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73 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.

Antoine Kambanda

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

Argentine legislative election, 1987

The project, which had been passed by the Lower House of Congress and had even received Pope John Paul II's personal blessing during an April 1987 state visit, had no future without an absolute UCR majority in the Lower House (the Senate - not in play in 1987 - was dominated by the Justicialist Party).

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.

Bovino

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

Burton P. C. Hall

Hall was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001, and in 2003 he was appointed a Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester (KSS) by Pope John Paul II.

Canonesses of St. Augustine of the Mercy of Jesus

The Blessed Catherine of St. Augustine, O.S.A., who was among the first volunteers to go to Quebec, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1989.

Cape Froward

On the cape's hill was built a large metallic cross (Cruz de los Mares, Cross of the Seas) in honor to John Paul II Pope's visit to Chile, back in 1987, it was first built in 1913, and several times in between due to the harsh weather.

Cherry Creek State Park

On August 15, 1993, Cherry Creek State Park was the location for the papal mass of the 8th World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II.

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.

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.

Francisco San Diego

Pope John Paul II appointed San Diego as first bishop of Pasig in 2003.

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.

Georgina Island

On a neighbouring island Pope John Paul II stayed on Strawberry Island for four days just before World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto.

Giacomo Battiato

He directed two fiction dedicated at Pope John Paul II, Karol: A Man Who Became Pope (Karol, un uomo diventato Papa, 2005) and Karol: The Pope, The Man (Karol, un papa rimasto uomo, 2006)

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.

Graham Leonard

He was conditionally ordained to the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church and was later appointed a monsignor by Pope John Paul II.

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.

Izamal

Pope John Paul II visited Izamal in August 1993, where he performed a mass for the blacks and presented the statue of the Virgin with a silver crown.

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.

James Weisgerber

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

Jarry Park Stadium

The stadium was renamed in honor of Pope John Paul II to mark his visit to Montréal and the park on September 11, 1984.

Jean-Marie Benjamin

He is reported to have set up the meeting between former Pope John Paul II and Tariq Aziz, Iraq's foreign minister.

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 J. Studzinski

Pope John Paul II made Studzinski a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory.

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

Pope John Paul II named him the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Hermosillo on August 19, 1996, and he took possession on 29 October of the same year.

Józef Wesołowski

He was ordained a priest in Kraków on 21 May 1972 by Karol Cardinal Wojtyła, later Pope John Paul II.

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.

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.

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.

Maria Teresa of St. Joseph

On December 20, 2002 Pope John Paul II declared Mother Maria Teresa of St. Joseph venerable.

Más Allá

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

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.

Pope John Paul II appointed him the third bishop of the Diocese of La Paz, Baja California Sur on July 16, 2001, and took possession the same year.

Museums of Chihuahua

Portraits of the bishops and archbishops of Chihuahua and Pope John Paul II are also represented in the collection.

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.

Oleg Makara

His project “Toleration” (1995 – 1996) was dedicated to the Pope John Paul II and was screened on Slovak Television during his first visit in post-communist Slovakia.

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).

Pierreville, Quebec

During the visit of Pope John Paul II to Canada in 1984, the company modified a GMC Sierra truck for use as a Popemobile, a secure form of transport built to withstand a commando attack.

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.

He held a mass at the Petrićevac monastery, a place of considerable controversy and distress, both during World War II and during the Yugoslav wars.

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.

Raymund Schwager

He especially valued Pope John Paul II's activities in this respect: his travels and encounters with other religious leaders, his prayer meetings in Assisi and his confession of guilt for the church on the First Sunday of Lent in 2000.

Renée Montagne

Montagne traveled to Rome to cover the funeral of Pope John Paul II for NPR's Morning Edition in 2005.

Richard C. Casey

In 1999, Casey travelled to Rome to meet Pope John Paul II and accept the Blessed Hyacinth Cormier, O.P., Medal for "outstanding leadership in the promotion of Gospel Values in the field of justice and ethics".

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 Afghanistan

On 16 May 2002, Pope John Paul II established a mission sui iuris for Afghanistan with Father Giuseppe Moretti as its first superior.

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.

Sanctuary on San Cristóbal Hill

On the pedestal there is a small chapel in which his holiness John Paul II prayed and blessed the city of Santiago on April 1, 1987.

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. Dominic's Church, Bahawalpur

Pope John Paul II sent a Special Envoy, Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, to show his concern for the welfare of all the people and offering his prayers for peace in this region.

Steve Gaisford

Steve Gaisford has covered many breaking news stories including The Asian Tsunami, The Death of Pope John Paul II and The Madrid train bombings and from the world of sport including the live media circus that was David Beckham signing for Real Madrid.

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.

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.

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.

Vatican Television Center

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

Veteran Pakistani Roman Catholic Priests

On 24 Apr 2001 he was appointed Archbishop of Lahore by Pope John Paul II.

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".


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.

Antonio Socci

He is best known for coverage of Catholic Church topics, including general history and subjects such the Secrets of Fatima and the works of 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.

Australia the Lucky Cunt

The EP was re-released in November 1993 under the title "Censored Due To Legal Advice", with new cover art depicting the infamous incident where Sinéad O'Connor tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II (the image of the Pope being doctored to read "TISM") on Saturday Night Live.

Bernard Longley

On 4 January 2003 Longley was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of Zarna by Pope John Paul II.

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).

Cathedral of Chihuahua

Directly opposite, on the south side, inside the Chapel of Christ of Mapimí, is the tomb of St Peter of Jesus Maldonado, a priest and martyr who was ordained in the Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick in El Paso, Texas, and canonised by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

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.

Eileen Wu

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

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.

Joseph Malula

Malula 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.

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.

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 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.

Manuel Duran Moreno

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

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Russian icons

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, many Russian icons have been repatriated via direct purchase by Russian museums, private Russian collectors, or as was the case of Pope John Paul II giving an 18th-century copy of the famous Our Lady of Kazan icon to the Russian Orthodox Church, returned to Russia in good faith.

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.

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.

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.

Tom 'Diver' Derrick Bridge

But in 2005, in the wake of the death of Pope John Paul II, Mr Rann announced the rail bridge would be named after Saint Mary MacKillop.

Trình Như Khuê

He was the first cardinal to hail from Vietnam, and was also 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.

U Thant Peace Award

It had been bestowed by The Peace Meditation at the United Nations upon Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Javier Perez de Cuellar, Kurt Waldheim the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Dada J.P. Vaswani, Swami Satchidananda and U Thant’s daughter, Daw Aye Aye Thant.

Wanda Tomczykowska

St. Mary’s Cathedral boasts a reproduction of The Black Madonna of Czestochowa at which Pope John Paul II said Mass during a visit to San Francisco.