advertisement

Relics of Pope John Paul II on display at Des Plaines shrine

Worshippers gathered Wednesday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Des Plaines to see the blood, hair and personal rosary of the late Pope St. John Paul II.

The relics of the longest-serving pope in modern history arrived at the shrine to honor the 100th anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. The anniversary celebrates when three children reported seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary in Portugal.

John Paul II credited the Virgin of Fatima with saving his life during an assassination attempt on her feast day in 1981.

William Thomas, a professor of Mariology at New College in Ireland and director of the Pope Saint John Paul II Institute of Marian Studies, gave a presentation on "The Apparitions of Fatima." The Rev. Esequiel Sanchez presided over Mass, with a blessing and veneration of the relics.

  In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, relics of Pope St. John Paul II, including his hair, were on display at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Des Plaines Wednesday. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Eileen Wright of Des Plaines, right, gets a closer look at some of the relics. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, relics of Pope St. John Paul II, including his personal rosary and crucifix were on display for veneration at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Des Plaines Wednesday. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.