Parish of St. John Paul II, in cooperation with the Museum of History and Religion and the transport company GTL, prepared an exhibition and a truck that could travel around Lviv. The mobile museum moved to places visited by St. John Paul II during his stay 20 years ago in Lviv. More than two thousand people visited the Mobile Museum.
This was reported to RISU by one of the organizers of the exhibition, the rector of the Church of St. John Paul II, Fr. Gregory Draus.
Exhibits for the mobile museum were provided by the Pope's former personal secretary, and now archbishop of the RCC Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki.
"The museum contains personal items that belonged to the pope, such as a cassock, crosses, a bowl, and dining utensils. Next to the manuscript of the unfinished letter, you could take a card with quotes from papal encyclicals and speeches that the pontiff delivered in Lviv. There were very long queues at the museum. The opening of the museum in some places was accompanied by a solemn release of pigeons - this was the gesture of St. John Paul II when he wanted to draw attention to the need for reconciliation and prayer for peace," says Fr. Gregory Draus.
"John Paul II 20 years ago visited the young Ukrainian state, which turned 10 years old. The Holy Father knew that Ukraine, which had passed the difficult trials of the XX century, needed support and spiritual care. We remember those days and this gesture of kindness and peace that John Paul II gave us. Today's exhibition is the personification of our memory, respect and reverence for the Holy Father," says the priest.
Among the exhibits of this museum are:
"The cassock that the pope wore every day,
- The liturgical clothes that he wore to celebrate the Eucharist,
- The stick that the Holy Father leant on in the last years of his life,
- The chalice and Diskos on which the Eucharist was celebrated,
- Bishop's ring - a symbol of engagement with the Church,
- The fountain pen used by the pope to write sermons and messages and a paper stand,
- The original unfinished letter with the words "Dear Madam", which might be symbolically considered an appeal to each of us,
- Kitchen items and more.