Monument to John Paul II in Szczecin

The Monument to John Paul II stands on the Jasne Błonia (the Bright Meadows) in Szczecin, opposite the Monument to the Polish Deed. It commemorates the Pope and the Mass he celebrated at this place on 11 June 1987 during his third pilgrimage to Poland.

Where the monument came from

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the Jasne Błonia for the Mass for families, with a homily on work and the rights of family life. In 1995 the event was commemorated by naming the square after John Paul II and setting up a monument on the initiative of the City Office. It was unveiled on 18 June 1995. The design is by the sculptor Czesław Dźwigaj, with the Szczecin architect Stanisław Latour as co-author. The monument was not placed on the site of the former field altar, but on the other side of the square, near the City Office building.

What it looks like

The bronze figure measures about three metres and weighs about six tonnes. The Pope in pontifical vestments is shown as St Peter walking on the waves, walking into the wind, which refers to the homily about the “wind from the sea”. The granite ashlar plinth is topped with a bronze sheet shaped into waves, whose outline corresponds to the boundaries of the Szczecin-Kamień archdiocese. On the front are placed the papal coat of arms, the coat of arms of Szczecin and a quotation from the Szczecin homily.

Ceremonies are held at the monument on the anniversaries of the Pope's death. Not far away stands the Philharmonic.

Practical information

• Place: John Paul II Square, Jasne Błonia, Szczecin.
• The monument stands on an open square and can be viewed at any time.