This image went around the world: on May 13, 1981, Pope Saint John Paul II nearly lost his life in St. Peter’s Square after being shot by the terrorist, Ali Agca.
From that day, few will remember the face of Angelo Gugel, one of the people closest to the pontiff and who, as you can see, held him so that he would not fall when he was hit by the bullets.
He was the Pope’s butler and has now passed away at the age of 90. Of all the time they spent together, the long journey to the Gemelli Hospital was among the most harrowing moments.
Angelo joined the Vatican staff at the age of 19, and after the death of Pope John Paul I, he became one of Pope John Paul II’s trusted confidants.
Their relationship was so close that the Polish pontiff would even asked him to correct him whenever he made mistakes speaking Italian; for that reason, Gugel would read each of his speeches before they were delivered in public.
Later on, he also served as a valet during the beginning of Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate.
He contributed more than 50 years of devoted service to the Holy See—years that Cardinal Parolin recalled during his funeral Mass. For this reason, it is not strange at all to think that Pope Saint John Paul II might have welcomed him into heaven himself.
AT
