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Recalling St John Paul II’s seven visits to the United States

CNA Staff, Apr 2, 2020 / 09:02 am

St. John Paul II was the most traveled pope in history, logging some 700,000 miles and visiting nearly 130 countries.

One of the first countries the pope visited after his election was the United States. As Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, he had visited the US in 1976, two years before his election, stopping at places such as Michigan, Ohio, and Montana, and was eager to return.

Over the course of his nearly 27-year pontificate, St. John Paul II would make seven visits to the US- five of significant length, and two brief stopovers during which he nevertheless left a lasting impression on the memories of the locals.

St. John Paul II died April 2, 2005. On the anniversary of the saint's death, we take a look back at his seven visits to the United States.

Visit 1 , October 1-9, 1979

Where : Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Des Moines, Chicago, Washington, D.C.

St. John Paul II's first visit to the United States as pope was a whirlwind six-city tour that began with a gathering of 100,000 at Boston Common. He then went to New York where he held a youth rally at Madison Square Garden, gave a speech at the United Nations and celebrated Mass before a congregation of 80,000 at Yankee Stadium. He also received a ticker-tape parade in Philadelphia.

After a warm welcome in Chicago, St. John Paul II made his way to Des Moines, ostensibly after a Catholic Iowa farmer wrote to the pope to invite him to see life in "rural America, the heartland and breadbasket of our nation." A crowd of 350,000 greeted him at a farm just outside the city.

The visit also marked the first time a pope had entered the White House, as he met with President Jimmy Carter in Washington. The two leaders discussed situations in the Philippines, China, Europe, South Korea, and the Middle East, and the pope emphasized to Carter the need for the United States to keep ties open to the largely Catholic people of Eastern Europe, then under the throes of Communism.

Finally, St. John Paul II celebrated Mass on the National Mall.

What the pope said:

"Dear young people: do not be afraid of honest effort and honest work; do not be afraid of the truth. With Christ's help, and through prayer, you can answer his call, resisting temptations and fads, and every form of mass manipulation. Open your hearts to the Christ of the Gospels-to his love and his truth and his joy. Do not go away sad!" -Mass at Boston Common

"Fourteen years ago my great predecessor Pope Paul VI spoke from this podium. He spoke memorable words, which I desire to repeat today: 'No more war, war never again! Never one against the other,' or even 'one above the other,' but always, on every occasion, 'with each other.'" -Address to the United Nations

"We cannot stand idly by, enjoying our own riches and freedom, if, in any place, the Lazarus of the twentieth century stands at our doors. In the light of the parable of Christ, riches and freedom mean a special responsibility. Riches and freedom create a special obligation. And so, in the name of the solidarity that binds us all together in a common humanity, I again proclaim the dignity of every human person: the rich man and Lazarus are both human beings, both of them equally created in the image and likeness of God, both of them equally redeemed by Christ, at a great price, the price of 'the precious blood of Christ" (1 Pt 1 :19).'" -Mass at Yankee Stadium

"To all of you who are farmers and all who are associated with agricultural production I want to say this: the Church highly esteems your work. Christ himself showed his esteem for agricultural life when he described God his Father as the "vinedresser" (Jn 15 :1). You cooperate with the Creator, the "vinedresser", in sustaining and nurturing life. You fulfill the command of God given at the very beginning: "Fill the earth and subdue it" (Gen 1 :28). Here in the heartland of America, the valleys and hills have been blanketed with grain, the herds and the flocks have multiplied many times over. By hard work you have become masters of the earth and you have subdued it." -Mass in Des Moines

"All human beings ought to value every person for his or her uniqueness as a creature of God, called to be a brother or sister of Christ by reason of the Incarnation and the universal Redemption. For us, the sacredness of human life is based on these premises. And it is on these same premises that there is based our celebration of life-all human life. This explains our efforts to defend human life against every influence or action that threatens or weakens it, as well as our endeavors to make every life more human in all its aspects. And so, we will stand up every time that human life is threatened." -Mass on the National Mall

Visit 2, February 26, 1981

Court orders North Carolina, West Virginia to fund sex changes in state health care plans

Where: Stopover in Anchorage

The pope's first visit to Alaska was brief- a stopover lasting just over four hours on his way back to Rome after a pastoral visit to the Philippines, Guam, and Japan- but left a lasting impression.

