Brighton Park – On Sunday, Five Holy Martyrs Church hosted its 47th annual commemoration of the only papal visit Chicago has ever seen. The celebration honored Pope John Paul II’s brief but momentous 1979 Mass at the parish, a cornerstone event for the city’s South Side Polish community.
Historic Mass Re‑created in the Parking Lot
The parish’s parking lot, where the original altar was set up for the 1979 celebration, once again became a sacred space. A permanent papal altar, incorporating original décor such as the cross and ornamental canopy edges, served as the focal point. The original altar cloth from 1979 was draped over the altar, and two large photographs of the late pope—one taken outside the church and another inside—were displayed beside it.
Several hundred parishioners gathered, as they have each first Sunday of October for more than four decades, to attend an outdoor Mass. Aniela Bartoszek, a retired educator who witnessed the 1979 visit and now leads the Pope John Paul II Center Committee, described the event as “an unforgettable moment for the entire city, especially for Polish Catholics, and it still moves people to this day.”
Remembrances and Traditions
Following the Mass, attendees moved to Bishop Abramowicz Hall for a reception. The hall’s walls were lined with historic photographs, and guests enjoyed kremówki—cream cakes famously favored by Pope John Paul II. Bartoszek recalled the original crowd size: “There were 17,000 people in this parking lot and about 80,000 on the nearby streets. It was dark, cold and crowded when we arrived, but as soon as the pope spoke, it was deeply moving.”
Inside the church, a special papal display showcases items from the 1979 visit, including the vestments the pope wore, a wooden processional cross, candleholders hand‑carved by Polish folk artist Jan Jachymiak, and a papal throne carved from poplar by Chicago artist Jerzy Kenar. Kenar explained that the simple wooden design reflects the humanity of the nature‑loving pontiff, an avid skier and hiker.
Local Roots and Future Hope
Jerzy Kenar, who arrived in Brighton Park as a new immigrant, recounted how the project began: “A bishop in the church parking lot said the pope was coming, and there was no altar, cross or throne. I offered to do it. We signed a contract at 3 a.m. in my rented apartment.”
While Pope John Paul II was canonized in 2014, the community now looks forward to the upcoming papal visit of Chicago‑born Pope Leo XIV. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker have extended invitations, and Johnson recently urged the pontiff to celebrate Mass in Grant Park in 2027, recalling the 1979 event as “forever remembered as the most spiritually inspiring day in Chicago history.”
Local resident Carol O’Neill, who grew up with Pope Leo XIV, expressed excitement: “I get the same feeling from Pope Leo. I think he’ll come. It would be much bigger—there will be three million people there. I would love to find him wherever he goes, even on the roof.”
Although no official date has been set for Pope Leo XIV’s Chicago visit, the annual commemoration at Five Holy Martyrs continues to unite parishioners, honor a historic moment, and keep alive the faith‑filled legacy of the city’s Polish‑Catholic roots.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
