Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, celebrated Mass at the tomb of Pope St. John Paul II on October 22, the saint’s feast day.
Recalling a verse of one of St. John Paul’s poems—“Do you wish to be here the floor upon which others walk to reach the place toward which you guide their steps?”—Cardinal Parolin preached:
Following the example of the Apostle Peter, St. John Paul II was also the floor upon which the faith of so many people advanced toward Christ. The floor—that is, his adherence to Christ—became not only a model but also a support, a point of reference, and a compass for so many believers.