Posted on 04/17/2005 1:33:34 PM PDT by lizol
The pontificate of Pope John Paul II: key dates
VATICAN CITY, April 8 (AFP) - Following are key dates in the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, who was being buried in a funeral Friday after 26 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide.
1978
October 16: Karol Wojtyla, Bishop of Krakow, is elected pope following the death of his predecessor John Paul I after only 33 days in office.
1979
Jan 25: Visits Dominican Republic and Mexico, the first of the many trips which will take him to a 129 countries, a papal record.
March 14: First encyclical, on the dignity of man.
June 2: First papal visit to Poland. Tells Poles: "Do not be afraid", triggering start of mass resistance to communism, and prays at Auschwitz, near his home city of Krakow.
Oct 2: Addresses the United Nations.
1980
May 2: Begins visit to Zaire, Congo, Kenya, Ghana, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Ivory Coast.
Nov 30: Second encyclical, "Dives in misericordia", on the mercy of God.
1981
May 13: Turk Mehmed Ali Agca fires three bullets at the pope, seriously wounding him. The pope recovers after major surgery, but is affected thereafter by health problems.
1982
May-June: Pastoral visits to Britain and Argentina and attempts to mediate in the Falklands war between the two countries.
1983
March 4: Visits Nicaragua where jeered by supporters of the Sandinista regime.
June 16: Visits Poland for a second time, despite martial law.
Dec 28: Visits Ali Agca in Rome jail.
1984
June 12: Visit to the World Council of Churches, Protestants and Orthodox, in Geneva.
July 7: Denounces apartheid in South Africa.
1985
Nov 17: Message to US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as they meet in Geneva.
1986
April 13: Visit to Rome synagogue -- the first ever by a pope.
October 27: Attends first World Day for Peace in Assisi, central Italy with representatives of the main Christian and non-Christian religions.
1987
June 6: Visit by Reagan.
Dec 3: Visit by patriarch Dimitrios of Constantinople.
Dec 30: Encyclical criticises economic and political ideologies of both West and East.
1989
Dec 1: Visit by Mikhail Gorbachev, the first by a Soviet leader.
1991
Jan 15: Writes to US president George Bush and Iraqi president Saddam Hussein in attempt to avert the Gulf War.
1992
July 12: Operation to remove a benign intestinal tumor.
1993
May 9: Denunciation of the Mafia during Sicily visit.
Aug 6: Encyclical reaffirms traditional views on morals and ethics.
Sept 4: First visit to the former Soviet Union: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.
Nov 11: Dislocates his right shoulder during a fall.
Dec 30: Establishes diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Israel.
1994
April 28: Fractures his right femur in a fall.
Oct 25: Begins contacts with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
1995
Jan 11: Visits Manila for celebration of 10th World Youth Day.
March 25: Encyclical opposing contraception and euthanasia.
1996
Oct 7: Undergoes appendectomy.
1998
March 12: Signs "We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah."
1999
June 5-17: Undertakes 13-day visit to Poland, his longest journey outside of Italy.
2000
March 12: Seeks forgiveness for sins and omissions of the Church.
March 20-26: Makes first visit to Israel, and repeats plea for forgiveness by the Jews of sins committed by the church.
2001
May 4-9: Visits Greece and Syria, and enters mosque in Damascus.
2002
Feb 11: Creates four dioceses in Russia, which the Orthodox church calls "an unfriendly act."
Aug 16-19: Pays eighth visit to Poland.
2003
April 17: His 14th encyclical reasserts traditional dogmas.
June 5-9: Visits Croatia, his 100th foreign trip.
Oct 16: Celebrates 25th anniversary of pontificate.
2004
March 14: Becomes the third longest-reigning pope in history.
Aug 14-15: Pilgrimage to the Marian shrine at Lourdes in France.
2005
Feb 1: Rushed to hospital with severe respiratory problems. He is readmitted two weeks later, leaving again on March 13.
March 27: Fails to voice Easter Sunday blessing for first time.
March 31: The Vatican says the pope's health has seriously deteriorated.
April 1: The Vatican announces the pope has had a heart attack and septic shock, urges Catholics to pray for him.
April 2: Vatican announces his death, aged 84.
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