X-Nico

70 unusual facts about Pope John Paul II


Aberfeldie, Victoria

The Polish Catholic church on the corner of Alma Street and Aberfeldie Street was consecrated in 1973 by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who later became Pope John Paul II.

Aglona

In 1980 the Church celebrated its 200th anniversary and was officially given the status of a basilica by Pope John Paul II.

Aida Fariscal

Her decision to investigate the fire possibly saved thousands of lives, including possibly that of Pope John Paul II.

Alexander Abdullin

Order of Saint Prince Vladimir of the I and II class, Diploma of Pope John Paul II, and the medal "For Merits» of the I class (Union of Afghanistan Veterans)

Andrea Angelini

He led this choir in several performances, including in important venues such as St. Peter's Basilica in Rome - where he was able to meet Pope John Paul II - and in Milan's Cathedral.

Bernhard Fritsch

In 1999, Fritsch presented Pope John Paul II with a $50,000 donation for the Papal Council Cor Unum, the coordinating body for all the Catholic Church’s charitable institutions.

Boris Brott

In 2000, he received international attention when he conducted the historic first performance of Bernstein's Mass in Vatican City for an audience which included the late Pope John Paul II.

Bovino

Karol Józef Wojtyła returned as Pope John Paul II in the 1980s in order to officially ratify the apparitions and open the church.

Brendan Shine

The song stayed in the Top 50 for over 40 weeks and Shine performed the song to Pope John Paul II when the Pope visited Ireland.

Čataj

These artworks have been sold all over the world, and one of them is said to have served as the late Pope John Paul II's table cloth.

Church of St. George, Istanbul

Some of the bones of these two saints, which were looted from Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, were returned to the Church of St George by Pope John Paul II in 2004.

Clive Tyldesley

Throughout his time he also commentated on other events such as Rugby League, the Grand National and even the Pope John Paul II's visit to Liverpool.

Color Esperanza

In 2003, the song was performed specially by Torres for the Pope John Paul II in Cuatro Vientos Airport in Madrid, Spain by the festival of the Youth, in order to welcome the Pope.

Corcovado Rack Railway

The line has been ridden by many famous people, including Pope Pius XII, Pope John Paul II, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Albert Einstein and Diana, Princess of Wales.

Eileen Wu

Eileen has gone on to report on topics such as the Republican National Convention and the death of Pope John Paul II.

Elvin Bale

Elvin performed in the Vatican for Pope John Paul II, under helicopters in the French Alps, and at African soccer stadiums.

Estádio Romildo Vitor Gomes Ferreira

In 2005, the stadium was renamed to Estádio Papa João Paulo II, after Pope John Paul II.

Fiorenza Cedolins

In 2005 she performed Verdi’s Requiem at the Auditorium of Santa Cecilia in Rome, conducted by Zubin Mehta; at the requiem mass for Pope John Paul II; and on tour in Frankfurt and Vienna with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, conducted by Riccardo Chailly.

Florent Vollant

His Innu-language album of Christmas songs, Nipaiamianan, earned him an apostolic blessing from Pope John Paul II, as well as the Juno Award for Aboriginal Recording of the Year in 2001.

Fort Simpson

Pope John Paul II attempted to visit the community in September 1984 as part of his Canadian tour, but was prevented from landing due to fog; in an address over the radio from Yellowknife, he promised to visit in the future.

Giovanni Angelo Becciu

On 15 October 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Angola, at the same time as per custom elevating him to the Titular Archbishop of Roselle.

Holy Cross Church, Gampaha

An Apostolic Blessing certificate was received from Pope John Paul II for the 75th anniversary of Holy Cross Church in 1991.

Iveta Apkalna

In 1993 she was the official organist in service at Aglona basilica (Latvia) during the visit of Pope John Paul II.

James Weisgerber

On March 7, 1996, Weisgerber was appointed the fifth Bishop of Saskatoon by Pope John Paul II.

Jennifer Paige

Paige toured the world, sang for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, was nominated for Best New Artist and performed at the World Music Awards, while promoting her music.

John Paul Stevens High School

In 1987, Pope John Paul II held Mass on the site that Stevens High School was eventually built on.

José Ulises Macías Salcedo

Named bishop for the Diocese of Mexicali by Pope John Paul II, on 16 June 1984, and consecrated on 29 July, in the city of Mexicali, presided over by Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Girolamo Prigione.

Juan Pablo Esperanza, Amigo del Alma

The single with just one song was recorded because of the visit of the Pope John Paul II to Mexico.

Juan Pablo II Bridge

When Pope John Paul II visited Concepción the bridge was named after him as a tribute.

