The Jeweler's Shop

According to Pope John Paul II, love is "one of the greatest dramas of human existence." In this enlightening three-act play—here in the sole English version sanctioned by the Vatican—he addresses male-female interactions, the joys—and the pains—of love and marriage.

The action takes place in two locations at the same time: a street in a small town, outside the local jeweler's shop (where people go to get their wedding rings), and the enigmatic inner landscape of personal dreams and anxieties, loves and longings. Each act focuses on a different couple: the first is blissfully preparing their wedding, the second is long-married and sad, and the third is about to marry but has doubts. The Pope addresses such fundamental human questions as: What does it mean to fall in love? in a powerful and understanding book about a love that survives the grave, a love that has faded and perished, a love that has blossomed out of complexes and fears. When do we know if a love is genuine, and how long can it last? How do we continue on living—and loving—if it dies? There are no easy answers, and no happy endings—such is the nature of men and women, and such is the nature of love—but there is hope, if we simply recognize our desire and embrace the hazards of a deep and long commitment.

This is a drama full of wisdom on a subject of enormous importance to everyone, and it offers a unique view into the mind of the man who, like no other, has grabbed the imagination of people of all religions all over the world. The Jeweler's Shop has been adapted into a feature-length film, which is now available on DVD.

Pope John Paul II's successor, Karol Wojtyla, has a long history of involvement with the theatre. As a student of literature, then as a priest, bishop, and archbishop, he played, directed, wrote theatrical criticism, translated Sophocles' Oedipus Rex into Polish, and wrote six plays.