THE POPE CELEBRATES MASS IN WAWEL CATHEDRAL

VATICAN CITY, JUN 17, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope celebrated Mass in the Saint Stanislaus Chapel in the presence of 1,000 people gathered in Krakow's Wawel Cathedral. On November 2, 1946, the day after his ordination as a priest, he celebrated his first Mass in the crypt of the same cathedral.

Before the celebration of the Eucharist, John Paul II gave thanks to God "for making it possible for me to stand once again at the relics of Saint Stanislaus in order to preside over a sacrifice of thanksgiving for this entire ecclesiastic community. ... I praise God for my being able to take part in this great spiritual legacy, especially as the bishop of Krakow, and for deriving strength and inspiration from its richness as the bishop of Rome."

"I wish to extend my special greeting to the student priests of the seminary of the archdiocese of Krakow. I rejoice in your presence here and thank God for the gift of vocation that He has granted you. During this holy Mass I wish to entrust to God each and every one of you. I also want to ask the Holy Spirit to confer upon you His gifts, indispensable for preserving your vocation, fulfilling it with prudence and love in your priesthood, and rendering it the light of the world in the third millennium. I ask you to offer my cordial greetings and blessing to your brothers in all Polish seminaries, run either by dioceses or religious orders."
After the celebration of the Eucharist, John Paul II made a private visit to the tomb of his family in the cemetery of Rakowice. Under torrential rain and protected by a large white umbrella, the Pope knelt for a few minutes while a choir sang the "De Profundis." Before leaving the cemetery, the Holy Father lit a votive candle and signed a gold visitors' book at the pantheon. He himself had opened the first page of this book on his last visit on June 9, 1997.

From Krakow the Pope travelled by helicopter to Gliwice where, in an open area on the outskirts of the town, he prayed the angelus before a large crowd.

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