St John Paul II Chapel


Pope John Paul II visited Swaziland in 1988. I believed he landed in the Kingdom on September 16. Soon we will be celebrating 30 years of his visit.

In the meantime, he has been canonised and for us he is now St John Paul II.

Some time ago, someone shared this story with me. Coming to the Cathedral, he pointed out to his daughter the stone that remembers his visit. She could not believe it was true: "Do you mean a saint came to Swaziland? It cannot be true". He felt something had to be done to keep the memory of his visit alive.

I then decided we should dedicate one of our chapels in the Cathedral to him and to his visit. It would be simple and meaningful.

Fr Zweli Ngwenya, a diocesan priest from this diocese studying at Rome, went to the "photo service" of L'Osservatore Romano and checked for photos of his visit. Though there were no digital cameras at that time, they do keep an amazing photo archive. He chose five of them and sent them to us. We place them next to his image.

During the last World Youth Day in Poland I was given an image of Our Lady of Częstochowa to whom he was devoted. We framed it and placed it on the small altar together with a prayer to her and another to St John Paul II's intercession.

Being away most of the Sundays of August, I thought there was no need to wait for me to bless it. So, once it was all ready, we decided to bless it on the following Sunday. It fell on Fr Dumisani Vilakati to do it as he was presiding Mass on that day.

Yes, thirty years' ago, a Saint known to the whole world, visited the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Click on the photo below
for more photos of the event

St John Paul Chapel