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1920-2005 Holy Father
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karol: a man who became pope
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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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Last Will | Pope John Paul II
- The Pope considered resigning five years ago, when he
was racked by ill health and suffering from the effects of
Parkinson's disease, it
emerged yesterday (7th April 2005).
-
In his last will and testament
released on the eve of his funeral,
John Paul II wrote of tormented
times for himself and his church
and wondered, as he turned 80,
'how long I must continue this
service'.
He says he prayed for the 'necessary strength' to continue his mission.
The document also reveals that John Paul left behind no material possessions except everyday items and asked that his long-time private secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, burn all his personal notes.
Written in Polish over almost the entire course of his 26-year pontificate, the testament mentions only two people by name - Dziwisz and the retired Chiiefff Rabbi of Rome, Elio Toaff, who welcomed him to Rome's synagogue in 1986 in a historic gesture of reconciliation between Roman Catholics and Jews.
In the final entry, the Pope
appeared to consider stepping aside. He wrote:
The reference is to the passage, 'Now Master you may
let your servant go.'
He reflected that he had
been saved from death in a
1981 assassination attempt
'in a miraculous way', and
said his fate was even more in
the hands of God.
Said the testament:
At the time of his entry, the
Pope's health was noticeably
in decline, his speech had
begun to slur and his walk
was unsteady because of a
hip operation.
The Pope made several
entries in his testament,
starting the year after his
election in 1978. The final
entry was in 2000. Each was
written in Polish during Lent,
the period of reflection before
Easter.
It revealed he had considered being buried in his
native Poland, but later left it
up to the College of Cardinals
to decide.
The testament was released
as millions of pilgrims
brought Rome to a virtual
standstill as they joined kings
and queens, presidents and
prime ministers to take part
in the final farewell to John
Paul.
In a sign of his countrymen's pride in him, an estimated two million Poles have
converged on the city. More
than two million others have
also come.
Behind the doors of the Vatican, and in embassies and
residences across the city,
more than 100 world leaders
were waiting to be part of this
sombre but extraordinary
spectacle.
The Prime Minister of the UK and Prince Charles will find themselves in the company of Robert Mugabe, who is defying an EU travel ban to
attend. President Bush will
be seated alongside representatives of Iran.
Senior churchmen will be
mixed in a unique blend of
religions and faiths.
But the funeral will also be
for ordinary people. And
throughout yesterday, they
made sure they were on the
guest list, witnesses to
history.
In the spring sunshine after
a chilly, all-night vigil, they
took up positions around
St Peter's Square. Long
before the last pilgrims had
filed inside the Basilica to see
the Pope lying in state, they
had staked their place
outside.
At one stage, more than 700
coaches were carrying visitors to Rome. British and
Irish budget airlines had to
cancel scores of flights after
one of Rome's airports was
shut for security reasons.
Trains, buses and taxis
struggled to cope with the
incessant flow of arrivals. The
authorities sent text messages to all Italian mobiles
urging people to stay away.
'Now, in
the year during which my age
reaches 80 years, it is necessary to ask if it is not the time
to repeat the words of the
Biblical Simeon, "Nunc dimittis".'
'From this moment it belongs to Him all the more. I
hope He will help me to
recognise up to what point I
must continue this service,'
-
EU politicians reacted with anger
last night as Robert Mugabe flew
into Rome for the Pope's funeral.
The Zimbabwean president once again thumbed his nose at Brussels and its ban on the dictator and his henchmen travelling to Europe.
As a formality the African nation, which has an ambassador to the Vatican, has been given two invitations to the funeral.
The president and his deputies have flown to Europe several times, exploiting EU loopholes on the travel restrictions. On this occasion, he has used Italy's legal obligation to allow visitors to the Vatican - which is not part of the EU - to travel through its territory.
Socialist MEP Richard Corbett, a spokesman on constitutional law, admitted: "Sadly, in this case the EU's hands are tied.
'The Vatican is legally an independent
state and it's probably true that Mugabe
is entitled to free passage. But I hope
that all the world leaders present will
publicly ostracise him.'
Robert Mugabe
- Article Date | (8th April 2005)
Charles was said to have been 'caught by
surprise' by one of the world's most despised
tyrants, whose recent general election win
has been widely condemned as a fraud.
Clarence House stressed last night that the
Prince had effectively been ambushed by the
African leader, who was seated one place
away and leaned over to greet him.
Said a spokesman:
Labour Euro MP Richard Corbett said it had
been 'stupid' to miss the 'golden opportunity'
to snub Mugabe's offer of a handshake.
His colleague Glenys Kinnock added:
'However, this is yet another failure of the
Establishment, of people with power and
responsibility in the international community, to be sensitive enough about how to
respond to this man.'
Mugabe | Ambush
Prince Charles was criticised last night
after shaking hands with Zimbabwean
president Robert Mugabe at the funeral.
'The Prince of Wales was caught by surprise and was not in a position to avoid shaking Mr Mugabe's hand. The prince finds the current Zimbabwean
regime abhorrent.'
'I am
sure that by now Prince Charles regrets
shaking Mugabe's hand.
Charles & Mugabe
- Article Date | (8th April 2005)
Pope | Electing
All cardinels under 80 can vote. They will hold two voting rounds a day until they reach a two-thirds majority. After each round, ballot papers are burnt. If after two weeks they have not reached a decision, a pope will be elected by simple majority, and when a decision is made, white smoke will emerge from the chapel chimney
- Article Date | (8th April 2005)
The task of deciding who will be the next pope will begin on Monday 18th April 2005, when 117 cardinels meet in the Sistine Chapel.
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