A traditional Polish color guard parades a statue of Pope John Paul II among parishioners at Five Holy Martyrs following a Mass in thanksgiving for the beatification John Paul II May 1. Parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago celebrated the Polish pontiffs elevation to blessed along with the beatification Mass by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome. Here are some photos from Chicago-area Catholics marking the momentous event.
Parishioners at Five Holy Martyrs Catholic Parish attend a Mass in thanksgiving for the beatification of John Paul II. The pope visited the parish during his visit to Chicago in 1979, where he celebrated Mass at the outdoor alter now enshrined to his memory. The parish school also bears his name.
Photo: Brian J. Morowczynski / Catholic New World