Pope's testament released

2005-04-07 15:40

Rome - Pope John Paul II considered resigning five years ago, according to his final testament released on Thursday by the Vatican, and also thought about being buried in his native Poland.

"I hope that He will help me to recognise how long I must continue this service," the testament reads. "May the mercy of God give me the necessary strength for this service."

The document reveals that John Paul II considered being buried in Poland but finally decided to leave the decision up to the College of Cardinals.

He also thanked "divine providence" that the Cold War confrontation between East and West had ended without "violent nuclear conflict".

"In the autumn of the year 1989 the previously tense situation which marked the 1980s changed (removing) the danger which weighed on the world in the previous period."

John Paul II, who died on Saturday and will be buried on Friday after a requiem mass to be celebrated by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in Saint Peter's Square, wrote the document in six phases, starting in 1979 and ending in 2000.

It begins: "Be vigilant, because you do not know the day our Lord will come."

The last entry, written in 2000, shows he recognised that he was approaching the end of his life.

"I go back in my memory to the beginning, to my parents, my brother and my sister, whom I didn't know because she died before I was born."

He recalled "the parish of Wadowice where I was baptised, ... neighbours, friends and friends from elementary school, from the gymnasium, from the university up to the time of the occupation when I worked as a labourer and later in the parish of Niegowi and that of the San Floriano parish in Krakow."

He thought back "to Krakow and Rome ... to the people who in a special way entrusted me to the Lord."

The pope said he left the Church and the world in the hands of God.

"I thank everyone. I ask forgiveness from everyone," the pope wrote.

- AFP