A book written by Monsignor Slawomir Oder has revealed that late Pope John Paul used to flog himself to remember the sufferings of Christ and become close to him spiritually. The book is named “why he’s a saint”. The name suggests that the author wants to establish late Pope as a Saint. The book is supported by the testimonials of 114 persons collected by Oder to authenticate the cause. The author relates that a flogging belt was found in his closet and he used to take it with him even on vacations. He has tried to augment the cause by collecting evidences from Karol Wojtyla that he used to sleep on the bare floor since he was a bishop.
The flagellated Christians used these methods for self denial asceticism. The flogging practice was however condemned by the Catholic Church. However some orthodox monastic orders founded an organization by the name of Opus Dei that encouraged flagellated disciples.
The author has disclosed that Pope used to sleep on floor for self mortification. He forgave the man shot him in St. Peter’s square. In an open letter to his would be assassin Pope Wrote that the act of forgiveness was the first condition to remove animosities. Oder has also reproduced an undelivered speech by late Pope.
The flagellated Pope served as sovereign of Vatican over a period of 26 years. Pope Benedict XVI has waived the five year waiting period for the Sainthood of Pope John Paul after some weeks of his death in 2005.
Pope John Paul
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