Pope thanks Catholics, non-Catholics for anniversary wishes

Published: 2003-10-27

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II thanked Catholics, world leaders and representatives of other faiths for 25th anniversary wishes and once again entrusted his life and papal ministry to Mary. "The intense emotions I experienced in these recent days are still alive in my soul, when so many people gathered around me," the pope told pilgrims at a Sunday blessing Oct. 26. He had just completed nearly two weeks of ceremonies focusing on his silver jubilee as pope. The 83-year-old pontiff was able to deliver the short speech in its entirety, but spoke in a weak voice and coughed a few times. Several thousand people listened to the pope in St. Peter's Square below his apartment window. The pope received thousands of written salutations for his 25th anniversary and accepted the personal greetings of cardinals, bishops and dozens of world leaders. Catholics from every continent also sent their wishes via e-mail, and thousands of pilgrim groups turned up personally in Rome for the celebrations.

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