Cardinal James Harvey, 75, who for many years served St. John Paul II (1920-2005) as the Prefect of the Pontifical Household, today, on the late Pope’s feast day, read a tribute to the late Pope in the Vatican Gardens. Five guests then planted five special “John Paul II tulip bulbs” in a little garden set up by the Polish nation, with the Vatican’s approval, in order to honor the late Pope

    The Polish Embassy to the Holy See invited about 40 people to today’s special ceremony to commemorate St. John Paul II in the Vatican Gardens today. The tulip bulbs were planted next to the tree on the right of this picture

    Letter #45, 2024, Tuesday, October 22: A Garden of Flowers for St. John Paul II

    In 1978, 46 years ago, Pope John Paul II inaugurated his long pontificate on October 22 using unforgettable words: “Open wide the doors to Christ.”

    Today’s date, October 22, has been chosen for his liturgical feast day.

    Usually, the date of the death is chosen for a saint’s feast day, but, in John Paul’s case, the day of the inauguration of his pontificate was chosen, because for long centuries October 16th had been celebrated as the feast of St. Hedwig of Silesia (1174-1243).

    A special variety of flower for a special Pope

    The “John Paul II tulip” is a noble tulip variety.

    Strong, tall.

    It has beautiful white flowers with yellow inside.

    The colors recall the colors of the Vatican flag.

    Cardinal James Harvey stressed that tulips symbolizes innocence, purity, sweetness, constance in unconditional love, but also autonomy, balance and, in the end, even resurrection.

    The American cardinal quoted Pope Francis who admired the hope and patience of John Paul II.

    At the end of Cardinal Harvey’s discourse, five tulip bulbs were symbolically planted by Cardinal Gzregorz Rys, the youngest Polish cardinal (created last year by Pope Francis) and by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, an Italian cardinal who worked for years under St. John Paul II).

    Tulips are the third plant from Poland to be planted in the Vatican Gardens after an oak tree in 2019 and an apple tree early this year.

    —RM

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