Habemus Papam! Celebrate the Election of St. John Paul II
Friday, October 16, 2026, 17:00 -
Friday, October 16, 2026, 20:00
Event duration 3 hours
RSVP:
USD 0.00
About Habemus Papam! Celebrate the Election of St. John Paul II
Join us in "St. Peter's Square" on Fri., October 16th as we mark the anniversary of the election of Karol Wojtyla to the papacy in 1978!
Join us on Friday, October 16th as we mark the anniversary of the election of Karol Wojtyla to the papacy in 1978! The celebration begins with Holy Mass, followed by the opportunity to venerate a first-class relic of St. John Paul II. Then, step back in time with us to St. Peter’s Square, 1978, remember the festive Roman crowds with a pizza party full of fun and fellowship, and relive the worldwide celebration of a new pope from a “distant land.”
Date/Time: Friday, October 16, 2026; 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Schedule:
5:00pm – Votive Mass of St. John Paul II
6:00pm – Veneration of first-class relic of John Paul II
6:30pm – Pizza party in “St. Peter’s Square”
8:00pm – Event ends
Events Schedule
Friday, October 16, 2026, 17:00
Friday, October 16, 2026, 20:00
Event Categories
Community Connections
Saint John Paul II National Shrine
https://www.jp2shrine.org/
3900 Harewood Rd NE
The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is a place of worship, religious formation, and cultural renewal to feed the minds and souls of its visitors. It is a place of pilgrimage with a first-class relic of St. John Paul II’s blood available for veneration. Through liturgy and prayer, art, cultural events, and religious celebrations, pilgrims can enter into our patron’s deep love for God and for man. A major permanent exhibit highlights significant events in the life of Pope John Paul II and his momentous influence as the spiritual father of one billion Catholics and as a world leader. From its conception, the Shrine was intended as a response to St. John Paul II’s call for a “new evangelization,” which was repeated by Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. It is meant to be a place of genuine encounter with God that leads to a renewal of individuals, families, societies, and cultures — a place where God, who “entered history” (John Paul II, Homily, Dec. 24, 1999), heals and renews every dimension of human life. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the Shrine a national shrine on March 14, 2014.