“Totus Tuus”! These were the words in Latin that marked the papacy of now one of our greatest popes, Saint John Paul II. They signified his consecrated devotion to Jesus Christ through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Christendom is now beginning to refer to him as (Saint) John Paul, The Great! A summary of John Paul II’s life exemplifies one of the fullest lived on earth. Moreover, his is an example of a visibly holy life amidst the chaos of modern-day realities. He was truly a saint of our times. One of the youngest popes (at 58) and the first non-Italian to be pope since Adrian VI (16^th century), Karol Jozef Wojtyla led the Catholic Church from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005. His service marked the third longest by a pope, after Pius IX and St. Peter. During his almost thirty-year pontificate, he visited practically every country in the world spreading the love of Jesus Christ but also advancing unity amidst the diversity using his credible character and charisma to do so. John Paul II was a wounded healer whose bodily scars from an assassin’s bullet, early loss of his parents, and traumas suffered under the Nazis and Communists only made him more Christ-like. There are those who ask, “Why didn’t the cruelties that touched him for most of his life not turn him bitter or angry, as pointed out by Fr. Jason Worley? He was instead meek and gentle as a lamb. He was kind and humble, reaching down to the flock where he was needed most. When he was old and dying, his last words were, “Let me go to the Father’s house.”

What is Saint John Paul teaching us today? In the world, there are some people who seem to be angry all the time! Angry at the world! Angry at life! Why? If there is anyone who deserves to be angry, one of them should very well be Karol Jozef Wojtyla. In 1929, Karol lost his mother, Emilia, at the tender age of nine. Then, only three years later in 1932, he lost his brother, Edmund, at age twelve. In 1941, Karol again lost his only remaining family – his father, Karol, Sr., with whom he was very close, when he was only 21. During World War II, he endured the Nazi occupation of Poland for the entire duration of German rule from late 1939 until the Soviet liberation of Krakow in early 1945. After the Nazis closed down his university, Karol was forced to work as a manual laborer, working in a limestone quarry and a chemical factory. He studied for the priesthood in a clandestine, underground seminary in Krakow, as the Nazis forbade any religious teaching. Karol participated in an underground theatrical resistance movement to keep Polish culture alive during the occupation. He narrowly escaped capture by the Gestapo during a 1944 sweep by hiding in his uncle’s basement. Karol, who grew up near a Jewish community in his hometown of Wadowice, aided and protected Jews during the war. From the Nazis, the Communists took over Poland and Karol and the Polish people had to endure once again another foreign occupier. Communist rule in Poland was a long 32 years — from the time the Communists solidified their power after World War II until Karol’s election as pope in 1978. As a priest, auxiliary bishop, and archbishop in Poland, Fr. Wojtyla continuously resisted and challenged the communist regime through cultural and religious efforts. Instead of getting angry at God and moving away from Him for all the sufferings he endured in life, Karol instead chose to not become angry and, in fact, moved even closer to God.          

When Pope Benedict XVI succeeded Pope John Paul II, he referred to his predecessor as “the great pope”! For, indeed, John Paul II truly accomplished much as head of the 1.2 billion–strong Catholic Church and as a citizen of the world. He played a significant role in the fall of communism in his native Poland and Eastern Europe, inspiring the Solidarity Movement and always advocating human dignity. He promoted world peace in every turn, advocating against violence and seeking reconciliation among different faiths and nations, calling for “No more war, war never again!” He was a strong champion for the dignity of all people and met with millions of pilgrims and many government leaders through his extensive travels. He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992, writing numerous encyclicals and apostolic exhortations. He reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, updating them for the modern era. He canonized more saints than any pope in history and beatified more people than any previous pope. He made unprecedented public, formal apologies for past wrongs committed by Catholics, including toward Jews and Muslims. His magnanimity converted even his own assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca, from Islam to Christianity. He emphasized the primacy of the family as the domestic church and the primary school of the Gospel, warning that a society will be judged by how it treats its weakest members; and among the most vulnerable are surely the unborn and dying. He created World Youth Day, a large-scale global gathering for young Catholics. Indeed, John Paul the Great had a profound impact on the modern world through his charismatic leadership and philosophical writings.

In sum, Karol Wojtyla’s life story is about finding God’s meaning to our lives through our own individual life’s journey in this world.  How do we find this meaning given all the hurts, pains, and sufferings that happen to us in the world? Sometimes, it seems so easy to just give in and give up. Someone once said that he always knew the right path but never took it, because it was too damn hard. Do we get angry then? Should we get even? Do we compete, conquer, and must always win? Karol’s life gives us a perfect example of how it is to live in this current world. His is one of the worst lives one can have in terms of what people are dealt with whether they deserve it or not. Yet, what was Karol’s response to the many sufferings he was dealt with? Having lost everything, he turned even more away from himself, his afflictions, and moved towards surrendering himself to God. It is said that the full measure of a life is in how much of it was given away. Well, Karol gave until there was nothing left to give. His selflessness and indomitable spirit inspired many. Former agnostics became priests. Atheists became believers. Nominal Christians became practicing. I had once protected him when he came to my country, the Philippines, for World Youth Day in 1995. I was literally touched by him. A short video of his life in the Saint John Paul II Shrine in Washington, D.C. always makes me teary-eyed when I see it. Asked why he always got up early, he said: “I like to see the sun rise.” 

October 2023 marks the 80th Commemoration of the Rescue of Danish Jews during the Holocaust, the Royal Danish Embassy is organizing an event in a commemorable testament to civil society engagement and humanity in action.
What are the lessons to be learned from this experience today – 80 years later? What made this remarkable rescue operation possible? What does the escape of the Danish Jews tell us about civil society and the responsibility to protect civilians during war and conflict? And how do we best teach the lessons of the Holocaust to future generations? These will be some of the main questions explored at our commemoration event.

Gracing the event will be Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Danish Ambassador, Franz-Michael “Dan-Dan” Mellbin, Israeli Ambassador, Ilan Fluss, and Executive Director of the Jewish Association of the Philippines, Lee Blumenthal.

The event will include a Wreath Laying, speeches from the above-mentioned, and a screening of “Voices in the Void” by Rabbi Bent Melchior & Ina-Miriam Rosenbaum – a short animated documentary about the rescue of the majority of Danish Jews in October 1943.

The historical events of October 1943 framing the escape of the majority of the Danish Jews is a commemorable legacy – a true light in the dark. It is a commemorable testament to civil society engagement and humanity in action. ∙ Though it is a story that we can be proud of, it is also a story of historical shadows. Not all Danes helped their fellow Jewish citizens – approximately 500 Danish Jews were captured and forcefully deported to Theresienstadt.

The events of October 1943 inspire us to reflect on universal ethical questions and dilemmas, as well as our own responsibility and courage to act. And 80 years later, the story remains relevant – and there is still much to learn from it. It is especially important to share the story with the younger generations in ways that engage them.

During the darkest days of the Holocaust, Denmark and the Philippines stood as beacons of hope and humanity, their actions demonstrating unwavering courage and compassion in the face of unimaginable cruelty.

Back then, the Philippines under the tutelage of former President Manuel L. Quezon, also took extraordinary measures to offer sanctuary to Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust. Quezon’s Open Door policy, an initiative emblematic of his profound commitment to humanitarianism, extended a lifeline to close to 1,300 Jewish refugees.

While our two nations might be distant, Denmark and the Philippines, shared a common thread of compassion and empathy during a time when the world was witnessing unimaginable atrocities. While separated by geography and culture, their actions were united by a profound sense of moral duty. Both countries demonstrated that in the face of hatred and persecution, the power of human kindness could still prevail.

The stories of Denmark and the Philippines during the time of Holocaust remind us that even in the darkest hours, there are those who will rise to the occasion, extending a helping hand to those in desperate need. Their actions serve as a timeless testament to the enduring values of compassion, solidarity, and the unwavering belief that every life is worth saving.

The Embassy of Israel in the Philippines collaborated with the Department of Education for the annual commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, with this year’s theme: Home and Belonging.

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss thanked the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines and Secretary of the Department of Education Hon. Sara Duterte and her team who organized the event and made the 27^th of January a formal day of commemorating the holocaust in all DepEd schools and facilities.

“The Holocaust is the darkest time in human history – especially for the Jewish people. It was an unprecedented event from 1942 to 1945 when Nazi Germany attempted to annihilate the Jewish people. Six million Jews – one third of the Jewish population – were murdered for the sole reason that they were Jewish,” Ambassador Fluss explained. “Today we are witnessing voices of denial of the holocaust and increasing antisemitism. This cannot be ignored; we can never let it happen again. We must remember, learn, teach, educate, and say – never again.”

The Ambassador also remembered the act of former president of the Philippines Manuel Quezon of opening the country’s doors to over 1,300 Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazi regime in 1939. “Pres. Quezon saved not only those individuals but also their future families.”

The International Holocaust Remembrance Day is the day that the United Nations urges every member state to honor the victims of the Holocaust. It marks the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the main extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau – where more than a million Jews were exterminated – was liberated by the allies.

The ceremony was held on the 26^th of January at Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Complex in Pasig City. In attendance were officials and staff from the Embassy of Israel, Department of Education, representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, and members of the Jewish community in the Philippines.