Vigil for the beatification at Rome's Circus Maximus begins

Almost there, everything is in place for the Beatification of John Paul II by Pope Benedict XVI on Divine Mercy Sunday, which this year falls on May 1^st. And at the venue for the Vigil , Rome's Circus Maximus, the crowds are soaking up the atmosphere.

Vigils have a special significance: they are symbolic of a gift to the Church : in this case represented by the forthcoming beatification of the Servant of God , John Paul II.They are also a moment of reflection and prayer, one of communion of the local diocese gathered together on this occasion around the Vicar General for the diocese of Rome, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, on the eve of the beatification of their much loved former Bishop of Rome.

This Vigil will have two main moments to it: one dedicated to highlighting the memory of the future blessed and another more specifically to prayer, John Paul II’s favourite prayer: the Rosary.

Turning then to the first part of the evening vigil : among those scheduled to share their personal testimonies are two of the Polish Pontiff’s closest collaborators and advisors : his former Secretary Staniswaf Dziwisz, now cardinal, and his press officer for many years, Joaquin Navarro Valls. But also the French woman whose miraculous recovery from Parkinson’s disease attributed to the intercession of John Paul II allowed the beatification process to enter into its final stages. Her name Sr Marie Simon- Pierre.,

They’ll be doing this in the presence of representatives from Roman parishes, as well as chaplaincies from the diocese . Let’s recall for a moment, how attentive John Paul II always was, to his role as Bishop of Rome. So much so that in the course of his pontificate there was hardly a Roman parish he had not visited.

As they speak, projectors will relay on to the giant screens , images of John Paul II but also of the ancient icon of Our Lady of Salus Populi Romani, housed within the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. A pointer to the special devotion to Our Lady of John Paul II, also echoed in the choice of the hymn chosen to put an end to the first part of this vigil : the 'Totus Tuus', composed for the 50^th anniversary of John Paul II’s priestly ordination.

The second part of the vigil will be dedicated in a special way to Prayer, specifically to the Mysteries of Light , the five new mysteries Pope John Paul II added to the traditional 15, when he published his encyclical letter on the Rosary, ' Rosarium Virginis Mariae'. Each of these Mysteries of light is a revelation of the Kingdom now present among us in the person of Jesus . They are: Our Lord’s Baptism , the Wedding at Cana , the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God , the Transfiguration and the Institution of the Eucharist.

This particular moment will be marked by the hymn “ Open your doors to Christ “, a reminder of John Paul II’s invitation to us not be afraid and open our doors to Christ. And then echoing this openness, the recitation of these mysteries will then take place with live link ups to five Marian shrines across the world, each of these dedicated to a specific theme . Beginning with youth in Poland at the Shrine of Lagniewniki in Kracow a place both familiar and dear to the Polish Pontiff as it’s from here that Saint Faustina Kowalska spread her message of divine mercy . And then in the following order : the family at the Shrine of Kawekamo Tanzania , evangelization at the Shrine of Our lady of Lebanon in Harissa, peace at the Shrine of Sancta Maria de Guadalupe in Mexico City and finally, the Church at the Portuguese Shrine of Fatima, so especially significant to John Paul II.

You may be wondering where the present Bishop of Rome , Pope Benedict is in all this ? Well he’ll be taking part in the Vigil of course, with a prayer and a final blessing from the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, projected on to bumper screens across Rome.

But while the Vigil ends with the notes of the Salve Regina as the ancient Roman arena comes alive with the flickering lights of the candles held by the faithful, those who wish can continue their vigil by walking into the night , making their way towards the Vatican in prayer and meditation . Stopping by along the way at eight churches that will open wide their doors. They are: Santa Anastasia, San Bartolomeo on the Tiber Island , San Marco in Piazza Venezia, Santissimo Nome di Gesù in Piazza di Torre Argentina , Sant Andrea della Valle, Sant Agnese in Agone in Piazza Navona, Santa Maria in Valicella and prior to crossing the Tiber, San Giovanni dei Fiorentini.
And in these Churches they’ll receive a welcome from the young Catholics of Rome and from the priests on hand to impart for the Sacrament of Reconciliation .

Listen to Veronica Scarisbrick's report: