Highlights of Pope John Paul II’s Papacy
.c The Associated Press
AP Photo SEL112
By The Associated Press
Key events in Pope John Paul II’s papacy:
Oct. 16, 1978: Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Krakow, Poland, elected pope
by cardinals of Roman Catholic Church, first Pole ever and first
non-Italian in 455 years. Succeeds Pope John Paul I, who died after
34-day papacy.
Oct. 22, 1978: Formally installed as 264th Roman pontiff.
Jan. 25, 1979: First trip abroad, to Dominican Republic, Mexico,
Bahamas.
June 2: Goes to Poland for first time as pope, setting off sparks that
help establish Solidarity, first independent labor movement in Soviet
bloc.
Oct. 1: Begins first pilgrimage to United States, with stops in
Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Des Moines, Iowa, Chicago, Washington,
D.C.
May 13, 1981: Shot in abdomen by Turk in St. Peter’s Square.
May 13, 1982: While visiting Fatima, Portugal, to give thanks to
Virgin Mary for having saved his life, narrowly escapes attack by
bayonet-wielding Spanish priest.
Sept. 15, 1982: Receives Palestine Liberation Organization leader
Yasser Arafat at Vatican, provoking criticism from Israel and Jewish
groups.
April 13, 1986: Makes historic visit to Rome’s main synagogue.
Dec. 1, 1989: Meets Mikhail Gorbachev at Vatican, first ever meeting
between a pope and a Kremlin chief. They announce Vatican and Moscow
will establish diplomatic ties.
May 1, 1991: Issues first encyclical on social issues since fall of
communism in Europe, giving qualified approval to capitalism but
warning rich against taking advantage of poor.
November: Hosts meeting of bishops marked by tensions between
Catholics and Orthodox over battle for souls in former communist
Europe.
July 15, 1992: Operation for benign tumor on colon. Leaves hospital
July 28.
Oct. 31: Formally declares church erred in condemning Galileo.
Aug. 13-15, 1993: Visits Denver on fourth trip to United States.
Sept. 4-10: Visits former Soviet Union for first time, traveling to
Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.
Sept. 21: Meets with Israel’s chief Ashkenazi rabbi, Yisrael Lau, at
Vatican, first official encounter between a pontiff and chief rabbi
from Israel.
Oct. 5: Issues encyclical “Splendor of Truth,” his major statement
on morality, cracking down on dissent.
Nov. 11: Dislocates right shoulder in fall down steps at Vatican
audience. Undergoes operation and leaves hospital after overnight
stay.
Dec. 30: Agreement signed establishing formal ties between Israel and
Vatican.
April 29, 1994: Taken to hospital after breaking leg in
fall. Undergoes hip replacement surgery. Discharged May 27.
Sept. 10-11: Visits Croatia, first trip to former Yugoslavia.
Oct. 19: His book, “Beyond the Threshold of Hope,” published.
March 3, 1995: Issues encyclical “Gospel of Life,” and condemns
spreading “culture of death,” including abortion, euthanasia,
experimentation on human embryos.
May 18: 75th birthday.
Sept. 6: After trying for months to portray Vatican as champion of
women’s rights ahead of U.N. conference on women, says women have
special role in church but still can’t be priests.
Oct. 4-9: On U.S. visit, celebrates Mass in New York’s Central Park,
breaks bread with poor at Baltimore soup kitchen and tells
U.N. General Assembly it should become “moral center” where all
nations feel at home.
Feb. 23, 1996: Vatican issues new rule book for papal conclave,
requiring technicians to sweep Sistine Chapel for bugs and banning
cell phones.
Oct. 8: Undergoes surgery to remove appendix. Released from hospital
Oct. 15.
Nov. 10: Celebrates 50th anniversary as priest, urges struggling
priests to stay true to church.
Nov. 16: Autobiography, “Gift and Mystery,” published, tracing
pope’s journey to priesthood during World War II and reflections as
prelate.
March 10, 1997: Vatican establishes diplomatic relations with Libya,
overriding U.S. objections.
April 12-13: Visits Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, after planned 1994
trip was scrapped because of war.
May 10-11: Visits Beirut, Lebanon, and urges Christians and Muslims to
make peace in war-battered country.
May 31-June 10: During visit to Poland, gathers seven European
presidents and tells them Europe cannot ignore Christian roots or be
exclusive club for rich.
