Rzeszow. Saturday, 2nd April, 2005. Having learnt about dramatically deteriorating condition of John Paul II we gathered spontaneously in our school chapel to pray for his health.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
We are leaving Ostia in the suburbs of Rome in hope to see our Holy Father.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Our pilgrimage consisting of one hundred people has reached the streets of Rome.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Waiting in a line to pay our last respects to our Holy Father one day before his funeral. Two huge, wooden crosses, our school banners and yellow handkerchiefs prevent us from getting lost.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
One day before John Paul II's funeral. Our pilgrimage in the sea of other people.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Tired but happy. Hope against hope we have reached St. Peter's Square and now we are sure we will be able to see our beloved Pope once more.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Our middle school students just after paying last respects to our Holy Father in St. Peter's Basilica.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Our Liceum  students after making final farewell to John Paul II in St. Peter's Basilica.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Last night before John Paul II's funeral. Pilgrims from our school and other places in Poland united in praying and singing.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Sister Anna Telus - our headmistress and other sisters under the open Roman sky. Without them our pilgrimage would have been only an impossible dream.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Polish national symbols so dear to Jon Paul II make us feel even closer to our pope.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
In the afternoon we succeeded in seeing the body of John Paul II and we paid our last respects to him. Now we have a place to sleep only one kilometer from St. Peter's Square.

Thursday, 7th April, 2005.
Twelve hours before the funeral our bodies need a lot of rest and some sleep. Our thoughts, however, are travelling to the next day; the day of the funeral for our Pope.

10-th April, 2005.
After a four - day - long funeral pilgrimage to Rome we're back in the streets of Rzeszow.

Rzeszow. April, 2005.
Those who could not go to Rome to the John Paul II's funeral are uniting with him by offering heartfelt condolences in our school building.

"... because He's dead"

a poem by Izabella Czastkiewicz

... on umarł

słońce zachodzi,

po niebie chmura

różowa płynie

... on umiera...

w ciszy, czekaniu

szepce zegarek,

drży płomień świecy

... on umiera?

po domu, po szosie

snujemy się jak cienie

pogrążeni w modlitwie

... on umiera!

między palcami

paciorki różańca

błyszczą jak łzy

... on umiera.

siedzimy cicho,

patrzymy na radio–

komunikat nadano

... że on umarł...

czarną wstążkę

do czarnego płaszcza

przypnę. Czy wiesz

... że on umarł?

bez celu, bez życia

siedzimy, czekamy

na co? Nie wiemy sami

... bo on umarł!

on jest już tam

po drugiej lepszej stronie

my nie możemy się pogodzić

... że on umarł.

... because He’s dead

it is a sunny day,

a white cloud

in the sky

...he is dying...

in the silence

of waiting,

the glimmer of a candle

... is he dying?

in the house, in the church

we’re like shadows

in prayer

...he is dying!

hands on your face,

breath is so short-

are you crying?

...he is dying.

it is silent,

it’s so quiet,

full stop

...he is dead...

a black ribbon

on a black jacket

do you know that

...he is dead?

with no aim,

with no life

we’re sitting because

...he is dead!

he is in heaven-

I know,

but my heart is

one big hole

...he is dead.