An ampoule containing traces of John Paul II’s blood could become the
most precious relic installed in a church built to coincide with
beatification and sainthood of the Polish Pope.
This month,
Pope Benedict XVI could announce the closing date for the beatification
process of his predecessor, John Paul II.
The projected day is April 3,
2011, and Krakow’s Curia has significant plans to mark the occasion.
Archbishop
of Krakow Stanislaw Dziwisz, who served as the Polish pontiff’s private
secretary for over two decades, has revealed his hopes that a church
will be built to coincide with the developments.
A site on the
grounds of the Krakow’s former Solvay Factory, where the late Pope
performed manual labour during the war, has been ear-marked for the
construction of the house of worship.
The church will be built
at heightened speed, and it will include a chapel in the late Pope’s
honour.
Archbishop Dziwisz has also revealed that the Church is in
possession of a unique relic of the Polish pontiff.
The ampoule
containing traces of the blood of John Paul II is intended to be
installed in the aforementioned chapel.
As such, it will stand as the
most precious relic of the late Pope.
Both Benedict XVI and
Archbishop Dziwisz have expressed that they are against the ancient
custom of dividing the remains of the deceased pontiff for the creation
of further relics.
SIC: TNPL/INT'L