Pope Saints' relics arrive in Thailand

May 12, 2014 - The relics of the Catholic Church’s new Pope Saints have arrived in Thailand where they were presented to the king. Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij of Bangkok on May 10 presided over a ceremony welcoming a vial of blood of St John Paul II and a small piece of skin of St John XXIII. The following day, the relics were presented to King Bhumibol Adulyadej by members of the Thai bishops' ‎conference at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin, where the bishops also offered prayers for the world's ‎longest reigning monarch's health.

Monsignor Andrew Vissanu Thanya Anan, deputy secretary-general for the Thai bishops' conference ‎and former undersecretary of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, said both ‎popes had a special relationship with Thailand's king.‎ King Bhumibol visited St John XXIII at the Vatican in 1960 where the monarch invited the pontiff to visit ‎Thailand. The visit of St John Paul II in 1984 was in large part a fulfillment of that invitation.‎ During his visit, St John Paul II met with refugees at the Phanat Nikhom camp in Thailand.‎ The Polish pope had ordain 23 Thai priests on the final leg of the 1984 pastoral visit to Asia. Pope Francis declared Popes John XXII and John Paul II saints on April 27. ‎(Source: UCAN)‎