An estimated 100,000 people came to downtown Anchorage to see the pope, which remains the largest gathering of people in the history of the state.

Then-Archbishop Francis Hurley of Anchorage recalled that as he was escorting the pope downtown, he made a special point of greeting the elderly who waved at him out of the windows of a senior living facility.

When he arrived at Holy Name Cathedral, he took the time to greet the diabled and elderly who had come to see him. One disabled child- who died shortly after the encounter- handed him a bouquet of forget-me-nots; St. John Paul II made a point of mentioning the child and the flowers the next time he visited Alaska, saying that "her loving gesture is not forgotten."

The visit "pulled a lot of Catholics out of the woodwork we didn't know were Catholic" and inspired them back to the practice of their faith, Archbishop Hurley told the archdiocesan newspaper.

(Story continues below)

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"My brothers and sisters in Christ: Never doubt the vital importance of your presence in the Church, the vital importance of religious life and of the ministerial priesthood in the mission of proclaiming the mercy of God. Through your daily life, which is often accompanied by the sign of the cross, and through faithful service and persevering hope, you show your deep faith in the merciful love of God, and bear witness to that love, which is more powerful than evil and stronger than death." -Address to priests and religious in the Anchorage cathedral

Visit 3, May 2, 1984

Where: Stopover in Fairbanks

Once again, Alaska served as a midpoint for the pope between Rome and the Pacific, as he embarked on his pastoral journey to Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Thailand.

This time, St. John Paul II appeared with President Ronald Reagan, who was himself returning from a trip to China, at the Fairbanks airport. During the pope's brief, three-hour refuelling stop, Reagan praised him as a defender of human freedom, and as a source of "solace, inspiration, and hope."

"In some ways, Alaska can be considered today as a crossroads of the world...Here in this vast State sixty-five languages are spoken and peoples of many diverse backgrounds find a common home with the Aleuts, Eskimos and Indians. This wonderful diversity provides the context in which each person, each family, each ethnic group is challenged to live in harmony and concord, one with the other. To achieve this aim requires a constant openness to each other on the part of each individual and group. An openness of heart, a readiness to accept differences, and an ability to listen to each other's viewpoint without prejudice. Openness to others, by its very nature, excludes selfishness in any form. It is expressed in a dialogue that is honest and frank-one that is based on mutual respect. Openness to others begins in the heart." -Address to authorities and people of Alaska

Visit 4, September 10-19, 1987

Where: Miami, Columbia, SC, New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Francisco, Detroit

This trip was the longest of St. John Paul II's visits to the US, and his first to the contiguous West Coast. Reagan greeted him once again, this time in Miami.

Notable episodes from the visit included the pope's Mass in Miami being cut short because of a storm; addressing representatives of black Catholics at the Superdome in New Orleans; attending an ecumenical conference on the University of South Carolina campus; Mass in San Antonio with about 275,000 in attendance; touring a Catholic hospital and attending the Tekakwitha Conference- a national gathering of Native American Catholics- at the Arizona State Fair Grounds Coliseum in Phoenix; and addressing representatives from the communications industry in Los Angeles.

Though the pope encountered some protests in San Francisco, and crowds were not as large as some had expected, his visit still drew at least 300,000 in California.

