Pope Francis prays at tomb of Blessed John Paul II
(April 03, 2013) Pope Francis on Tuesday recalled the 8th anniversary of the death
of Blessed John Paul II, who died April 2, 2005, by praying at his tomb in St. Peter’s
Basilica. He made the visit late Tuesday evening after the basilica closed. Pope
Francis was accompanied by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest of the Vatican Basilica
and personal seScretary, Monsignor Alfred Xuereb. The Pope spent time kneeling in
silent prayer at the tomb of Blessed John Paul II in the Chapel of St. Sebastian,
but he also paused briefly in prayer at the tombs of Blessed John XXIII and St. Pius
X. Like his visit earlier on Easter Monday to the tomb of St. Peter and the
Vatican Grottoes, his Tuesday evening visit to St. Peter’s Basilica expresses
a deep spiritual continuity of the Petrine ministry of the Pope, which he lives and
feels intensely, as demonstrated in the encounter and repeated telephone conversations
with his predecessor, Benedict XVI Emeritus Earlier Tuesday morning during a Mass
in the chapel of Santa Marta Residence, Pope Francis briefly focussed his homily
on Mary Magdalene who gave witness to the Risen Lord. Pope Francis spoke of her
tears and her repentance and said “We too must cry for the grace of tears in order
to see the Lord: V.R.Sedoc