Pope John Paul II prayed at the tomb of his parents yesterday before the end of a recordbreaking 13-day trip to his native Poland clouded by his evident fatigue and illness.
On the final day of his marathon trip, the 79-year-old pontiff also celebrated Mass at a cathedral where he held his first-ever service more than 50 years ago, as well as visiting Poland's most holy site. He bade his countrymen an emotional farewell as he ended a 13-day visit that took him to 21 cities and towns.
"My homeland, beloved country, blessings upon you," he said in his last address before leaving. "To all those who are lovingly forging a prosperous future for the homeland I wish to express today my sincere appreciation and gratitude."
The Pope was forced to cancel a Tuesday's engagements due to a viral infection, and a planned stopover in Armenia.