The Last Words of John Paul II: "Let Me Go to the House of the Father"

On the evening of April 2, 2005, at 9:37 PM, Pope John Paul II completed his long earthly journey, leaving behind a spiritual legacy that still illuminates millions of faithful around the world. In his final hours, marked by suffering and prayer, a phrase deeply touched the heart of the Church and the world: "Let me go to the House of the Father". These simple yet powerful words represent the spiritual testament of a Pope who lived and suffered with Christ until the end.

A Vigil of Prayer and Sorrow

In the days leading up to his death, John Paul II was fully aware that his earthly time was drawing to a close. Afflicted by numerous health problems, including Parkinson's disease and a urinary infection that led to septic shock, the Pope made a significant decision: not to return to the hospital, but to remain "at home" in his Vatican apartment, surrounded by those closest to him.

Outside, in St. Peter's Square, thousands of faithful—many of them young people—gathered in prayer. They prayed the Rosary, sang hymns, and kept vigil beneath his window. Inside, the Pope participated with his mind and heart: to those who told him that the youth of the world were there for him, he whispered: "I looked for you. Now you have come to me. Thank you."

"Let Me Go to the House of the Father"

In the most delicate hours of April 2, John Paul II, with a faint voice, said: "Let me go to the House of the Father". These words were not merely a farewell, but a profound expression of unwavering faith and a soul ready to meet God.

His personal secretary, Monsignor Stanisław Dziwisz, reported that the Pope had lucidly decided not to prolong his agony. He refused further hospital treatment and asked that Holy Mass be celebrated at his bedside. During the celebration, he received the sacraments: the Anointing of the Sick and the Viaticum.

The Last Eucharist and Return to the Father

In the late afternoon, the Vespers of Divine Mercy Sunday were prayed—a feast instituted by John Paul II himself. The readings spoke of the Resurrection of Christ and the peace He gives to His disciples. During the celebration, the Pope received a few drops of the Blood of Christ as Viaticum. His gaze was fixed on the images of the Ecce Homo and the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, symbols of his deep and rooted spirituality.

At 9:37 PM, the Pope's heart stopped beating. Those present recited the Te Deum, thanking God for the gift of his life and pontificate. In St. Peter's Square, the weeping crowd sang hymns and prayed the Rosary, united in deep emotion.

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The Spiritual Meaning of His Words

"Let me go to the House of the Father" is much more than a simple phrase. It is an act of total surrender to God, a faithful return to the true home. In Christian tradition, death is the passage to eternal life, the encounter with the Father. John Paul II, who had spent his entire life proclaiming Christ, faced death as a return home.

These words express the most authentic sense of Christian faith: the hope in eternal life, the certainty that suffering does not have the final word, and that every life, if lived in Christ, has a glorious purpose.

A Testimony That Lives On

The entire world recognized the sanctity of John Paul II. The cry "Santo subito!" ("Saint now!") rose from the crowd just hours after his death. His last words remain etched in the memory of those who loved, served, and listened to him. They are an invitation to all of us: to live with faith, suffer with hope, and die with trust.

In the heart of the Church, his teaching continues to live on. And those words whispered in the silence of agony remain like a beacon: we have no lasting city here, but we seek the one that is to come (Hebrews 13:14).

"Let me go to the House of the Father" is the profound echo of a soul that made his life an offering to God. John Paul II lived and bore witness to the Gospel until his final breath. His death, like his life, was an act of love.

For every Christian, these words represent a goal, a prayer, a final offering. May we too, at the end of our journey, be able to say with the same faith and peace: "Let me go to the House of the Father".