Kazan Kremlin

On July 21, 2005, the feast day of the holy icon "Theotokos of Kazan", in the presence of the crowd of 10,000 pilgrims, Patriarch Alexius II and Mintimer Shaeymiev placed at the newly restored Annunciation Cathedral the holiest copy of the long-lost icon, which had been returned to Russia by Pope John Paul II shortly before his death.

Knock, County Mayo

Pope John Paul II, a supporter of devotion to the Virgin Mary, visited Knock in 1979 to commemorate the centenary of the apparition.

Krasiczyn

Adam Stefan Sapieha, a cardinal whom Pope John Paul II described as 'my model', was born in Krasiczyn, in the castle.

Kristiyan Koev

Kristiyan Koev is the only musician who performs Flute solo concert in honour of Charles, Prince of Wales during his diplomatic visit in Italy and the only musician who performs solo concert at the birthday celebration of Pope John Paul II.

La Vang

Though there is no official Vatican recognition of this event as a Marian apparition, on June 19, 1988, Pope John Paul II publicly recognized the importance of Our Lady of La Vang and expressed desire to rebuild the La Vang Basilica in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the first vision.

Louis D. Astorino

He was introduced to the international stage in 1996 when Gateway Clipper Fleet founder John E. Connelly introduced him as a prospective architect for the Domus Sanctae Marthae that Pope John Paul II wanted to build to house cardinals during the selection of popes.

Luis Fernando Figari

In 2002, Pope John Paul II named Figari as Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

Manuel Duran Moreno

On January 12, 1982, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Moreno as the Bishop of the Diocese of Tucson.

Más Allá

This song was also sung to Pope John Paul II on the celebration of his 50 years of Priesthood.

Nancy McKeon

While McKeon was on The Facts of Life, she and her parents, all devout Catholics, were granted a private audience with Pope John Paul II.

New Evangelization Television

Inspired by the call from Pope John Paul II for "New Evangelization" in the media, the channel revamped its image, mission and name on December 8, 2008, becoming New Evangelization Television.

Niegowić

Niegowić was the place of the first appointment of Karol Wojtyła, the future Pope John Paul II, as parish priest.

Oliver Plunkett

(He has since been followed by 17 other Irish martyrs who were beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1992. Among them were Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley, Margaret Ball, and the Wexford Martyrs.)

Oliver, Edmonton

Originally St. Joseph's Cathedral, the name was changed when Pope John Paul II visited Edmonton during his visit to Canada in 1984.

Paciano Aniceto

His Principal Consecrator was His Holiness Pope John Paul II and his Principal Co-Consecrators were their Eminences Duraisamy Simon Cardinal Lourdusamy and Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Somalo.

Petrićevac

The reconstruction of the buildings started in 2003 after Pope John Paul II visited the site.

Philip Duffy

Of particular note was the celebration of Mass by Pope John Paul II in the Cathedral in 1982 which was broadcast to a worldwide audience.

Philippine presidential election and referendum, 1981

The lifting of martial law was speculated due to the election of U.S. President Ronald Reagan, of whom Marcos wanted to have close relationship with, and the arrival of Pope John Paul II in the country.

Pontificia Fonderia Marinelli

Pope John Paul II was presented the official Jubilee Bell in 2000 that is hung in St. Peters Square.

Pope John Paul II's relations with the Eastern Orthodox Church

Resistance from the Russian Orthodox Church and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, however, meant the visit never happened.

On June 22, 2003, he visited Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a city inhabited by many Catholics before the 1992-1995 war, but since then predominantly Orthodox.

In 1998, he beatified Aloysius Stepinac, the Croatian war-time Archbishop of Zagreb, a move seen negatively by those who believe that he was an active collaborator with the Ustaše fascist regime, which committed genocide against Serbs as well as Jews.

Pope John Paul II's visits to Nicaragua

Consequently, the Sandinistas made a tremendous effort to encourage Nicaraguans to attend the two papal masses that were held in León and Managua.

The Pope was repeatedly interrupted during the Mass, which eventually made him angry (see the papal biography by George Weigel).

Roberta Kelly

When Pope John Paul II succeeded John Paul I in 1979, Kelly released the single "John Paul II", The single never made it onto an album, but the "Tribute to Love" did in the late 1980 release, Roots Can Be Anywhere. By this time, Kelly was no longer with Casablanca Records.

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio

All of Texas' dioceses had been suffragan sees under San Antonio until December 2004 when Pope John Paul II created the new Ecclesiastical Province of Galveston-Houston and elevated the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston to a Metropolitan See.

Roman Catholicism in Antigua and Barbuda

The Apostolic Nuncio of Antigua and Barbuda was established on December 15, 1986 with the Papal brief Ut publica et Ecclesiae of Pope John Paul II.