"God loves you! God loves you all, without distinction, without limit. He loves those of you who are elderly, who feel the burden of the years. He loves those of you who are sick, those who are suffering from AIDS and from AIDS-Related Complex. He loves the relatives and friends of the sick and those who care for them. He loves us all with an unconditional and everlasting love." -Address at Mission Dolores Basilica, San Francisco

"The obligation to truth and its completeness applies not only to the coverage of news, but to all your work. Truth and completeness should characterize the content of artistic expression and entertainment. You find a real meaning in your work when you exercise your role as collaborators of truth – collaborators of truth in the service of justice, fairness and love." -Address to people of the communications industry, Los Angeles

"From the very beginning, the Creator bestowed his gifts on each people. It is clear that stereotyping. prejudice, bigotry and racism demean the human dignity which comes from the hand of the Creator and which is seen in variety and diversity. I encourage you, as native people belonging to the different tribes and nations in the East, South, West and North, to preserve and keep alive your cultures, your languages, the values and customs which have served you well in the past and which provide a solid foundation for the future. Your customs that mark the various stages of life, your love for the extended family, your respect for the dignity and worth of every human being, from the unborn to the aged, and your stewardship and care of the earth: these things benefit not only yourselves but the entire human family. Your gifts can also be expressed even more fully in the Christian way of life. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is at home in every people. It enriches, uplifts and purifies every culture. All of us together make up the People of God, the Body of Christ, the Church. We should all be grateful for the growing unity, presence, voice and leadership of Catholic Native Americans in the Church today." -Address to Native American Catholics

"I express my deep love and esteem for the black Catholic community in the United States. Its vitality is a sign of hope for society. Composed as you are of many lifelong Catholics, and many who have more recently embraced the faith, together with a growing immigrant community, you reflect the Church's ability to bring together a diversity of people united in faith, hope and love, sharing a communion with Christ in the Holy Spirit. I urge you to keep alive and active your rich cultural gifts. Always profess proudly before the whole Church and the whole world your love for God's word; it is a special blessing which you must forever treasure as a part of your heritage. Help us all to remember that authentic freedom comes from accepting the truth and from living one's life in accordance with it – and the full truth is found only in Christ Jesus. Continue to inspire us by your desire to forgive – as Jesus forgave – and by your desire to be reconciled with all the people of this nation, even those who would unjustly deny you the full exercise of your human rights." -Address to black Catholics

"America, your deepest identity and truest character as a nation is revealed in the position you take towards the human person. The ultimate test of your greatness in the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenceless ones." -Farewell Address

Visit 5: World Youth Day, August 12-15, 1993

Where: Denver

At the time it was chosen, Denver seemed to many to be an odd choice for a host for World Youth Day- the international gathering of young people that he himself had instituted in 1985. The city was experiencing a surge in crime, and many feared that the septuagenarian pope would not be successful in attracting young people to the event.

Nevertheless, World Youth Day in Denver was a huge success, with an estimated 750,000 people attending the final Mass at Cherry Creek State Park. Young people from all over the world showed their willingness to sacrifice and experience pilgrimage by lodging in parish halls en route to Denver, trudging through the heat to Cherry Creek State Park, sleeping on the ground there, and enduring other discomforts.

Upon St. John Paul II death in 20115, then-Archbishop Charles Chaput said that the Pope's visit to Denver was "a Transfiguration for the Church in Northern Colorado - a moment when Jesus smiled on us in a special, joyful, vivid way and invited us into his mission to the world."

"Pilgrims set out for a destination. In our case it is not so much a place or a shrine that we seek to honor. Ours is a pilgrimage to a modern city, a symbolic destination: the "metropolis" is the place which determines the life–style and the history of a large part of the human family at the end of the twentieth century. This modern city of Denver is set in the beautiful natural surroundings of the Rocky Mountains, as if to put the work of human hands in relationship with the work of the Creator. We are therefore searching for the reflection of God not only in the beauty of nature but also in humanity's achievements and in each individual person. On this pilgrimage our steps are guided by the words of Jesus Christ: 'I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.'" -Welcome ceremony at Mile High Stadium

"Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first Apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel (Cfr. Rom 1,16). It is the time to preach it from the rooftops (Cfr. Matt 10,27). Do not be afraid to break out of comfortable and routine modes of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern 'metropolis.' It is you who must 'go out into the byroads' (Matt 22,9) and invite everyone you meet to the banquet which God has prepared for his people. The Gospel must not be kept hidden because of fear or indifference. It was never meant to be hidden away in private. It has to be put on a stand so that people may see its light and give praise to our heavenly Father." -Mass at Cherry Creek State Park

Visit 6, October 4-9, 1995

Where: Newark, East Rutherford, NJ, New York City, Yonkers,  NY, Baltimore

This marked the pope's second visit to New York City, and he visited several other cities on the Eastern seaboard. It was his first visit to New Jersey, where he made stops in Newark- celebrating Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral- and East Rutherford, saying Mass at Giants Stadium.

Upon returning to New York, the pope addressed the United Nations for a second time.

"Freedom is not simply the absence of tyranny or oppression. Nor is freedom a licence to do whatever we like. Freedom has an inner 'logic' which distinguishes it and ennobles it: freedom is ordered to the truth, and is fulfilled in man's quest for truth and in man's living in the truth. Detached from the truth about the human person, freedom deteriorates into license in the lives of individuals, and, in political life, it becomes the caprice of the most powerful and the arrogance of power. Far from being a limitation upon freedom or a threat to it, reference to the truth about the human person - a truth universally knowable through the moral law written on the hearts of all - is, in fact, the guarantor of freedom's future." -Address to the United Nations

"As a Christian, my hope and trust are centered on Jesus Christ, the two thousandth anniversary of whose birth will be celebrated at the coming of the new millennium. We Christians believe that in his Death and Resurrection were fully revealed God's love and his care for all creation. Jesus Christ is for us God made man, and made a part of the history of humanity. Precisely for this reason, Christian hope for the world and its future extends to every human person. Because of the radiant humanity of Christ, nothing genuinely human fails to touch the hearts of Christians. Faith in Christ does not impel us to intolerance. On the contrary, it obliges us to engage others in a respectful dialogue. Love of Christ does not distract us from interest in others, but rather invites us to responsibility for them, to the exclusion of no one and indeed, if anything, with a special concern for the weakest and the suffering. Thus, as we approach the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Christ, the Church asks only to be able to propose respectfully this message of salvation, and to be able to promote, in charity and service, the solidarity of the entire human family." -Address to the United Nations

"At the end of your National Anthem, one finds these words: "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust!'" America: may your trust always be in God and in none other. And then, "The star–spangled banner in triumph shall wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." Thank you, and God bless you all!" -Farewell address at the Baltimore airport

Visit 7, January 26-27, 1999

Where: St. Louis

The pope's final visit to the United States took him to St. Louis, sometimes called "The Rome of the West" for its many Catholic churches. His visit included a youth rally at an arena, Mass at the city's stadium, and vespers at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.

Along the way, he met with President Bill Clinton, civil rights leader Rosa Parks, and baseball players Mark McGuire and Stan Musial.

He asked then-governor Mel Carnahan to spare the life of triple-murderer Darrell Mease, whose original execution date had been set for that day- which the governor did, commuting his sentence to life without parole.

Though the pope's age- 78- showed during his 31-hour visit, his enthusiasm and joy attracted thousands of people and left a lasting impression on the city. The Mass he celebrated at the then-Trans World Dome is said to be the largest indoor gathering ever held in the U.S.

"I am told that there was much excitement in St. Louis during the recent baseball season, when two great players (Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa) were competing to break the home-run record. You can feel the same great enthusiasm as you train for a different goal: the goal of following Christ, the goal of bringing his message to the world. Each one of you belongs to Christ, and Christ belongs to you.

At Baptism you were claimed for Christ with the Sign of the Cross; you received the Catholic faith as a treasure to be shared with others. In Confirmation, you were sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and strengthened for your Christian mission and vocation. In the Eucharist, you receive the food that nourishes you for the spiritual challenges of each day.

I am especially pleased that so many of you had the opportunity today to receive the Sacrament of Penance, the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this Sacrament you experience the Savior's tender mercy and love in a most personal way, when you are freed from sin and from its ugly companion which is shame. Your burdens are lifted and you experience the joy of new life in Christ.

Your belonging to the Church can find no greater expression or support than by sharing in the Eucharist every Sunday in your parishes. Christ gives us the gift of his body and blood to make us one body, one spirit in him, to bring us more deeply into communion with him and with all the members of his Body, the Church. Make the Sunday celebration in your parishes a real encounter with Jesus in the community of his followers: this is an essential part of your 'training in devotion" to the Lord!' -Address to young people

"I will always remember St. Louis. I will remember all of you." -Final words at the cathedral of St. Louis

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D.C.'s First Papal Visit, 1979

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Streets are being shut down... Huge crowds are expected to overwhelm the Metro system... There are security concerns... For longtime Washingtonians, the excitement over Pope Francis's inaugural visit is like turning back the clock to 1979.

In October of that year, Pope John Paul II became the first sitting pope to visit D.C. when he came to our fair city at the end of a week-long U.S. Tour, which also included stops in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Des Moines. (For those keeping track, the 1979 trip was actually John Paul II's second trip to Washington, but his previous visit in 1976 had come before he became pope, when he was Cardinal Karol Joseph Wojtyla. So, technically it doesn't count as a papal visit. Just don't tell the folks in Alexandria's Parkfairfax neighborhood .)

Around 11:30am on October 6, the President's Marine One helicopter touched down near the Reflecting Pool and the pontiff stepped out to greet the crowd and dignitaries. Leaders from the Archdiocese of Washington greeted him before Mayor Marion Barry presented a key to the city.

Barry praised the pope as “a friend whose warmth and affection has deeply touched our thoughts, and whose eloquence and example has reminded a world too often absorbed with selfish gain that true greatness can only be achieved when the totality of life is committed to giving water to the thirsty, food to the hungry, joy to the hopeless, love to the stranger and comfort to the sick and oppressed.” [1]

After some pomp and circumstance, John Paul II was whisked up Connecticut Ave. to St. Matthew's Cathedral and then on to meetings with President Carter at the White House . Following the sit-down with the President, it was on to a meeting with the Organization of American States. The following day, the pope visited Catholic University for a prayer service and more meetings.

Of course all of this was just a precursor for the main event – a Sunday Mass on the National Mall, which officials predicted would attract 1 million worshipers, the biggest gathering ever; bigger than the civil rights demonstrations of the 1960s and the bicentennial celebration in 1976.

With crowds that size, planners anticipated problems. As The Washington Post put it in its “How-to Guide” for seeing the Pope, “The systems of the city are simply too small. Streets, buses, subway trains, food outlets, medical emergency facilities, yes, even restrooms, will be taxed far beyond ordinary capacity.” [2]

Metro General Manager Richard Page told riders to expect major delays.

The public should know that Metro is not going to be able to handle the crowd expecting to see the Pope. I predict that thousands of people will walk long distances and that there will be massive confusion. We're going to do the best we can. [3]

In an effort to avoid backups at the Farecard machines, Metro officials decided to institute a flat 50 cent fare, which would be collected in barrels by the gates. [4]

The warnings spurred early birds to stake out spots on the Mall on Saturday afternoon – 24 hours before the Mass was to begin. “Parents and their children, young couples and bands of young men and women unfolded their sleeping bags and began a joyous vigil until the next afternoon.... Most in the crowd were young, and as the guitars played and the voices rose in song, there was a sense that this was a bit of Woodstock—but without any scent of marijuana.” [5]

