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1920-2005 Holy Father
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Born Karol Jozef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland on May 18
Moves to Krakow with his father, also named Karol. Enrolls in the department of philosophy at Jagiellonian University; joins a theater group
When the Nazis invade Poland in September 1939, moves underground
Ordained as a priest on Nov. 1
Consecrated as auxiliary bishop of Krakow on Sept. 28
Installed as archbishop of Krakow on March 8
Consecrated as a cardinal by Pope Paul VI on June 28
Publishes Foundations of Renewal, about his efforts to educate the people of his archdiocese on Vatican II
Elected successor to Pope John Paul I on Oct. 16, becoming the 264th pope of the Catholic Church, the first Polish pope ever and the first non-Italian to fill the post in 455 years
Takes first trip abroad on Jan. 25, to Dominican Republic, Mexico and the Bahamas. On June 2, visits Poland for the first time as pope, setting off sparks that help establish Solidarity, the first independent labor movement in the Soviet bloc
While circling St. Peter's Square on May 13, the pope is shot in the abdomen by a young Turk named Mehmet Ali Agca. Shot is also thought to come from another source, though to this day this person has not been caught. Thought to be a Soviet inspired assassionation attempt
Meets privately with Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat at Vatican on Sept. 29, provoking criticism from Israel and Jewish groups
Calls for the heads of government of the United States and the Soviet Union to negotiate an end to the arms race on Sept. 29
Makes historic visit to Rome's main synagogue, the oldest Jewish group in the Diaspora, on April 13
Official visit of U.S. President Ronald Reagan on June 6
Official visit of U.S. President George H.W. Bush on May 27. Receives Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev at the Vatican on Dec. 1 in the first ever meeting between a pope and a Kremlin chief
Issues first encyclical on social issues on May 1 since the fall of communism in Europe, giving qualified approval to capitalism but warning rich against taking advantage of poor
Undergoes surgery for benign tumor on colon on July 15. Leaves hospital on July 28
Visits former Soviet Union for first time from Sept. 4-10, traveling to Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. Agreement signed establishing formal diplomatic ties between Israel and Vatican on Dec. 30
Publishes his book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, on Oct. 20
Issues encyclical "Gospel of Life," on March 25, and condemns spreading "culture of death," including abortion, euthanasia, experimentation on human embryos
Undergoes appendectomy on Oct. 8. Returns to Vatican Oct. 15. Meets with Cuban President Fidel Castro on Nov. 19
Vatican establishes diplomatic relations with Libya on March 10, overriding U.S. objections
Visits Cuba for the first time from Jan. 21-26. On Oct. 18, celebrates 20th anniversary as pope, asking for prayers to fulfill his mission "until the end"
Meets U.S. President Bill Clinton in St. Louis, Mo. on Jan. 26. Gives permission to start the cause of beatification for Mother Teresa of Calcutta on March 1. Ushers in Vatican millennium Jubilee year by opening Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica on Dec. 24
Makes first pilgrimage to the Holy Land from March 20-26. In note left at Jerusalem's Western Wall, expresses sorrow for suffering of Jews at the hands of Christians. Also celebrates first papal Mass ever held in Egypt, urging reconciliation between the Vatican and the Egyptian Coptic Church, which split with Rome in the fifth century A.D.
