Polish President Karol Nawrocki, accompanied by his wife, visited St. Peter’s Basilica on May 18 to pay tribute to St. John Paul II on the 106th anniversary of the Polish pontiff’s birth.
The visit took place early in the morning at the tomb of Karol Wojtyła, where the president laid a floral arrangement in Poland’s national colors—red and white—and remained in prayer for several minutes.
The gesture was later shared by the Polish presidency on its official social media accounts, accompanied by a quote from St. John Paul II about passing on love for the homeland across generations.
Prayers for Poland and National Unity
During the tribute, the Military Bishop of Poland, Wiesław Lechowicz, led a prayer for the country, the president, and all those present.
“May Saint John Paul help us love what is ours: our roots, our history, our culture, and the land from which we come,” the prelate prayed.
The bishop also called for reconciliation and harmony in Poland, as well as fidelity to the spiritual and moral legacy of John Paul II.
A Polish Mass at Wojtyła’s Tomb
Hours earlier, a Mass in Polish was also celebrated at the pontiff’s tomb, presided over by Bishop Jan Ozga, Ordinary of the Diocese of Doumé-Abong’ Mbang in Cameroon.
During the homily, Bishop Paweł Ptasznik—historical collaborator of John Paul II and current president of the John Paul II Foundation at the Vatican—highlighted the Polish pope as “a gift to the world.”
“We praise the Lord because in our complex world He gave us a guardian of the dignity of every person, a guardian of the family, of life, and of all the inalienable human and social values,” he affirmed.
John Paul II, Symbol of Poland’s Christian Identity
More than twenty years after his death, St. John Paul II remains far more than a pontiff; his figure continues to occupy a central place in Poland’s religious and cultural identity. He represents the defense of Europe’s Christian roots, spiritual resistance to communism, and a moral reference point amid the growing secularization of the West.