OFF TO POLAND

With an early start on the 18th May myself and two parishioners headed to Manchester Airport to take a flight to Krakow.  This was part of the first leg of a journey to Katowice and Rogow for the ordination to the Sacred Priesthood of Deacon Mateusz Klimek and his fifteen classmates.

Having arrived without incident at Krakow airport we met up with Fr Philip Baptist, Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Souls, Kensal Rise, London.  From here the four of us made our onward journey to central Krakow and our hotel for a two night stay.

Krakow is a very beautiful city and has much to commend it to the visitor.  If you have never been then it is well worth a visit.

Krakow is also the Archdiocese of which Cardinal Wojtyla was the bishop before being elected Pope John Paul II in 1978. 

A statue of St John Paul II stands opposite the entrance of the

Cathedral in the grounds of the Wawel Castle

The entrance to the Cathedral that contains the relics of

St Stanislaus, one time Bishop of Krakow

A view of the courtyard inside the Wawel Castle

 Here is the famous window above the entrance to the Diocesan Curia where Pope John Paul on his visits to his native Poland would stand to give the gathered crowds his blessing.  The crowds showed there appreciation for Poland's famous son by singing 'Sto lat, Sto lat.'  The Holy Father asked the crowds if they really wanted the Pope to live for 100 years and the song says.  They cheered and shouted 'Yes.'  The Holy Father replied 'Well you had better go home and stop singing so that I can get some rest!'

Here is the chapel inside the Curia where John Paul II

was ordained to the Priesthood.