Blood Sample from John Paul II Will Be Exhibited at his Beatification

According to the Vatican, a blood sample from Pope John Paul II, obtained during the last days before his death (April 2, 2005), will be exhibited at the Basilica of San Pedro as a relic for veneration during his beatification on Sunday.

The doctors sent blood to the blood transfusion center of the Bambino Gesu Hospital, owned by the Vatican to make him a possible transfusion. The blood remained in liquid state due to anticoagulants in the vial or test tube, the Vatican said in a statement.

The last blood sample of the Good Pope was stored in four vials, two of them were given to the late pontiff’s private secretary, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, and the other two are cared for by nuns in the hospital of the Vatican, Bambin Gesy.

One vial from the hospital will be placed in a “precious reliquary” made ​​for the occasion, and presented on Sunday. The other will remain with the nuns, the Vatican said.

Source: AFP