As it turned out, the crowds were much smaller than expected. When Pope John Paul II took the stage around 4pm, an estimated 175,000 people were in attendance. But for many of those who were there, the experience was spiritual. As Kay Sim of Chevy Chase told the Post , “This was the closest you can come to God outside of going to heaven. You felt you were in the presence of God.” [6]

• ^ Coleman, Milton and Athelia Knight, “The Greeting: Praise for Pope's 'Warmth,' His 'Eloquence and Example',” The Washington Post , 7 Oct. 1979: A7.
• ^ Valentine, Paul W. and Douglas B. Feaver, “A How-to Guide for Seeing the Pope Next Weekend,” The Washington Post , 30 Sep 1979: C1.
• ^ "Extra Transit Planned for Pope's Visit," The Washington Post , 14 Sep 1979: B4.
• ^ Maraniss, David A., "John Paul's Farewell Mass Celebrates Life: Pope's Farewell Mass Offers Celebration of Life," The Washington Post , 8 Oct 1979: A1.

About the Author

Mark Jones has called the D.C. area home since he was three years old. As a child he enjoyed taking family trips to Colonial Williamsburg and impersonating historical figures for elementary school book reports. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from Davidson College and a Master's in History and New Media from George Mason University. Prior to coming to WETA, Mark worked as an interpreter for the National Park Service at Arlington House: The Robert E. Lee Memorial, where (much to the amusement of his friends) he wore the "Smokey the Bear" hat as part of his uniform and occasionally donned period clothes. (Photos are classified.)

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APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II TO THE STUDENTS OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

Washington Sunday, 7 October 1979

Dear students of The Catholic University,

My first greeting on arriving at this campus is for you! To all of you I offer the peace and joy of our Lord Jesus Christ! I am told that you have held an all-night prayer vigil to ask God's blessing on my visit. Thank you most cordially for such a wonderful expression of communion with me, and for such a beautiful gift. I would like to talk to you at length: I would like to listen to you and know what you think about yourselves and the world. But the time I have been given is so short.

One thing you have told me already: by choosing to welcome me with the offering of your prayers, you have demonstrated that you understand what is most important in your lives—your contact with God, your searching for the meaning of life by listening to Christ as he speaks to you in the Scriptures. I am pleased to know that reflection on spiritual and religious values is part of your desire to live fully this time of your lives. Materialistic concerns and one-sided values are never sufficient to fill the heart and mind of a human person. A life reduced to the sole dimension of possessions, of consumer goods, of temporal concerns will never let you discover and enjoy the full richness of your humanity. It is only in God—in Jesus, God made man—that you will fully understand what you are. He will unveil to you the true greatness of yourselves: that you are redeemed by him and taken up in his love; that you are made truly free in him who said about himself : "If the son frees you, you will be free indeed" ( Jn 8:36).

I know that you, like students all over the world, are troubled by the problems that weigh on society around you and on the whole world. Look at those problems, explore them, study them and accept them as a challenge. But do it in the light of Christ. He is "the way, and the truth, and the life" ( Jn 14 :6). He put all human life in the dimension of truth and of authentic love. True knowledge and true freedom are in Jesus. Make Jesus always part of your hunger for truth and justice, and part of your dedication to the well-being of your fellow human beings.

Enjoy the privileges of your youth: the right to be dynamic, creative and spontaneous; the right to be full of hope and joy; the opportunity to explore the marvelous world of science and knowledge; and above all the chance to give of yourself to others in generous and joyful service.

I leave you now with this prayer: that the Lord Jesus will reveal himself to each one of you, that he will give you the strength to go out and profess that you are Christian, that he will show you that he alone can fill your hearts. Accept his freedom and embrace his truth, and be messengers of the certainty that you have been truly liberated through the death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This will be the new experience, the powerful experience, that will generate, through you, a more just society and a better world.

God bless you and may the joy of Jesus be always with you!

