We were now celebrating the Jubilee Year and reflecting on God’s covenant with Man.
After the opening procession, Father Maciej Zieba distributed red stoles with the Lednica logo to all the priests present. This was followed by the blessing of a bell, weighing1,200 kilos which had been mounted high on a construction platform. Cardinal Glemp had to be hoisted up onto the platform to perform the blessing.
The Law and the Covenant ceremony followed, in which a copy of the Ark of the Covenant, made of acacia wood as the Bible says, and with two tablets containing the Ten Commandments inside, was carried in procession. The participants received miniature copies of the Ten Commandments written in Hebrew just as Moses had received them from God on Mt. Sinai. Then, a picture of Our Lady of Jamna was brought in procession.
After this, twenty –four parachutists holding signs saying ’Gloria’ landed on the Lednica Fields. This was the beginning of the ‘Incarnation’ ceremony during which 60,000 copies of St. Luke’s Gospel, each with a dedication from John Paul II, were given out to all the participants. While distributing the Gospels, the priests said” Through Your words Lord” to which the participants answered “ Give me life”.
John Paul II’s message, beamed by satellite from the Vatican was to follow:
“ Believe Christ. Believe that He first chose you so that you could freely chose Him.
Do not be afraid to chose Him always. Let this choice shape the present and future for you!”
Archbishop Nossol then led the ‘Redemption’ ceremony during which the Stations of the Cross were said and small crosses,replicas of the oldest ones found on Polish soil, were distributed to the participants. The prayers and reflections for the individual Stations of the Cross were prepared by various Catholic movements working with people with special needs among them - Marek Kotanski. To conclude, Archbishop Nossol blessed all those present with the relics of the Holy Cross. After the Mass celebrated by the Primate of Poland, everyone walked through the symbolic Gate.
