One year ago today...

...Pope John Paul II went to the window of his apartment for what was to be the last time that he would make a public appearance.

Unable to speak, the Pope stood silently in the window for about 4 minutes. Three messages were read aloud in his name to different groups in the crowd: one message in Italian, one in German, and the last in his native Polish. In those messages the Pope thanked the people for being there, bearing witness to their support for him, and keeping him in their prayers. After the recitation of the Lord's Prayer, the Pope gave his blessing-- still in silence, tracing the Sign of the Cross with his hand.
. . .
Three days after that appearance, in the evening of April 2, Pope John Paul was dead.

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