The Sanctuary of St. John Paul II is the first temple in Krakow dedicated to the Polish Pope, built to commemorate his person and his papacy.
The Sanctuary is part of the John Paul II Centre “Do not be afraid!” situated on the so-called “White Seas” in Cracow, in the area ofthe former Solvay Soda Works, where young Karol Wojtyła laboured for four years (1940 – 1944).
On 18 May 2007, the square for the construction of the Centre and the cross made of the structural elements of the altar, which has remained after the last apostolic journey of the Holy Father John Paul II to his Homeland (16-19 August 2002), took place.
The construction of the Centre “Do not be afraid!” was commenced in the autumn of 2008, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the election of Cardinal to the Capital of St. Peter.
The main initiator and originator of this project was the Metropolitan of Cracow, priest cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz.
The investment includes the construction of a complex of buildings of the papal Centre, designed by the Cracow architect Andrzej Mikulski, Eng.
The foundation stone for the future Centre was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI during a meeting with youth in Błonie on 27 May 2006. The ceremony of its embedding in the church wall took place on 23 October 2010.
In 2009, Benedict XVI approved a decree recognising the heroic virtues of John Paul II. The decision on the beatification – 1 May 2011 – was announced in Rome in January this year in the presence of the pilgrims from Poland and all over the world.
The liturgical memorial of John Paul II is scheduled for 22 October.
In the Sanctuary in the “White Seas”, an indulgence in honour of the Polish Pope is celebrated on this very day.
On June 11, 2011, after the beatification, under the decree of priest cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, the Sanctuary of Blessed John Paul II in Cracow was erected. On that day, the ceremonial introduction of the relics of the Holy Father took place.
The first Custodian was appointed the President of the John Paul II Centre “Do not be afraid!”, Bishop’s Vicar, Prelate Priest Jan Kabziński. Then, this service was performed by priest canon Mateusz Hosaja. From 2020, the office of custodian is held by priest Tomasz Szopa.
On 23 June 2013, priest cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, in the presence of the Polish Episcopate, performed the ceremony of a consecration of the Upper Church, dedicated to John Paul II.
On 27 April 2014, John Paul II was included in the congregation of saints.
The efforts are being made to raise the Sanctuary in the White Seas to the rank of a basilica.
The top part of the shrine, which is the central place of the Sanctuary, was built on an octagon plan. The solutions used in the construction of the church bring it closer to the Byzantine style of the churches in Ravenna.
The interior finishing is predominated by stone and architectural concrete. In the main altar and on the side walls there is a mosaic decoration – the work of Fr. Marko Ivan Rubnik SJ – an artist of Slovenian origin recognised in the world, the creator of mosaics, inter alia, in the crypt of the new church in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. A bronze door depicting a figure of John Paul II, accompanied by the saints and blessed ones who were raised to the glory of the altars by the Polish Pope, leads to the shrine. Among them are, among others St. sister Faustina, St. brother Albert Chmielewski, St. Joanna Beretta Molla, blessed priest Jerzy Popiełuszko and the Servant of God Jerzy Ciesielski.
In the Lower Church, in a glass case inside a marble altar in the centre of the Church of the Relics, a reliquary with the blood of the Holy Father was placed. The emblazons of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and priest cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz are placed on the floor made of the Turkish and Spanish marble. The walls are decorated with the paintings depicting the papal visits to Marian sanctuaries around the world. The vaulting of beams arranged in the form of an eight-pointed star refers to the figure of Mother of God – Stella Maris.
There are chapels in the Lower Church, the largest of which is the Priestly Chapel designed at the pattern of the Wawel crypt of St. Leonard. The slab from the tomb of John Paul II from the Vatican Grottoes of St. Peter Basilic in Rome, on which there is a relic in the form of an open Gospel Book has been put. The papal pastoral cross, vestment and mitre are exhibited here.
The oratories surrounding the Church of Relics are related to the Marian cult of John Paul II: the oratory of Mother of God of Piekary, the oratory of Mother of God of Salus Populi Romani, the oratory of Mother of God of Ludźmierz, the oratory of Mother of God of Loretto.
The chapel of St. Kinga, funded by the Wieliczka Salt Mine is of exceptional nature. There is a figure of the saint made of salt in its central part, while the walls are decorated with salt reliefs depicting scenes from the Gospel Book. There is also a chapel dedicated to St. Queen Jadwiga and the chapel of St. James in the Sanctuary.
In the surrounding of the Church of Relics there is the Chapel of Reconciliation – a place of holy confession and tomb crypts in which the passed away cardinals, friends of St. John Paul II: Cardinal
Andrzej Maria Deskur (deceased in 2011) and Cardinal Stanisław Nagy (deceased in 2013) rest.
As a special place of worship, it is possible to obtain a plenary indulgence on the day of the liturgical commemoration of St. John Paul II – October 22 – as well as once a year during a pilgrimage to this place, according to the church requirements under the ordinary conditions.