccessful. That appearance “was the last public station of his painful Via Crucis,” says the Vatican document.
6. He “concelebrated” a Mass during his agony
The Vatican report detailed that John Paul II’s eyes were practically closed during a Mass held at the foot of his bed on the afternoon of March 31, 2005. “But at the moment of the consecration, he weakly raised his right hand twice, that is, when the bread and wine are raised. He made a gesture indicating that he was trying to strike his chest while reciting the Lamb of God prayer.”
On that day, the now deceased Cardinal Marian Jaworski, a close friend of John Paul II since they were young priests in Poland, administered the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to him.
