A Pilgrimage to the Saint Pope John Paul II National Shrine – Washington D.C.
A Pilgrimage to the Saint Pope John Paul II National Shrine
By a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures
Dear Henry,
On my last trip to Washington, D.C., I visited the Saint Pope John Paul II National Shrine, along with the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
When you mention Saint John Paul II, most Catholics I know respond immediately with, “I love him,” or “He was my favorite pope.” But he went to heaven years before my conversion, and I knew very little about him beyond his miraculous survival of an assassination attempt and his extraordinary popularity. So, I’ll admit, I felt a little unworthy stepping through those doors.
The Shrine itself is breathtaking.
It began as a cultural center in 2001, four years before his death, intended as a space for art, learning, and faith formation. Following the canonization of Saint John Paul II in 2011, the site was formally designated a National Shrine by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2014.
From the outside, the building appears modern, more like a contemporary art museum than a place of pilgrimage, but the interior is magnificent. It contains two worship spaces: the Redemptor Hominis Church and the Luminous Mysteries Chapel, both decorated with radiant mosaics designed by Father Marko Rupnik.
"It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness."
- Saint Pope John Paul II
.png "It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness – Saint Pope John Paul II")
The smaller Luminous Mysteries Chapel is equally exquisite, its mosaics illustrating the Rosary meditations that Saint John Paul II added in 2002. A first-class relic, a vial of the saint’s blood, is enshrined there, along with relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Faustina, St. Gianna Beretta Molla, and others.
The site also features a museum that traces the life of Saint John Paul II. Before my visit, I knew little about him, but what I’ve learned since has profoundly moved me. Now, I can hardly wait to return to the shrine and learn more.
I’ve long struggled to find examples within the Church of saints who truly understood the intersection of chronic pain and personal trauma. So many holy sufferers seem distant from my own experience. But after learning more about Saint John Paul II’s life—his losses, his injuries, his perseverance—I think perhaps I’ve found the guide I’ve been searching for.
"The future starts today, not tomorrow."
-Saint Pope John Paul II
.png "The future starts today, not tomorrow – Saint Pope John Paul II")
Saint John Paul II lost his entire family by the age of twenty, lived under both Nazi and Communist occupation, and suffered a near-fatal accident that permanently affected his posture and caused lifelong pain. Yet rather than turn bitter, he turned holy.
And that’s what I find so inspiring: statistically, damaged people destroy themselves. Saint John Paul II didn’t; he became pope.
I’ve just discovered his spiritual diaries, In God’s Hands, and I’m ready to dive in. And soon, I plan to return to his shrine, this time as a pilgrim who knows whom she’s meeting.
****** *********************************
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.
In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com
Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com
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