The Diocese of Rome held an eve vigil for the beatification of Pope John Paul I on the evening of September 3 at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Cardinal de Donatis, acting bishop of the Pope’s diocese of Rome, emphasized in his homily that the spirit of humility is at the heart of the holiness of Pope Luciani, who lived a simple life with humility and consistent trust in the Lord.
(Vatican News Network)The Diocese of Rome held an eve vigil for the beatification of Pope John Paul I at the Basilica of St. John Lateran on the evening of September 3. The vigil was presided over by Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the Pope’s acting bishop of Rome, and the auxiliary bishops of the diocese of Rome participated in the liturgical prayers that night. Pope Luciani once quoted the deacon of St. Lawrence, the martyr of Rome, that “the poor are the real treasure of the Church”, caring for many of the poor in Rome.
At the heart of the liturgy of the vigil is listening to the Word of God: after each reading, a recording of Pope Luciani’s explanation of the passage is played; while images of the “Smiling Pope” and his visit to the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome are played. The video clip scrolls.
The reading and exegesis were followed by the sharing of three witnesses: Luciani’s concubine, Ms. Lina Petri of the Vatican Foundation of John Paul I; and Marin of the Sisters of the Infant Mary (Margherita Marin), who served Pope Luciani during his tenure; and Father Juan José Dabusti, Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who appealed to Luciani A dying girl, Candela Giarda, was miraculously healed thanks to the intercession of the Pope.
Ms. Petri shared: “I always knew my uncle was a poor man: when he was the Patriarch of Venice, there was nothing extravagant or particularly valuable, except for some ‘old’ robes and reliquaries for Mass offerings . . . I remember him in the Pope’s apartment, between the two windows, with only a writing desk, a cross, and pictures of his parents.”
Then, Sister Marin testified: “He treated us well in a simple way that made us not feel restrained. He talked to us about prayers, saying that the Lord had given him a burden, but with the help of the Lord and our prayers He will continue to move forward. In the month of his tenure, I have always seen his serenity, calmness and steadfastness. In prayer, I can see that he is closely connected with the Lord.” “He knew how to be very Treat his collaborators with respect and always say sorry when disturbing others. I’ve never seen him impatient with anyone.”
Speaking of Pope Luciani’s last evening, the nun, who served the Pope in his final years, said: “After he said good night to us, the Holy Father stood at the door of the study, turned and waved to us again. Good night, smiling…I think he’s still at the door, standing peacefully as usual.”
Later, Father Dabsti shared his vocation as a priest: “I always remember the impact of his sudden death: when I grew up, I asked him to help me identify and follow my vocation, whether I wanted to be a priest or a priest. What else?… I am sure that Luciani is a mysterious spiritual father of mine, the silent but powerful intercessor of my priestly vocation.”
Finally, Cardinal de Donatis reflected on the “virtue of humility”. The cardinal said that the testimony of Pope Luciani’s holiness better than the average person exemplifies the “virtue of humility”, and it is not accidental that he chose the motto of the papal ministry “humility”. The humility he practiced became the strength of his Christian life. “For Luciani, humility has never been about humility,” the cardinal said. “It is about accepting one’s own smallness, relying entirely on God rather than one’s own talents, and offering oneself to others in a simple and gratuitous way.”
Before the end of the vigil, the Pope’s Acting Bishop of Rome, Cardinal de Donatis, invited those present to participate actively in the beatification of Pope Luciani the next day.
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