Beloved Pope John Paul II

I was sorting through some pictures on my parents computer tonight when I found this one. It is a picture I took of our beloved Holy Father Pope John Paul II when I was in Rome for Holy Week and Easter in 2004. This picture was taken at the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum on Good Friday. I personally found this to be one of the highlight's of Holy Week in Rome (other than Easter obviously!) since the crowd wasn't as large as at the other liturgies. It seemed that everyone was very solemn and prayerful at the Stations of the Cross. You had the feeling that every person there was there for the same reason and that it wasn't just a crowd of tourists. It seemed that almost a third of the people at the Stations of the Cross were either wearing cassocks or religious habits, that was a big clue that it wasn't your average crowd of tourists.

It was a real blessing to be in Rome for Easter in 2004, particularly as it turned out to be the last Easter in which Pope John Paul II would actively participate in the liturgies. Coming across this picture made me miss even more this holy man who has had such a huge impact on my life. I take comfort in knowing that he is still actively shaping me through the writings and teachings he left behind, and probably even more through his intercession.