Pope John Paul II

Karol Józef Woytyla (1920-2005), known as John Paul II since his election to the papacy on 16 October 1978, was born in the Polish town of Wadowice. He became a priest in 1946 and a titular bishop in 1958.

Pope Paul VI appointed him archbishop of Krakow, Poland, in 1964 and made him a cardinal three years later. After his election at the conclave he stayed in office for 26 years, one of the longest pontificates in history. During this time he made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. Also he held 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings with heads of state and government, and 246 audiences and meetings with prime ministers.

In the later years he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease which made travelling and speaking very hard for him. When he died tens of thousands of people were in Saint Peter's Square.

In 1995 pope John Paul II for the first time appointed a woman, Mary Ann Glendon, as head of a Holy See delegation (Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing).

On 15 October 1998 Pope John Paul II received the Agricola medal struck in his honour by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in recognition of the Pontiff's "continuous struggle against hunger and malnutrition and his demonstrated concern for the plight of mankind's poor, and for peace in the world".

The FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf presented the medal to the Pope during an audience at the Vatican one day ahead of the twentieth anniversary of John Paul II's Pontificate and World Food Day, 16 October, which also marks the fifty-third anniversary of the founding of the FAO.

The Agricola medal features a portrait of the Pope on one side, and the other bears the words: "Daily bread - condition of the world peace" together with symbols depicting fish and grain, two of the most important sources of food. Italian artist Orietta Rossi designed the medal.

The day after the pope died UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura expressed his profound sadness over the death of Pope John Paul II, whom he described as a "spiritual guide (who) placed his extraordinary energy, charisma and eloquence at the service of peace and inter-religious dialogue." "John Paul II was firm in his convictions and expressed his profound faith while all the while encouraging dialogue. From the ecumenical encounters in Assisi to his day of fasting coinciding in 2001 with the end of Ramadan, and his visit in 1986 to a synagogue in Rome, the Pontiff worked unceasingly to promote dialogue between different religions. The first Polish Pope in history was also, in 2001, the first Pope to visit Greece since the schism in 1054 between the Churches of the East and West and, in Syria, the first Pope to enter a Mosque. John Paul II was an unwavering champion of inter-religious dialogue," Mr Matsuura declared.

The Director-General continued: "Dialogue between civilizations was also an idea that he held dearly. In 2001, the United Nations Year for Dialogue between Civilizations, he devoted his New Year message to inter-cultural dialogue, which he described as 'an intrinsic requirement of the nature of both man and culture'. During a private audience with the Pontiff in March of the same year, I witnessed at first-hand the extent to which this issue was at the heart of his concerns."

Mr Matsuura recalled that: "In June 1980, Pope John Paul visited UNESCO where he made an historic speech, in which he said: 'use every means at your disposal to watch over the fundamental sovereignty possessed by every nation by virtue of its own culture. Protect it and cherish it for the sake of the future of the great human family.'

On 6 April 2005 the General Assembly paid tribute to Pope John Paul II, standing in a minute of silence after its President, Jean Ping of Gabon, extended his condolences to the Vatican community, all Catholics and all throughout the world who had been touched and inspired by the life of the late pontiff.

Link

Bronze medal issued by UNESCO on the occasion of the pope's visit, 2 June 1980.