Mehmet Ali Agca, who attempted to assassinate John Paul II in 1981, is granted clemency by Italian President Carlo Ciampi, and extradited to his native Turkey on June 13
Beatifies much-attacked Pope Pius IX and much-loved Pope John XXIII in one of the most disputed acts of his papacy on Sept. 3
Becomes first pope to visit Greece since Schism on May 4; issues sweeping apology for "sins of action and omission" by Roman Catholics against Orthodox Christians
Summons U.S. cardinals to discuss sex abuse scandal on April 23; tells them there is "no place in priesthood for those who would harm the young". Receives U.S. President George W. Bush on May 28
Between Feb.-March, and weeks before U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq, makes a dramatic appeal for world prayer to avert war and sends top cardinals on peace missions to Washington, D.C., and Baghdad. On May 17, cardinal, in newspaper interview, confirms pope has Parkinson's disease. Between June 5-9, makes 100th foreign trip, visiting Croatia. Vatican launches global campaign against gay marriages on July 31
U.S. President George W. Bush awards pontiff the Medal of Freedom on June 4. On Aug. 15, breathes heavily and gasps during open-air Mass at Lourdes, France
Rushed to a hospital in Rome with flu and difficulties breathing on Feb. 1
Leaves hospital on Feb. 10, returns to the Vatican
Returns to hospital after a relapse of the flu on Feb. 24; undergoes a tracheotomy to ease his breathing
Leaves hospital on March 13, returns to the Vatican
The pope is connected to a nasal feeding tube on March 30
Pope John Paul II dies at 84 on April 2
On April 8 and after the greatest funeral the world had seen, Pope John Paul II is laid to rest in a crypt in St. Peter's, Vatican
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Funeral | Pope John Paul II
- It was the greatest funeral the world had
seen. In an extraordinary display of love
and religious fervour, millions of people
crammed the streets of Rome to see Pope
John Paul II laid to rest. (8 April 2005)
-
Such was the high emotion of the occasion that the mass was held up for five minutes as the pilgrims packed into St Peter's Square
applauded and chanted "santo
subito" — make him a saint
immediately.
Just how many of the faithful turned out to say goodbye was almost impossible to say.
Up to five million people are estimated to have poured into the city in the last few days, more than doubling the normal population. The streets around the Vatican, where thousands camped out overnight, were so crowded no one could move.
Thousands more watched the open-air funeral mass on 27 giant video screens all over Rome. Two billion people watched it on TV around the world, including one million in a field in Krakow in his Polish homeland.
Londoners collectively mourned in front of a large screen in Trafalgar Square.
In Rome, an unprecedented array of 200 world leaders came to pay their respects to the Pope who was one of the towering figures of his time.
A wooden coffin was the focus of the largest event in modern Christian history The coffin, marked with a simple cross and a letter M for the Virgin Mary was carried out of St Peter's Basilica by 12 household servants and placed on a carpet in front of the outdoor altar
A book of the gospels, its pages opened and ruffled by the wind, was placed upon it.
To the left of the altar sat about 600 clerics, among them the cardinals, wearing red vestments — the Vatican's colour of mourning. To the right sat the gathering of dignitaries that numbered four kings, five queens, and at least 70 presidents and prime ministers, including George Bush and Tony Blair.
Prince Charles represented the Queen. Other dignitaries included UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.
In a fitting tribute to a pope who fought for world peace and unity the funeral united world leaders who would never normally meet. Seated near President Bush was president Mohammad Khatami of Iran, one of the countries the US include in the "axis of evil" as well as the Zimbabwean despot Robert Mugabe.
The Sistine Choir sang the Gregorian chant "Grant Him Eternal Rest 0 Lord" and the service began.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger led the service, and in a homily traced his life from factory worker in Nazi-occupied Poland to head of the world's one billion Catholics.
He added:
Paul Moss, a young English
deacon studying in Rome — he
will be ordained in July in
Birmingham — was given the
task of reading from the
Gospel of St John.
When the service finished,
some two-and-a-half hours
later, the coffin was carried
back inside for burial in a
crypt in St Peter's as bells tolled and the crowd applauded once more.
The funeral, aotential security nightmare, passed off without a hitch. To protect the dignitaries, the cardinals and the vast crowds, Rome drafted in 6,500 extra police on top of the 10,000 normally there.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, visited the Pope's body accompanied by Cardinel Cormac Murphy-O-Connor, head of the four million Catholics in England and Wales.
Dr Williams said it was "a privilege to be in Rome for this special event". It was the first time the leader of the Anglican church had paid his respects to a dead pope.
"Today we bury his remains
in the earth as a seed of
immortality — our hearts are
full of sadness, yet at the same
time of joyful hope and pro-
found gratitude."
mugabe attends funeral
mugabe shakes prince charles's hand at funeral
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