Roman Catholicism in the Gambia

In 1992 Pope John Paul II visited Gambia and gave further impetus to the interest in Christian-Muslim relations within the Catholic community.

Rome Marathon

The race start point was at Saint Peter's Square and Pope John Paul II delivered a short benediction in approval of the event and the Bells of Saint Peter's replaced the usual starter's pistol to signal the beginning of the race.

San Giovanni Rotondo

The nearby Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel is also the site of Catholic pilgrimages and was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1987.

Socrates B. Villegas

Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Manila on July 25, 2001.

St Monica's High School

During Pope John Paul II's visit to the United Kingdom in 1982 the school (St Peter's RC High School at the time) was used as the base for local authorities and members of the Pope's entourage.

St Paul's Catholic Comprehensive School and Performing Arts College

There is a Catholic chapel on the premises, which features a plaque blessed by Pope John Paul II.

St. Mary's Cathedral, Punalur

Punalur Diocese was separated from the Diocese of Quilon (Kollam) and created into a separate unit by the Bull “Verba Christ” of Pope John Paul II, issued on 21 December 1985.

Tenix

By the early 1980s, Transfield had in excess of 3,000 employees and an annual turnover of A$350 million.When visiting Australia in 1986 Pope John Paul II toured the Transfield factory located at Seven Hills.

Tibor Kalman

This perspective was communicated through bold graphic design, typography, and juxtaposition of photographs and doctored images, including a series in which highly recognizable figures such as the Pope and Queen Elizabeth were depicted as racial minorities.

Un Mundo Diferente

The song became his most popular song since was performed specially for Juan Pablo II.

Vatican Television Center

VTC produced many documentaries during the reigns of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

Virginia Romero

The friars gave the tile to Cardinal Levada as a parting gift, and he said that he would give it to Pope Benedict XVI because Our Lady of Czestochowa was the patron saint of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.

Walter Jagiello

The highlight of Jagiello's career was performing for Pope John Paul II in 1984, who requested Wally to continue playing after his initial song, "God Bless Our Polish Pope".

Werner Thissen

He was named Archbishop of Hamburg by Pope John Paul II on November 22, 2002; he was installed as such on January 25, 2003.


Abdelwahab Doukkali

He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Mérite et Dévouement français in 2004, the Grand Prix Humanitaire de France in 2006, and medals from both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

Antoine Kambanda

On 8 September 1990, Kambanda was ordained a priest in Mbare, Kabgayi by Pope John Paul II.

Auburn Gresham, Chicago

Auburn Gresham is home to the St. Leo Campus for Veterans, which includes the Catholic Charities' St. Leo's Residence, the Auburn Gresham Community Based Outpatient Clinic, the St. Leo's Veteran's Garden, and the Pope John Paul II Residence.

Bernardus Johannes Alfrink

Resigning as Utrecht's archbishop on 6 December 1975, he later voted in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

Bhai Baljeet Singh

The magic of this group extended to United States of America(U.S.A) in 2006 and they performed in Washington DC in an Interfaith concert at Pope John Paul Hall and at the White House, also they’ve spread their wings to many different cities in USA,Life changed for them when in 2007 they performed for The Sikh Gurudwara, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Bishop of Paisley

Upon the death of Bishop Black in March 1968 the Rt Rev Stephen McGill was translated by Pope Paul VI from the see of Argyll and the Isles and remained in Paisley until his retirement in March 1988 whereupon he was succeeded by the Rt Rev John Mone an auxiliary bishop of Glasgow and an appointee of Pope John Paul II.

Bruno Vespa

During the 1970s and 1980s, he undertook several controversial and ground-breaking projects, mainly as a foreign correspondent for RAI, interviewing many soon-to-be-influential personalities of the decades (for example, Vespa interviewed then-Cardinal Karol Wojtyła in 1977, a full year before his election to the pontificate).

Cremisan Valley

The main monastery, housed in a building featuring stone floors, thick walls and high arched ceilings, is decorated with pictures of Pope John Paul II and Don Bosco.

Cuatro Vientos Airport

The Cuatro Vientos Airport provided the location for the meeting of Pope John Paul II with young people on his fifth and last visit to Spain on May 3, 2003, and for the vigil and final mass of World Youth Day 2011 with Pope Benedict XVI, on August 20-21.

Gabriele Paolini

On March 5, 1995, Paolini personally disguised a condom as a request in a paper and gave it to Pope John Paul II at a church in Rome.

Gerard de Korte

Pope John Paul II appointed Gerard de Korte as auxiliarty bishop of the Archdiocese of Utrecht on 11 April 2001 and as titular bishop of Caesarea in Mauritania.

