On June 20, 1920, in the Chapel of the Holy Family in the Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wadowice, an event of exceptional significance for the Catholic Church and the entire world took place. On this day, Karol Wojtyła, the future Pope John Paul II, received the sacrament of holy baptism. This special event was remembered by the pope with great reverence and gratitude throughout his life, emphasizing its fundamental importance for his spiritual journey and vocation.
“We should celebrate the day of baptism no less than the day of birth” – these words, spoken by John Paul II, convey the depth of his conviction about the significance of the sacrament of baptism. For him, it was not only the beginning of physical life but, above all, spiritual life, the moment of being grafted into Christ and being incorporated into the community of the Church.
Pope John Paul II’s visit to Wadowice on June 16, 1999, was full of symbolism and deep emotional significance. “With deep reverence, I kiss the threshold of God’s house – the Wadowice parish church, and in it the baptismal font where I was grafted into Christ and received into the community of His Church,” the pope said, paying tribute to the place that witnessed his first steps in faith.
Wadowice was a special place for Karol Wojtyła. “Here, in this town, in Wadowice, everything began. And life began, and school began, studies began, theater began, and the priesthood began,” John Paul II recalled. It was here that he spent the first eighteen years of his life, which shaped his personality and prepared him for his future mission.
The day of Karol Wojtyła’s baptism is not only an occasion for remembrance but also for reflection on the value of the sacrament of baptism in the life of every Christian. By recalling this day, we pay tribute to the future pope, who with his life and pontificate left indelible marks in the history of the Church and the world.