Homage to John Paul II is focus of coming conference in Rome

Rome, Italy, May 15, 2010 / 08:29 am

Next Tuesday an afternoon conference will be held in honor of Venerable John Paul II at one of Rome's pontifical universities. The initiative, which will discuss writings and testimonies about the Pope's life, comes on the 90th anniversary of his birth.

"A man come from afar: Homage to John Paul II" is the title of the special event to take place at Rome's Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum on the afternoon of May 18, the Italian Bishops' SIR News reported Friday.

The conference has been organized by the university together with a cultural association of students called the Pascal Center and also the Regina Apostolorum-instituted John Paul II Study Center. The Study Center aims to bring together publications and writings by John Paul II and those produced by others about him for the occasion.

In addition the center will collect significant materials concerning the life of the Pope, including photographs and audiovisual records.

According to SIR, the JPII center is committed to promoting study and research on the late pontiff’s “life, charisma, works and significant traces left in history during his life and pontificate as well as after his death."

Following an opening presentation from the rector of the university, Fr. Pedro Barrajon, and a greeting from the head of the Study Center,  Martino Cichocki, a variety of talks will be given by experts regarding the life and times of John Paul II.

Among the six presentations to be given are "John Paul II and the Jewish World" by Dr. Edith Aviv, "A Polish Pope and Eastern Europe" by Hanna Suchocka, the Polish Ambassador to the Holy See and "Why He's a Saint: experience with the Postulator of the Cause of Canonization of John Paul II" by Italian journalist, Saverio Gaeta.

The conference has been planned for the late Pope's birthday, May 18. This year he would have been 90 years old.