Jan. 21-26, 1998: Visits Cuba for first time.
Feb. 12: Cuba announces it will release dozens of prisoners in first
concrete result of papal visit.
Feb. 21: Elevates 22 prelates to rank of cardinal, including Chicago
Archbishop Francis George and Denver Archbishop J. Francis Stafford.
March 16: Vatican issues “We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah
(Holocaust),” expressing remorse for cowardice of some Christians
during World War II but defending actions of wartime Pope Pius XII.
May 4: Swiss Guard trooper at Vatican kills commander and commander’s
wife, then self.
Oct. 11: Declares Edith Stein a saint, first Jewish-born saint of
modern era.
Oct. 19: Celebrates 20th anniversary as pope, asks for prayers to
fulfill his mission “until the end.”
Jan. 22-28, 1999: Visits Mexico 20 years after first papal trip there,
meets with President Clinton in St. Louis at height of Monica Lewinsky
scandal.
March 1: Vatican confirms pope has waived five-year waiting period and
begun beatification process for Mother Teresa.
Dec. 11: Celebrates completion of $3 million restoration of Sistine
Chapel.
Dec. 24: Ushers in Vatican millennium Jubilee year by opening Holy
Door at St. Peter’s Basilica.
March 20-26, 2000: Makes first trip to Holy Land and expresses sorrow
for suffering of Jews at Christian hands in note left at Jerusalem’s
Western Wall.
Sept. 3: Beatifies much-attacked Pope Pius IX and much-loved Pope John
XXIII in one of most disputed acts of papacy.
May 4, 2001: Becomes first pope to visit Greece since Schism; issues
sweeping apology for “sins of action and omission” by Roman
Catholics against Orthodox Christians.
Sept. 11: Condemns “unspeakable horror” of the day’s terror attacks.
Sept. 22-27: Goes ahead with trip to Kazakhstan and Armenia despite
security concerns following Sept. 11 attacks.
Nov. 22: Sends first Internet message, apologizing for missionary
abuses against indigenous peoples of South Pacific.
Jan. 24, 2002: Convenes religious leaders from around world in Assisi
to pray for peace following Sept. 11 attacks.
April 23: Summons U.S. cardinals to discuss sex abuse scandal, tells
them there no place in priesthood for clerics who abuse young.
Nov. 14: Becomes first pontiff to address Italian legislature.
Feb. 14, 2003: Receives Iraqi deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz on eve
of war.
March 6: “Roman Triptych,” pope’s first book of poetry since
becoming pontiff, published.
May 17: Cardinal, in newspaper interview, confirms pope has
Parkinson’s disease.
June 5-9: Makes 100th foreign trip, visiting Croatia.
July 31: Vatican launches global campaign against gay marriages.
Aug. 15, 2004: Breathes heavily and gasps during open-air Mass at
Lourdes, France.
Feb. 1, 2005: Rushed to Rome hospital with flu and difficulties
breathing.
Feb. 10: Released from hospital.
Feb. 22: Pope’s newest book, “Memory and Identity,” is officially
launched. Describes for first time moments after being shot in 1981,
saying he was “almost on the other side” but thought he’d live.
Feb. 23: Holds longest audience – 30 minutes – since being
hospitalized. It’s broadcast by video instead of being held in person
at apartment window because of rain and winds.
Feb. 24: Readmitted to hospital suffering fever and congestion from a
relapse of the flu.
March 13: Discharged from hospital.
March 25: Unable for the first time to appear in public on a Good
Friday, but shown via video sitting in his chapel.
March 27: Delivered Easter Sunday blessing to tens of thousands in St.
Peter’s Square but was unable to speak and managed only to greet the
saddened crowd with a sign of the cross.
March 30: Appeared briefly in public at his window, looking gaunt and
unable to speak; feeding tube inserted in his nose.
March 31: Health declined sharply, with urinary tract infection, high
fever, septic shock and kidney and heart problems.
April 1: Listed in “very grave condition” but reported to be “fully
conscious and extraordinarily serene.” One of his closest advisers,
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, told the Italian bishops’ news agency:
“He’s aware he’s passing to the Lord.”
April 2: After being described in “very serious” condition with a
high fever, pronounced dead at 9:37 p.m.
04/03/05 04:26 EDT