Vatican City, Thursday 24 November 2011 - A very special contribution is being given by the John Paul II Youth Foundation, a body within the Pontifical Council for the Laity, to the mosaic of mementos for young people to remind them of the great pope who understood them and gave them World Youth Day.

On the request of the president of the Foundation, Mr. Marcello Bedeschi, and responding to the desire of the archbishop of Cracow, Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, and with the agreement of the president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko, the John Paul II Youth Foundation will be presented with a precious relic. It is the work of sculptor Professor Carlo Balljana, and it holds a phial containing blood that was taken from Blessed John Paul II shortly before his death.

The idea arose when Mr Bedeschi and Professor Balljana were commissioned to deliver the relic to the archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, during WYD in Madrid. It was the first World Youth Day to take place after the beatification of John Paul II and it took place under his protection. The relic had been promised to the diocese of Madrid. After its delivery, the question arose about future WYDs. For obvious reasons, it would be impossible to donate relics to future WYD host cities. Mr Bedeschi had the idea of a reliquary being made for the Foundation which could be kept in the chapel of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and, with the agreement of the Youth Section of the dicastery, it could be taken to future WYDs.

This idea has become reality today. The sculptor Prof. Balljana has made a reliquary and Cardinal Dziwisz has sent a phial with the relic of John Paul II. Now, twenty years after the Czestochowa WYD and on the opening day of the 25th Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, after the required formalities have taken place with the postulator of the cause, Mgr Slawomir Oder, at the evening prayer today in the presence of the senior staff, members and consultors of the dicastery, the reliquary will be handed over to Cardinal Stanislaw Ryłko and Mr Marcello Bedeschi.