Shrine, Exhibit Offer Artifacts, Insights on New Saint

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In the heart of the national shrine dedicated to one of the most revered figures in Church and world history, a new exhibit pays further homage to the man who embodied the Catholic Church for more than 25 years.
"A Gift of Love: The Life of St. John Paul II" had its inaugural opening Oct. 22, the pope's feast day, as a permanent exhibit at the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. The 16,000-square-foot display features numerous artifacts and insights into the life of the late pope, including photographs and footage of him as a young priest in Poland.
New Yorkers can see the exhibit Nov. 15 when Cardinal Dolan leads an archdiocesan pilgrimage to Washington, which will also feature a visit to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, just a short distance away.
The executive director of the St. John Paul II shrine, Patrick Kelly, said the opening of the exhibit lends a "major catechetical element" to the shrine.
"We're a shrine so we're a religious site, but we have this great exhibit, and never before have the two elements been put together, where you have a shrine, but you have a major exhibit to the saint that the shrine is dedicated to," he said in an interview with Catholic News Service.
A walk through the exhibit not only draws the visitor into the works and legacy of the beloved pope, but also offers a glimpse into the life of Karol Wojtyla before he became Pope John Paul. Included among religious artifacts such as traditional headgear worn by the pope is a pair of skis and tennis shoes that St. John Paul used when he was a young man.
Before it became a shrine, the building was home to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. The Knights of Columbus acquired it in 2011 and converted it into a shrine to keep with the original vision of the center, Kelly said.
One of the hallmark features of the exhibit is an interactive touch-screen display that provides information on St. John Paul's travels while he was pope, which included visits to more than 100 countries. The device allows users to choose a specific country and learn more about the pope's visit to that country through timelines, photographs and videos on the display.
Other parts of the exhibit focus on the scholarly aspects of St. John Paul's papacy and the works he put forth during his time as pope. Several galleries highlight his teachings through original manuscripts and encyclicals penned by the pope.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. Information: www.jp2shrine.org.