Fr. Paweł Rytel-Andrianik, Wojciech Rogacin – Vatican
Flowers from the President and prayer
President Karol Nawrocki arrived with his wife at St. Peter’s Basilica in the morning of May 18, 2026, to lay flowers at the tomb of the Polish Pope. The reason was the 106th anniversary of the birth of Karol Wojtyła – St. John Paul II – falling on that day.
A prayer for the homeland was also recited at the Pope’s tomb, led by Bishop Wiesław Lechowicz – Field Bishop of the Polish Army.
The hymn “Boże coś Polskę” (God, Who Art Poland) was sung.
Holy Mass on the Pope’s birthday anniversary
Earlier that day, a Holy Mass in Polish was celebrated at the tomb of St. John Paul II on the occasion of the Pope’s birthday anniversary. It was presided over by Bishop Jan Ozga, ordinary of the Diocese of Doumé-Abong’ Mbang in Cameroon. In his homily, Fr. Paweł Ptasznik, a long-time collaborator of the Polish Pope and president of the Vatican John Paul II Foundation, said that the person and ministry of John Paul II was a gift to the world.
“We praise the Lord, because in our complicated world He gave us a guardian of the dignity of every human being, a guardian of the family, a guardian of life and all inalienable human and social values,” said Fr. Paweł Ptasznik.
