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| Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre poses in front of a picture of the late Pope John Paul II after a news conference in Aix en Provence, France, in January of 2011. (CNS photo/Jean-Paul Pelissier, Reuters) |
MADISON — The chant rang out in St. Peter’s square in Rome at what turned out to be perhaps the largest gathering in of Christianity in history, “Santo Subito!”
A consensus among the faithful and even the community of the world seemed to be aptly expressed: “Sainthood Now!” for the recently deceased pontiff John Paul II.
Joining the estimated four million Christian mourners gathered in Rome was the single largest gathering of heads of state ever outside of the United Nations, including four kings, five queens, and at least 70 presidents and prime ministers, with more than 14 leaders of other religions symbolizing this universal recognition of John Paul II’s extraordinary life.
“Santo Subito” was not just a slogan that emerged on this afternoon of April 8, 2005, but one that dates back to the early centuries of the Church in conjunction with another slogan at the time, “Vox Populi, vox Dei,” meaning “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”