UN-related events from the pontificate of John Paul II

2 December 1978 Message to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on Human Rights

10 April 1979 Message for the International Year of the Child (in Portuguese)

14 July 1979 Address to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development

29 August 1979 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in French)

2 October 1979 Address to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, New York (in Italian)

2 October 1979 Address to the General Assembly, New York (in German)

2 October 1979 Address to the representatives of non-governmental organizations (in Italian)

2 October 1979 Address to the members of the press at the United Nations (in Italian)

2 October 1979 Address to the members of the Secretariat of the United Nations (in Italian)

2 October 1979 Address to the Secretary-General on the end of the visit to the UN (in Italian)

10 November 1979 Speech to commemorate the birth of Albert Einstein (in French)

12 November 1979 Address to the 20th Session of the Conference of FAO (in French)

12 November 1979 Address to the staff of FAO (in Italian)

2 June 1980 Address to UNESCO, Paris (in French)

22 August 1980 Message to the Special Session of the General Assembly

25 February 1981 Address to scientists and representatives of the UN University (in Italian)

8 September 1981 Message to UNESCO for the 15th International Literacy Day (in Italian)

14 October 1981 Message to FAO for the 1st World Food Day (in French)

13 November 1981 Address to the 21st Session of the Conference of FAO

12 December 1981 Sending of a delegation of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences to the UN

6 April 1982 Message to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (in Italian)

24 May 1982 Speech to the International Catholic Centre for UNESCO (in French)

7 June 1982 Message for the Second Special Session of the UN for Disarmament

15 June 1982 Address to the personnel of the International Labour Office (in French)

15 June 1982 Address to the delegates of governments at ILO (in French)

15 June 1982 Address to the delegates of employers at ILO (in French)

15 June 1982 Address to the delegates of employees at ILO (in French)

15 June 1982 Address to the 68th ILO Conference, Geneva

25 June 1982 Speech to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (in French)

22 July 1982 Message to the World Assembly on Ageing (in French)

24 July 1982 Message to UNESCO for the World Conference on Political Culture (in French)

27 August 1982 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in French)

27 September 1982 Message for the 3rd World Tourism Day (in Italian)

16 October 1982 Message to FAO for the 2nd World Food Day

2 November 1982 Speech during a visit to the World Tourism Organization, Madrid (in Italian)

25 May 1983 Letter to the Secretary-General of UNCTAD

5 September 1983 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in French)

12 October 1983 Message to FAO for the 3rd World Food Day (in French)

10 November 1983 Address to the 22nd Session of the Conference of FAO

5 July 1984 Message to the 2nd UN Int. Conf. for the Assistance of Refugees in Africa (in Italian)

26 April 1984 Address to participants in the meeting of the Executive Council of UNICEF

7 June 1984 Letter to the Secretary-General of the Int. Conference on Population

30 June 1984 Address to World Conf. on Fisheries Management and Development (FAO)

7 July 1984 Address to members of the UN Special Committee against Apartheid

29 August 1984 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in French)

16 October 1984 Message to the National Committees of UNICEF

26 March 1985 Apostolic Letter Dilecti Amici on the occasion of International Youth Year

7 May 1985 Message to the Secretary-General of the UN on Lebanon (in French)

13 May 1985 Speech during a visit to the Int. Court of Justice, The Hague (in Italian)

1 July 1985 Letter to UNESCO for the World Congress on Youth (in Italian)

18 August 1985 Address to members of the UN Office in Nairobi

7 September 1985 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in French)

26 September 1985 Letter to the Secretary-General of UNCTAD (in French)

14 October 1985 Letter to the President of the 40th General Assembly (in French)

10 November 1985 Address to the 23rd Session of the Conference of FAO

1 September 1986 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in French)

13 October 1986 Message to FAO for the 6th World Food Day (in French)

24 April 1987 Address to the members of the UN Administrative Comm. on Coordination

8 September 1987 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in Italian)

16 October 1987 Message to FAO for the 7th World Food Day (in French)

13 November 1987 Address to the 24th Session of the Conference of FAO

26 January 1988 Address on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of IFAD (in Italian)

20 March 1988 Comments on International Day against Racial Discrimination (in Italian)

31 May 1988 Message to the 3rd Special General Assembly on Disarmament (in Italian)

20 August 1988 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in Italian)

16 October 1988 Message to FAO for the 8th World Food Day (in French)

28 November 1988 Message to WHO for the 1st World AIDS Day (in Italian)

6 December 1988 Message for the 40th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights (in French)

12 January 1989 Address to the Executive Board of UNICEF for Latin America and Caribbean (in Spanish)

15 May 1989 Letter to the UN Sec.-Gen. on the 25th anniversary of the Permanent Observer Mission

8 September 1989 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in Spanish)

10 October 1989 Message to FAO for the 9th World Food Day (in French)

16 November 1989 Address to the 25th Session of the Conference of FAO

3 March 1990 Message to the Secretary-General for International Literacy Year (in Italian)

