SUFFERING FORMS PART OF CHRIST'S SALVIFIC MYSTERY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 10, 2002 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican's apostolic palace in order to pray the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

John Paul II recalled that tomorrow, feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, is the Tenth World Day of the Sick. This year the celebrations will be held Vailankanny in southern India, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Health known as the "Lourdes of the East."

"'I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.' These words of Jesus which we may read in the Gospel of John," said the Holy Father, "constitute the theme of the World Day of the Sick this year. They recall the basic prospect of the Christian faith which, even in the experience of sickness and death, is always open to life. ... This prospect gives meaning to the commitment of those who, in many ways, lovingly concern themselves with the sick and suffering: doctors, nurses, researchers, chemists, voluntary workers. To all these servants of life, many of whom are consecrated persons, I would like to express my most cordial appreciation."

The Pope gave an assurance of his spiritual closeness to all the sick of the world and recalled that "human suffering was assumed by Christ and is an integral part of His mystery of salvation: 'salvificus dolor.' Uniting themselves with faith and love to Christ's passion, those who suffer participate in His victorious struggle against evil and death, as the testimony of saints shows."

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