The commitment to strengthen the apostolic faith
The apostolic visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Poland, 25 to 28 May 2006, may be considered somewhat like the real first foreign trip of the new Papal trip completed in August 2005 in Kцln on the occasion of World Day of Gioventщ, had already been programmed by Pope John Paul II. Furthermore, since the beginning of his pontificate Pope Benedict wished and desired to make this journey in the land beloved by his great predecessor.
Pilgrimage и motivated primarily by the memory and gratitude, but he wants to be at the same time an opportunity to strengthen the faithful in faith, di fronte alle nuove sfide che vengono poste alla Chiesa e al popolo che vive in Polonia.
Motto del pellegrinaggio sono le parole prese dalla prima Lettera di S. Paolo ai Corinti: «State saldi nella fede» (1 Cor 16, 13). Nella sua prima enciclica Deus caritas est Papa Benedetto XVI ha scritto: «La fede, che prende coscienza dell’amore di Dio rivelatosi nel cuore trafitto di Gesщ sulla croce, suscita a sua volta l’amore. Esso и la luce - in fondo l'unica - che rischiara sempre di nuovo un mondo buio e ci dа il coraggio di vivere di agire» (n. 39).
Il Santo Padre si reca in un Paese che piщ di mille anni fa ha aperto la porta a Cristo e ha accolto il Suo messaggio di Salvezza. Questo that has deeply marked the identity of the Polish people and its history. Story of faith, virtue and santitа, but also of weakness, doubt and infedeltа. Each new generation и call it again and again to receive the gift of belonging to Christ and free choice in taking the responsibility. Why ciт happen и necessary that faith be strengthened by grace. This force is the Holy Spirit. For 27 years John Paul II taught us how to receive this gift and just how to do it. Today is Pope Benedict XVI to continue his work. In this way, the Vicar of Christ to fulfill its basic task, that given by Gesщ to Peter, "I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail, and you have turned again, strengthen your brethren "(Lk 22, 32).
Pope carry out this task in the days when the whole Church rejoices in the resurrection of Christ, His Ascension celebrates and invokes the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, because it renews the wonders of Pentecost.
The main celebrations of the Apostolic Visitation
The Holy Father will do it during your trip stop in Warsaw, Czestochowa, Krakуw, Wadowice, and inscribed in the extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Warszawa
Pilgrimage take you boot from the rest in the Basilica Archcathedral in Warsaw, which took place several e importanti eventi legati alla storia del popolo in Polonia e della Chiesa. In questo luogo Giovanni Paolo II ha sostato cinque volte durante i suoi pellegrinaggi. Nella Cattedrale Papa Benedetto XVI incontra e prega con i rappresentanti del clero e visita quindi le tombe dei grandi Primati della Polonia: il Card. August Hlond (1881-1948) e il Card. Stefan Wyszyński (1901-1981), di cui sono in corso le cause di beatificazione.
Nel primo giorno del pellegrinaggio il Santo Padre si reca anche nella chiesa evangelica-asburgica della Santa Trinitа per celebrare la liturgia della parola di Dio. In questa chiesa hanno avuto luogo numerosi incontri ecumenici. Papa Giovanni Paolo II ha presieduto qui la preghiera per l’ecumenismo il 9 giugno 1991. Il Pope Benedict XVI meets with representatives of the seven churches gathered in the Polish Ecumenical Council and some representatives of other religions.
The highlight of the visit to Warsaw и made by the Holy Mass the following day in Jуzef Marshal Pilsudski Square. И the place where Pope John Paul II began June 2, 1979 on his first visit home, when at the end of the homily he had said these memorable words: "Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth! Of this land. " In the same square, John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist for the second time in 1999. In addition, you Piłsudski Square и held, presided over by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, the celebration dei funerali di Stefan Wyszyński, Primate del Millennio. Infine, proprio in questa piazza, nei giorni delle Esequie di Giovanni Paolo II hanno avuto luogo varie celebrazioni di Sante Messe che hanno riunito centinaia di migliaia di persone.
Częstochowa
La seconda sosta del pellegrinaggio del Santo Padre ha luogo a Jasna Gуra, Częstochowa, il piщ famoso santuario mariano della Polonia. Dal XIV secolo и il luogo in cui si venera l’icona della Madre di Dio, chiamata anche la Madonna Nera. Per i Polacchi si tratta di un luogo del tutto speciale, perchй qui la Vergine Santa viene venerata anche come Regina della Polonia. Nel 2006 ricorre il 350° anniversario dei voti fatti a Leopoli dal re Jan Kazimierz, which on 1 April 1656, during the Swedish invasion, Poland affidт the protection of the Mother of God solemnly proclaimed Queen of Poland. In the same sanctuary, John Paul II entrusted to the Blessed Mother his entire pontificate, saying: "Totus Tuus". In 2006 also marks the 50th anniversary of the ratings made by the Polish people to Jasna Gуra, August 26, 1956.
The crowns of gold, which adorns the и magnificent icon of the Virgin, and tenders have been blessed by Pope John Paul II on April 1, 2005, the day before his death. The new suit, made of amber and diamonds in the image adorned и, и fulfillment of a vow made at the 350th anniversary of the miraculous defense of Jasna Gуra and also an expression of gratitude for the life of John Paul II offered to the Mother of God on the 25th anniversary of the birth of "Solidarity".
After praying in the chapel of the magnificent icon of the Mother of God, the Holy Father will preside the Eucharistic adoration in the typical form of the Polish People pietа in May. At the celebration attended by the monks, seminarians and representatives of Catholic movements and the consecrated life.