© Copyright 1979 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

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Mass on the Mall: October 7, 1979, Washington, D.C.

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In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI visited Washington and New York. Making his first visit to the US since his election in 2005, he was greeted on the White House lawn by the president, George Bush, plus a 21-gun salute and a serenade from a world-class opera singer.

The 265th pope gave a resounding endorsement of the role of religion in democratic society telling a crowd of thousands that ‘the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever’ in an age of extremism and terror. The following day he addressed the UN general assembly .

Visiting the US at the same time was Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, but, as Stephen Bates noted, he was never going to dominate the news agenda as ‘ passing popes will always outrank prime ministers .’

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Jimmy Carter

Visit of pope john paul ii white house statement..

President Carter welcomed His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the White House October 6, 1979. The Pope's visit to Washington concluded an historic week-long papal journey to six American cities.

In their private talks, the President and the Pope discussed, in particular, situations of concern to world peace and justice. They also reviewed ways of best serving the cause of peace, freedom, and justice in the world.

Sharing the belief that respect for human rights and the dignity of the individual must be the cornerstone of the domestic and international policies of nations, the Pope and the President underlined their support for international covenants on human rights and for international organizations and entities which serve the cause of human rights. They agreed that the international community must mobilize its concern and resources to deal with the problems of refugees, to protect human rights, and to prevent hunger and famine.

The President and the Pope urged all states to support humanitarian efforts to deal with the plight of starving people and refugees.

The Pope and the President agreed that the cause of peace in the world is served by international efforts to halt the proliferation of armaments and to eliminate the weapons of war.

The President discussed the importance of the Camp David accords and his efforts to end the bitter conflict in the Middle East. He emphasized the determination of the United States to seek a comprehensive peace, including resolution of the Palestinian and Jerusalem questions, the establishment of peace and stability in Lebanon, and genuine security for all countries in the Middle East. The Pope reiterated the special interest which the Holy See attaches to the Middle East peace process and to the need for an internationally acceptable solution to these grave problems.

The Pope and the President discussed the tragic situation in Northern Ireland. They jointly condemned resort to violence, by any party for any reason, and recalled the appeals which both have recently made for a peaceful solution.

The Pope reviewed his trips to Poland and to Mexico and stressed the universal longing for human dignity and freedom, which he had encountered during his pilgrimage.

The President and the Pope also discussed recent developments in southern Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The President noted that the United States seeks conditions of stability, prosperity, and peace in all these areas in the belief that these will promote human rights. The President emphasized that the international community, and especially the industrial nations, must undertake a greater effort to assist less developed countries to achieve a better way of life for their peoples. The Pope and the President agreed that efforts to advance human rights constitute the compelling idea of our times.

During the Pope's private talks with the President, Vice President Walter Mondale chaired a meeting of principal papal and U.S. advisers. On the Vatican side there were present: His Eminence Agostino Cardinal Casaroll, the Papal Secretary of State, His Excellency Archbishop Eduardo Martinez Somalo, the substitute Secretary of State, His Excellency Archbishop Jean Jadot, Apostolic Delegate in the United States, Monsignor Audrys Backis, the Undersecretary of the Council for Public Affairs of the Church, and others.

On the United States side there were present: Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, the President's National Security Adviser, Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, Deputy National Security Adviser David Aaron, Anne Wexler, Assistant to the President, the President's personal envoy to the Vatican, Ambassador Robert F. Wagner, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs George Vest, and others.

In addition to the topics discussed in the Oval Office, this meeting in the Cabinet Room reviewed the status of the SALT II treaty and the implementation of the Helsinki Final Act, to which both the Holy See and the United States are signatories. They viewed compliance with the provisions of the Final Act, to be examined at the 1980 Review Conference in Madrid, as essential for enlarging human rights and, in particular, freedom of conscience throughout the world.

