Prime minister remembers former Polish pope on 15th death anniversary
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki tweeted on Thursday that on the 15th anniversary of his death, Saint Pope John Paul II remains a symbol of hope and faith in Polish solidarity, invoking his memory during Poland's current challenges.
"Fifteen years ago our Pope departed, who during his first pilgrimage to Poland in June 1979, ended his homily on Zwycięstwa Square in Warsaw with the call: 'Let Your Spirit descend! Let Your Spirit descend and renew the face of the earth. This land,'" the prime minister wrote.
"Today in the place where those words fell, that changed the face of the world, together with Deputy Prime minister Piotr Gliński I paid tribute to a person who stands as a symbol of hope and faith in Polish solidarity," Morawiecki wrote. "Thanks to those values we won then - and we'll win now."
Polish-born Pope John Paul II died on April 2, 2005 at the age of 84. He was one of the most influential leaders of the turn of the century, instrumental in the collapse of communism in Poland. The pontificate of John Paul II lasted 26 years, 5 months and 16 days. It was the third longest pontificate in history, after Saint Peter and Pius IX.