Krakуw
the third day of his visit to Poland, the Holy Father comes to Krakуw. This visit is the center of the apostolic pilgrimage, since just Krakуw Pope John Paul II has lived 40 years of his life as a student, worker, priest, bishop, cardinal, until he was elected Pope и
After the morning Mass in the chapel of the Archbishop's Palace, the Holy Father visited two places linked to the life of his predecessor: Wadowice, where Karol Wojtyla was born May 18, 1920, and inscribed, where he was a child made several pilgrimages to visit the shrine of the Mother of God
the same day Pope Benedict XVI travels to Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki, dedicated by Pope John Paul II 17 August 2002, during his last visit home. И This site linked to S. Faustyna Kowalska (1905-1938), the apostle The Divine Mercy. The Holy Father in prayer alongside the rest of his relics and greet the sick and disabled. Also in
Krakуw in localitа Błonie take place two important prayer meetings, chaired by the Holy Father. Saturday evening, Benedict XVI prays together with young people, over the flame of mercy and entrusts them with the mission to bring the light of faith in the world.
Sunday, May 28, solennitа Ascension of the Lord, the Holy Father celebrates Mass for the faithful to Błonie Krakуw and various parts of Poland. In the same place John Paul II celebrated Mass in the years 1979, 1983, 1987, 1997 and 2002.
Oświęcim-Brzezinka
The last stage of the apostolic visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Poland и made a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, the place of martyrdom and extermination more dell'umanitа known in history, became the symbol of the Holocaust, genocide and of terror, nonchй the collapse of civilization and contemporary European culture. In this place, the Nazis exterminated more than a million European Jews, about 150,000 Poles, 23,000 Roma, 15,000 Soviet prisoners of war, nonchй tens of thousands of citizens of other nationality.
Among the martyrs of Auschwitz outstanding Polish priest, S. Maximilian Mary Kolbe (1894-1941) and a Carmelite nun of Jewish descent, S. Teresa Blessed by the Cross, known worldwide as Edyt Stein (1891-1942). During the visit in Birkenau Pope Benedict XVI meets with representatives of other religions and with them and with a group of ex-prisoners of concentration camps pray for the victims of genocide and war and peace in the world.
The liturgical book of the visit
The "Papal Missal" of the apostolic visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Poland contains the texts of all liturgical celebrations in the program of the visit. The volume contains the forms of Holy Mass together with other fixed parts of the celebration, the biblical readings and general intercessions. The book also contains the texts and rubrics directions other celebrations: the shrine Archcathedral, the ecumenical liturgy of the Word of God, eucharistic adoration and benediction, a prayer vigil with young people and prayers for the victims of the war.
The "Papal Missal, published by the Vatican Press, и been prepared by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff in collaboration with the Liturgical Commission in Poland. The volume used different languages. The procedures for individual celebrations и described in Latin. They are in most Latin texts euchological, including the Eucharistic Prayers. Are given in Polish texts that encourage the participation of the faithful, greetings liturgical, the penitential rite, the prayers, the texts of the commentaries and the texts that demand a response of the faithful. In the Polish language are also given the biblical readings, the formulas of the profession of faith, prayers universal nonchй texts of songs performed by the assembly.
Given the presence of foreign pilgrims and the international nature of some meetings, there are some intentions in the book of prayer in various languages. For example, in the universal prayer of the Mass in Warsaw, is also used in English and Belarus. In the meeting at Birkenau, the prayer intentions are pronounced by the representatives of other religions in languages: Romani, Russian, Polish, Hebrew and English, while Pope opens the celebration with a liturgical greeting in Italian, and says the final prayer in German.
a) Mass
Mass in Warsaw in Marszałek Jуzef Piłsudski Square, May 26 venerdм
Use the Votive Mass on the Holy Spirit. The Bible readings are taken from the Lectionary for Masses for the ritual celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation.
Mass in the chapel of the Archbishop's Palace in Krakуw, Saturday, May 27
The form of the Mass и taken by the municipality of a martyr in the Easter season, while his prayer и S. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr. И The Preface to the holy martyrs. Bible readings are taken from the Lectionary of the Mass of their S. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr, principal patron of Poland.
Mass in Błonie in Krakуw, Sunday, May 28
и The Mass Ascension of the Lord's own solennitа. The three Bible readings of the celebration of their day, are shown in the second edition of the Ordo Missae lectionum.
b) Other celebrations
There are also other celebrations in the Papal Missal contains liturgical texts:
The 'state' initial visit to the Basilica Archcathedral Poland in Warsaw, May 25 giovedм
и The collection is from the Mass for the Holy Church. The Bible reading и overall celebration.
The ecumenical celebration in Augsburg Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinitа in Warsaw, May 25 giovedм.
и comes from the Mass Prayer for Christian Unity. The two biblical readings are taken between those for the Ascension of the Lord, solennitа celebrated on the same day in the evangelical churches.
Eucharistic adoration and benediction in front of the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Jasna Gуra, May 26 venerdм
и The Bible reading taken from the Lectionary for Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Queen of the Mass of the Apostles. During the celebration they sing the Litany of Loreto.
The meeting with young people in Błonie Krakуw, Saturday, May 27
The three short biblical readings are taken from the Lectionary.
Prayer for the blessing of the cornerstone и taken from the Rite of Dedication of the Church and the Altar.
Prayer in the concentration camp at Birkenau, Sunday, May 28
и The Bible reading from Psalm 22 consists of the Liturgy of the Hours, and the concluding prayer и the collect of the Mass for Peace and Justice.