18 June 1990 Address to officials of the UNO and related agencies

22 September 1990 Letter to the Secretary-General for the World Summit for Children

26 September 1990 Address on occasion of the United Nations Summit (in Italian)

10 October 1990 Message to FAO for the 10th World Food Day (in French)

11 January 1991 Letter to the Sec.-Gen. regarding the war in the Persian Gulf (in Spanish)

31 May 1991 Address to Directors of Postal Services from various countries of the world

24 June 1991 Address for International Day against Drug Abuse and Illegal Trafficking (in Italian)

16 October 1991 Message to FAO for the 11th World Food Day (in French)

11 November 1991 Address to the 26th Session of the Conference of FAO

29 January 1992 Message to the Secretary-General of UNCTAD (in French)

14 February 1992 Address to a meeting in preparation for the International Year of the Family (in Italian)

16 October 1992 Message for the 12th World Food Day

8 September 1992 Message to UNESCO for International Literacy Day (in Italian)

5 December 1992 Address to the participants in the World Conference on Nutrition (in French)

15 October 1993 Message for the 13th World Food Day

11 November 1993 Address to the 27th Session of the Conference of FAO

26 December 1993 Opening of the Year of the Family

2 February 1994 Letter to Families for the International Year of the Family

19 March 1994 Message on occasion of the International Conference on Population, Cairo

5 September 1994 Sending of a delegation to the International Conference on Population, Cairo

8 October 1994 Address to the World Meeting of Families for the International Year of the Family (in Sp.)

10 October 1994 Message to FAO for the 14th World Food Day

13 December 1994 Letter to children in the Year of the Family

6 March 1995 Sending a delegation to the World Summit on Social Development, Copenhagen

29 June 1995 Letter to women for the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing

4 September 1995 Address of Mary Ann Glendon to the Fourth World Conf. on Women, Beijing

Pope John Paul II addressing the General

Assembly of the United Nations on the

occasion of the 50th anniversary of the UN,

5 October 1995.

5 October 1995 Address to the General Assembly for the 50th anniversary of the UN

5 October 1995 Address to the personnel of the United Nations Organization (in Italian)

7 October 1995 Address to the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the UN, New York (in It.)

16 October 1995 Message to FAO for the 15th World Food Day

23 October 1995 Address to the 28th Session of the Conference of FAO

3 June 1996 Sending of a delegation to the Habitat II Conference, Istanbul

15 June 1996 Letter on the occasion of the Int. Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

15 October 1996 Message to FAO for the 16th World Food Day (in Spanish)

13 November 1996 Address to the opening of the UN World Food Summit, Rome

4 March 1997 Letter to the Secretary-General of the UN on the situation in Zaire

16 October 1997 Message to FAO for the 17th World Food Day

8 November 1997 Address to the 29th Session of the Conference of FAO (by cardinal Sodano)

15 October 1998 Address to FAO Executive Director Diouf and FAO representatives

16 October 1998 Message to FAO for the 18th World Food Day

30 November 1998 Message to the President of the General Assembly for 50 years of Human Rights

27 April 1999 Message to the Secretary-General of the UN on the situation in Kosovo

8 September 1999 Message to UNESCO for the 33rd International Literacy Day

1 October 1999 Letter to the elderly for the International Year of the Elderly

16 October 1999 Message to FAO for the 19th World Food Day (in Portuguese)

18 November 1999 Address to the 30th Session of the Conference of FAO

7 April 2000 Address to the Administrative Committee on Coordination of the UN

27 September 2000 Message for World Tourism Day

4 October 2000 Message to FAO for the 20th World Food Day

3 January 2001 Message to the UNHCR on the 50th anniversary of the office

5 June 2001 Message to the Under-Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflicts

27 September 2001 Message for the 22nd World Tourism Day

16 October 2001 Message to FAO for the 21st World Food Day

3 November 2001 Message to the 31st Session of the Conference of FAO

3 December 2001 Message on the end of the International Year of Volunteers

10 April 2002 Letter to the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid

10 May 2002 Address to the 30th General Assembly of the Int. Catholic Centre for UNESCO

10 June 2002 Message to the World Food Summit of FAO

27 September 2002 Message for the 23rd World Tourism Day

13 October 2002 Message to FAO for the 22nd World Food Day

11 December 2002 Message to the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO for the 50th anniversary

19 February 2003 Message to the President of IFAD for the 25th anniversary

27 September 2003 Message for the 24th World Tourism Day

16 October 2003 Message to FAO for the 23rd World Food Day

5 December 2003 Address to the 32nd Session of the Conference of FAO

27 January 2004 Address to the Executive Director of the World Food Programme

7 February 2004 Address to the President of the General Assembly of the UN

Ambassador Omolewa of Nigeria to UNESCO,

president of the UNESCO General Conference,

leads a delegation of ambassadors to visit the pope,

8 May 2004.

8 May 2004 Address to the ambassadors of UNESCO

27 September 2004 Message for the 25th World Tourism Day

15 October 2004 Message to FAO for the 24th World Food Day

Stamp catalogue - 70th birthday

German Democratic Republic 15 May 1990

Stamp catalogue - death commemoration

Aitutaki 11 November 2005

Ascension Island 18 August 2005

Austria 14 April 2005

Papua New Guinea 8 August 2005

Solomon Islands 1 July 2005

Solomon Islands 3 October 2005

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last revised: 1 March 2010