TOTUS TUUS
Terror at St Peter's Square – 13th May 1981
The terrorist attack as reported on 'La Stampa'
The Blessed Pope John Paul II 'The Great'
His Eminence Cardinal Stanislaw Dsiwisz with Frank Zammit
‘Nobody thought an
attempt would be made on the life of an innocent man, a man of peace and above
all in St Peter's Square
Yes, I remember because
I certainly can never forget it! It has entered my mind, my memory, my head.
Above all Providence
More than thirty years have gone by since
the attempted assasination of John Paul II. It was precisely on the 13th
of May 1981 when Pope Wojtyla emerged onto St Peter's Square
At one point he lifted a little blonde girl
He shook the hands outstreched
towards him. At one point he even lifted a little blonde girl, embraced and kissed her before giving her back to her mother.
His Eminence Cardinal Stanislaw Dsiwisz explaining this terrible story to Frank Zammit
Suddenly a pistol was seen above
the crowd pointed at the Pope and two shots were heard. The sound of frightened
pigeons taking flight occupied the first few seconds of complete disbelief at
what had just happened.
The attack of Mehmet Ali Agca on Pope John Paul II
The first shot broke one of the
Pope's fingers and entered his abdomen while a second shot struck his jaw and
ricocheted to wound two bystanders.
Pope John Paul II being assisted by his secretary and great friend Don Stanislaw Dsiwisz
It was nineteen minutes past five
of an afternoon to be recorded in the history of humanity.
‘It was impressive that
he was seriously wounded. He was going to die. As he started his journey to the
hospital I heard him forgive his assailant. He forgave him! And prayed for him
for as long as he could because on reaching the Gemelli Hospital
The operation lasted
over five hours. The shot had damaged several of his internal organs.
Dr Renato Buzzonetti: His doctor
‘He lost a lot of
blood….the plan had been to kill him. There were very difficult moments during
the operation. His doctor came to tell that the situation was very delicate..
his heartbeat was hardly audible. His blood pressure dropped drastically and he
had bled profusely. Many many problems.’ H.E. Card. Stanislaw Dsiwisz 7.9.2011
John Paul II's miraculous recovery
Within minutes of the
attack, the would-be assassin was caught by a nun who was assisted by the
crowd. He was a Turk, Ali Agca, involved with the Grey Wolves, an extreme Left
terrorist group also involved in drug running.-.
Agca had already been
condemned to death in his absence by a Turkish court after being found guilty
of the murder of the editor of the Turkish newspaper Milliyet which two years
previously had published a letter from Agca threatening to kill the Pope if he
did not cancel a proposed visit to Turkey
Pope John Paul II visited Agca in Rebibba Prison
Two years later two
days after Christmas 1983 John Paul II visited Agca in prison to grant
forgiveness to one who had wanted to eliminate him from this earth. The two men
spoke alone for a long time and it remains unknown to this day what was said.
'Because the attempt
was intended to kill him. The bullet went right through his body. He was a man
of mysteries…great mysteries but protected. Guarded by God an Our Lady to whom
he was so devoted.
'He was saved by God
through the intervention of Our Lady of Fatima as he later said.' H.E. Card. Stanislaw Dsiwisz 7.9.2011
He was so devoted to Our Lady
Agca was subsequently
condemned to life imprisonment by the Italian courts for having attempted to
kill a foreign Head of State. In 2000 Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
had granted an amnesty to Agca who was immediately extradited to Turkey
On two separate occasions,
the frst of which five days after the attempt on his life while he was
recovering at the Gemelli Hospital and reciting the Angelus broadcast to St
Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II had said; "I pray for my brother who
attacked me and whom I have sincerely forgiven".
The historical meeting in Rebibbia Prison
He repeated these
words of forgiveness to Agca when he visited him in Rebibbia prison in Rome
Vial of Pope John Paul II's blood as relic in John Paul II Centre 'Do not be Afraid' in Krakow-Lagiewniki
For several years investigations
were carried out in order to establish who had been behind the cowardly attempt
on the Pope's life. The prime suspects were the secret services of a number of
Eastern European countries.
Frank Zammit in St Peter's Square....Thirty years after
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