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Filename: plomien papieza |
John Paul II's Silhouette Seen
in Bonfire
Publisher Surprised at International Reaction
VATICAN
CITY, OCT. 16, 2007 (Zenit.org).-
A photo of a bonfire taken in southern Poland, in which a silhouette resembling
that of Pope John Paul II can be seen, has drawn international media attention.
Polish cameraman Gregorz Lukasic photographed an April 2 memorial service held
at Beskid Zywiecki, close to John Paul II's birthplace of Wadowice,
commemorating the second anniversary of the Pontiff's death. He took many
pictures of the event, but only in the photo he took at the exact time of the Holy Father's death a
silhouette appears resembling that of the Pope.
The image
was published Monday by Father Jarek Cielecki, director of the Italian
television station Vatican Service News. Father Cielecki told ZENIT that he was
not anticipating such a widespread reaction, noting that the image had been
picked up by the international press.
"I don't say that it is a miracle. I am not talking of a sensational
thing," Father Cielecki said. "But it is clear that a sign is there.
One can't say that he sees nothing.
"For me, it is a sign, because one has to take into account the place and
the moment the photo was taken. The photographer took two photos each minute.
You can only see the image in the one taken at
"The photo has been analyzed scientifically and it has been shown that it
hasn't been modified."
A miracle?
Legionary of Christ Father Thomas D. Williams, dean of theology at the Regina
Apostolorum university in
"There
is no doubt that the photo bears an uncanny resemblance to Pope John Paul II,
and the fact that the photo was taken on April 2, the anniversary of the Pope's
death, is, if nothing else, a remarkable coincidence.
"No one is obliged to believe this, and the Church will never offer an
official ruling that something miraculous has occurred here. Nonetheless, those
who choose to see the hand of God in this will find encouragement in the thought
that John Paul continues to intercede for us from heaven, which is undoubtedly
the case."
"Our faith is not based on this sort of event," Father Williams
added, "but God does send us many signs of his presence and providential
care, so there is no reason this could not be one of them."
Late Pope John Paul II Appears in
Bonfire Vision
Catholic officials have hailed an
eerie photograph of a bonfire as proof of a miracle by the late Pope John Paul
II, the Telegraph reported.
A Polish cameraman has caught on picture a fiery figure in a bonfire in
Dressed in robes, slightly hunched and his right hand raised in blessing, the
image appeared during a ceremony to mark the second anniversary of the
pontiff's death.
The photograph has since been shown repeatedly on Italian television, and a
religious website displaying the image crashed as thousands logged on to see it
for themselves.
The bonfire was lit during a service on April 2, at Beskid Zywiecki - near the
Holy Father's birthplace in Wadowice, southern
Hundreds attended the ceremony and Polish cameraman Gregorz Lukasik captured
the image on his new camera.
He contacted Father Jarek Cielecki, director of
Mr Lukasik said: "It was only afterwards when I got home and looked at the
pictures that I realised I had something.
"I showed them to my brother and sister and they, like me, were convinced
the flames had formed the image of Pope John Paul II.
"There is a tongue of flame to one side which resembles his right arm
raised as if giving a blessing.
"I was so happy with the picture that I showed it to our local bishop who
said that Pope John Paul had made many pilgrimages during his life and he was
still making them in death."