Karol Wojtyła Trail to the Sanctuary of Mentorella

The path is dedicated to Pope John Paul II who used to take walks in the little frequented areas of the Prenestini mountains. The route is not very demanding, except in the final part at the foot of the sanctuary, and crosses a wooded area of considerable interest. It is recommended to walk it especially in spring when the bottom of the wood is covered with many species of flowers and the Falconara ditch is full of water.

This hiking trail is named after Karol Wojtyla, better known to many as "Pope John Paul II."
He was born in Wadowice, Poland, in 1920 and, after the death of Pope John Paul I in 1978 - to almost everyone's complete surprise - was elected successor at the head of the Catholic Church. As a young man he had experience of dictatorships under the Nazi injustice regime of German-occupied Poland and later under the communist rule. His support for freedom efforts, especially in Eastern Europe, and his part in the fall of the so-called "Iron Curtain" was correspondingly great and passionate during the time of the so-called "Cold War".
Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) died in the Vatican in 2005 after a long illness.

It is a challenging but absolutely wonderful path, to be followed like the ancient pilgrims, in silence and prayer...