One of the most amazing parts of my trip to Vatican City was seeing the devotion of so many pilgrims to Blessed Pope John XXIII. The lines of people visiting his glass tomb, lighting candles and saying prayers was incredible. I never imagined people would still display such fervent love to a pope who died 42 years ago.
Seeing his incorruptable body was something that I will never forget. In one day I saw four popes. Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Innocent XI, Pope St. Pius X and Blessed Pope John XXIII.
His face was instantly recognizable and as I looked at it, I remembered that although he died 15 years before I was born, I was looking at the face of the man who created the Church we know today. His hands and face were coated with wax, but he still bore a small smile. He was much thinner than I expected, but as I learned later, he lost a great deal of weight in his final year due to his battle with stomach cancer.
As Cardinal Noe said after Pope John XXIII was exhumed, "It was as if he died yesterday". His entire body is unaffected by the ravages of time. While it may not be a miracle, it is simply amazing.
Photo by Domini Sumus
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