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Pope John Paul II Center in Kraków

Poland Traditions & Interest

Tim Firkowski

Sunday, 21 August 2016

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Right near the Devine Mercy Sanctuary is Pope John Paul II Center. Just a short scenic walk along a paved trail takes you to the Center for Pope John Paul II.

The main church is filled with very ornate tile mosaics of various religious scenes. If you only go to see these beautiful works of art, it is worth the short walk from the sanctuary.

There is a lower church where there is simple marble altar in the middle of an octagonal room that contains a vial with the relic of the blood of Saint John Paul II displayed in a glass case.

In the lower part of the church there is a shrine that has carvings made from the salt from the Wieliczka salt mines.

There also is a memorial room to Saint John Paul II which contains the cover stone from his grave in the Vatican from when he died as Pope. His body was relocated after he was canonized as a Saint & his coverstone was given to the center.

Beautiful Tile Murals everywhere

Lots of people admiring the artwork

Mural made from Wieliczka salt

Pope John Paul II cover stone from the Vatican after he was canonized a Saint.

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About the author

Tim Firkowski

I have been doing genealogy research since 2002 & have worked full time as a Professional Genealogist since 2008. I specialize in Polish and American-Canadian Genealogy. As a member of APG, I was the 2010/2011 President of the New England Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (NEAPG). I have Certificates of Completion for studies in "Foundations of Forensic Genealogy" and "Advanced Forensic Genealogy Techniques". I have been a volunteer librarian at the local Family History Center, and a genealogy research consultant at “Ask the Expert” Ancestry Road Shows. I have traveled to Poland numerous times & researched in churches and archives. At conferences and special events, you may find me dressed up in my Sherlock Holmes outfit, or my Kujawy (the folk costume from the region in Poland where my ancestors came from).