Pope's sash from 1981 shooting to be displayed at Polish shrine

Published: 2004-05-21

OXFORD, England (CNS) -- The bullet-holed sash worn by Pope John Paul II when he was shot in St. Peter's Square 23 years ago is to be displayed for the first time at Poland's Jasna Gora national shrine. "This article symbolizes both faith and martyrdom," said Pauline Father Stanislaw Tomon, spokesman for the hilltop monastery. "It's stained with the blood of a man who was gravely wounded for fulfilling the papal office. As such, it's a living sign of the Holy Father's faithfulness to his vocation," he said. Father Tomon told Catholic News Service the sash would be placed alongside other artifacts before the shrine's Black Madonna icon. The pope underwent five hours of emergency surgery after being shot on May 13, 1981, by Turkish would-be assassin Mehmet Ali Agca.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .