Text Of Pope's Will, Testament

The Vatican's English Translation Of Pope John Paul II's Writings

(AP)  The following is the Vatican information service's English translation of the official Italian translation of the text of Pope John Paul II's last will and testament, which was originally written in Polish, dated March 6, 1979, with successive additions.

The Vatican released the documents Thursday, on the eve of the pope's funeral.

The editor's notes are by the Associated Press'. The parentheses are in the pope's text, except for Vatican notations.

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The testament of 6.3.1979 (Eds: March 6, 1979)

(and successive additions)

"Totus Tuus ego sum" (Eds: Latin for "I am completely in Your hands")

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

"Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming" (cf. Matthew 24, 42) — these words remind me of the last call, which will happen at the moment the Lord wishes. I desire to follow Him, and I desire that everything making up part of my earthly life should prepare me for this moment. I do not know when the moment will come, but like everything else, I place it too in the hands of the Mother of my Master: Totus Tuus. In the same maternal Hands I leave everything and everyone with whom my life and vocation have linked me. In these Hands I leave, above all, the Church, as well as my Nation and all humanity. I thank everyone. Of everyone I ask forgiveness. I also ask for prayer, that the Mercy of God may appear greater than my weakness and unworthiness.

During the spiritual exercises I reread the testament of the Holy Father Paul VI. That reading prompted me to write this testament.

I leave no property behind me of which it is necessary to dispose. As for the everyday objects that were of use to me, I ask they be distributed as seems appropriate. My personal notes are to be burned. I ask that this be attended to by Father Stanislaw (Eds: his personal secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz), whom I thank for his collaboration and help, so prolonged over the years and so understanding. As for all other thanks, I leave them in my heart before God Himself, because it is difficult to express them.

As for the funeral, I repeat the same dispositions as were given by the Holy Father Paul VI. (Here is a note in the margin: burial in the bare earth, not in a sarcophagus, 13.3.92) (Eds: March 13, 1992).

"Apud Dominum misericordia et copiosa apud Eum redemptio." (Eds: Latin for "With the Lord there is mercy, and with Him plentiful redemption.")

John Paul pp. II

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Rome, 6.III.1979 (Eds: March 6, 1979)

After my death I ask for Masses and prayers.

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5.III.1990 (Eds: March 5, 1990)

(Eds: Undated sheet of paper)

I express my profound trust that, despite all my weakness, the Lord will grant me all the grace necessary to face according to His will any task, trial or suffering that He will ask of His servant, in the course of his life. I also trust that He will never allow me, through some attitude of mine: words, deeds or omissions — to betray my obligations in this holy Petrine See.

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24.II-1.III.1980 (Eds: Feb. 24-March 1, 1980)

Also during these spiritual exercises, I have reflected on the truth of the Priesthood of Christ in the perspective of that Transit that for each of us is the moment of our own death. For us the Resurrection of Christ is an eloquent (Vatican notation: added above, decisive) sign of departing from this world — to be born in the next, in the future world.

I have read, then, the copy of my testament from last year, also written during the spiritual exercises — I compared it with the testament of my great predecessor and Father, Paul VI, with that sublime witness to death of a Christian and a Pope — and I have renewed within me an awareness of the questions to which the copy of 6.III.1979 (Eds: March 6, 1979) refers, prepared by me (in a somewhat provisional way).

Today I wish to add only this: that each of us must bear in mind the prospect of death. And must be ready to present himself before the Lord and Judge — Who is at the same time Redeemer and Father. I too continually take this into consideration, entrusting that decisive moment to the Mother of Christ and of the Church — to the Mother of my hope.

The times in which we live are unutterably difficult and disturbed. The path of the Church has also become difficult and tense, a characteristic trial of these times — both for the Faithful and for Pastors. In some Countries (as, for example, in those about which I read during the spiritual exercises), the Church is undergoing a period of such persecution as to be in no way lesser than that of early centuries, indeed it surpasses them in its degree of cruelty and hatred. "Sanguis martyrum — semen christianorum" (Eds: Latin for "Blood of the martyrs — seeds of Christians"). And apart from this — many people die innocently even in this Country in which we are living.

Once again, I wish to entrust myself totally to the Lord's grace. He Himself will decide when and how I must end my earthly life and pastoral ministry. In life and in death, Totus Tuus in Mary Immaculate. Accepting that death, even now, I hope that Christ will give me the grace for the final passage, in other words (Vatican notation: "my") Easter. I also hope that He makes (Vatican notation: "that death") useful for this more important cause that I seek to serve: the salvation of men and women, the safeguarding of the human family and, in that, of all nations and all peoples (among them, I particularly address my earthly Homeland), and useful for the people with whom He particularly entrusted me, for the question of the Church, for the glory of God Himself.

I do not wish to add anything to what I wrote a year ago — only to express this readiness and, at the same time, this trust, to which the current spiritual exercises have again disposed me.

John Paul II

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Totus Tuus ego sum 5.III.1982 (Ed: March 5, 1982)

In the course of this year's spiritual exercises I have read (a number of times) the text of the testament of 6.III.1979 (Eds: March 6, 1979). Although I still consider it provisional (not definitive), I leave it in the form in which it exists. I change nothing (for now), and neither do I add anything, as concerns the dispositions contained therein.