History of Roman Catholicism in Hispano-America

However, the movement, which has been highly controversial in the Catholic theological community, has been condemned by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

Jacqueline Milczarek

She has earned two RTNDA Awards for coverage of Pope John Paul's visit to Canada during the World Youth Day in 2002 as well as for a story about a man who recovered from a coma.

La bottega dell'orefice

La bottega dell'orefice is a 1989 film based on The Jeweler's Shop, a play written by Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) and scripted by Jeff Andrus, starring Burt Lancaster and directed by Michael Anderson.

M'banza-Kongo

Pope John Paul II visited the site during his tour of Angola in 1992.

Miguel Ángel Alba Díaz

He was appointed bishop for the Diocese of Fessei and auxiliar bishop for the Archdiocese of Oaxaca by Pope John Paul II on June 10, 1995, and consecrated on July 25, in a ceremony presided over by Archbishop Adolfo Antonio Suárez Rivera.

Olivier Clément

Olivier Clément has been the interlocutor of several great spiritual profiles of his time - Patriarch Athenagoras, Pope John Paul II, Romanian priest and theologian Dumitru Staniloae, Archimandrite Sophrony of the Maldon Monastery (Great Britain), Brother Roger of Taizé, Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant'Egidio community - all of whom he formed a relationship of trust and friendship with.

Paranoimia

The 7" single features a monologue about Max Headroom being scared and unable to sleep (hence "Paranoimia", a portmanteau of "paranoia" and "insomnia"). The 12" has a completely different vocal with Headroom as a master of ceremonies, talking about the music and introducing the band (which he claims comprises Peter O'Toole, Martina Navratilova, Cher and the Pope).

Paul Mbiybe Verdzekov

On March 18, 1982 he became archbishop of Bamenda when his diocese was elevated to archdiocese by Pope John Paul II.

Paul Zoungrana

Zoungrana was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

Peter Mansbridge

On the scene, he anchored coverage of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales and Pope John Paul II, numerous royal, papal, and U.S. presidential visits to Canada, numerous Olympic Games, and the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama.

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid

Pope John Paul II gave the Archdiocese Metropolitan status on 23 July 1991, while created two sufraganeous dioceses: Getafe and Alcalá de Henares.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen

The cross is taken from the arms of the See of Trenton from which the diocese was formed; the tongue of fire refers both to "metachen," Lenni Lenape for firewood, and the descent of the Holy Spirit; the crowned M refers to the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the diocesan patron, founding bishop Theodore McCarrick's arms, and Pope John Paul II's arms.

Rrok Mirdita

On December 25, 1992, aged 53, he was appointed the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës and ordained on April 25, 1993 by Pope John Paul II and Cardinals Camillo Ruini and Jozef Tomko, along with three other bishops (Zef Simoni, Frano Illia and Robert Ashta) during the Pope's pastoral visit to Albania.

Sombrero Vueltiao

This iconic symbol of Colombia has been sported by hundreds of personalities, including Pope John Paul II when he visited Colombia in 1986, and former President of the United States Bill Clinton when he visited Cartagena, Colombia in August 2000.

Stanisław Ryłko

He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (later Pope John Paul II) on 30 March 1969, in Wawel Cathedral, and then did pastoral work in Poronin until 1971.

Stefan Milenković

In 1991, he played for Pope John Paul II, and in 1993, Milenković gave his 1000th concert in Monterrey, Mexico.

Stefan Wyszyński

In the CBS miniseries Pope John Paul II (based upon the life of the Polish pope), Cardinal Wyszyński was portrayed by English actor Christopher Lee.

Thady Coughlan

In October of the same year, he was present at the canonisation of Oliver Plunkett, where he met the then Pope Paul VI and future Pope John Paul II who was bishop of Kraków at the time.

The Green Bible

Before the biblical text, the Green Bible provides an introduction from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and essays from Brian McLaren, Cal DeWitt, Barbara Brown Taylor, Pope John Paul II, Ellen Davis, N. T. Wright, Ellen Bernstein, Matthew Sleeth, James Jones, and Gordon Aeschliman.

The Keys of This Blood

Pope John Paul II, Mikhail Gorbachev, and international business leaders are in competition to establish this one world government and that this competition will intensify around the turn of the 20th century.

Wawel Cathedral

Both of these pre-pontificate events were depicted in the first half of the 2005 U.S. TV miniseries, Pope John Paul II in which Cary Elwes played the younger Wojtyla.

World Youth Day 2005

This meeting was decided by the previous pope, John Paul II, during the Toronto World Youth Day of 2002.