Jimmy Carter, Visit of Pope John Paul II White House Statement. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/248785

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Personal Encounters

President jimmy carter - pope john paul ii’s visit to the white house, 1979.

In October 1979, when Pope John Paul II made his first papal pilgrimage to the United States, he took the country by storm. Describing himself as a “messenger of brotherhood and peace,” the pope traveled to six American cities preaching a message of freedom and human dignity to millions of Americans. Time magazine dubbed him “John Paul, Superstar,” for the enormous crowds that he drew and the wild enthusiasm they showed for him.

On October 6, President Carter welcomed him to the White House where the two men met privately in the Oval Office for an hour. At the start of the meeting, these two deeply religious men—each at the pinnacle of power in their respective spheres—agreed to speak not as diplomats, but as Christian brothers. Eventually, their discussions turned to world affairs. But first, the President asked the Pope how he handled the adulation; John Paul II, who ministered to the world’s 1.1 billion Catholics and stood up to tyrants and dictators around the world with an age-old message of hope, said that he prayed about that more than anything. President Carter’s notes from that historic meeting are shown here.

President Jimmy Carter’s notes from his private meeting with Pope John Paul II, October 6, 1979, front

Although his notes are sketchy, they show that the discussion included particular situations in the Philippines, China, Europe, South Korea, and the Middle East. The White House issued a statement that day stating that during the meeting “the Pope and the President agreed that efforts to advance human rights constitute the compelling idea of our times.”

National Archives, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Atlanta, Georgia

President Jimmy Carter’s notes from his private meeting with Pope John Paul II, October 6, 1979, reverse

President Jimmy Carter with Pope John Paul II, photograph by Bill Fitz-Patrick, October 6, 1979

Pope John Paul II was the first pope to ever visit the White House.

National Archives, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Atlanta, Georgia [NLJC-13525.15]

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Papal visits to the United States

Pope Francis’s visit this September marks the 10th time a Pope has visited the United States.

Since the Federal Government is heavily involved in a papal visit, and the National Archives holds the records of the Federal Government, we have documents related to all these events.

The first Pope to visit the United States was Pope Paul VI, who met with President Lyndon Johnson at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. This was Paul VI’s only visit to the United States.

Nearly 15 years passed before another papal visit. In 1979, Pope John Paul II came to the United States and became the first Pope to visit the White House. Pope John Paul II visited the United States a total seven of times.

On April 16, 2008, on his 81st birthday, Pope Benedict XVI visited President George W. Bush at the White House. This was the most recent papal visit until this week.

Search our Online Catalog for more documents and photographs of papal and other dignitaries’ visits.

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Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington DC

 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

The Saint John Paul II National Shrine , previously named The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, is a Roman Catholic museum located in Northeast Washington, DC next to Catholic University and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The cultural center offers interactive and multimedia exhibits that explore the Catholic Church and its role in history and society. The facility was renamed in April 2014, when Pope Francis declared John Paul II a saint. The center also displays personal memorabilia, photos, and artwork of the late Holy Father and serves as a research center and education facility promoting Catholic principles and faith.

The Shrine is open from 10:00 am to 5 pm daily. Check the official website for holiday, mass and exhibit hours. Admission to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine is by donation. Suggested Donation: $5 individuals; $15 families; $4 seniors and students

About Saint John Paul II

John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland. He served as Pope from 1978 to 2005. He was ordained in 1946, became the bishop of Ombi in 1958, and became the archbishop of Krakow in 1964. He was made a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1967, and in 1978 became the first non-Italian pope in more than 400 years. He was a vocal advocate for human rights and used his influence to effect political change. He died in Italy in 2005. He was declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in April 2014.

Permanent Exhibit

A Gift of Love: The Life of St. John Paul II. The exhibit is comprised of nine galleries created by renowned exhibit designers, Gallagher, and Associates, and traces the timeline of St. John Paul II’s life and legacy. Beginning with an introductory film, visitors learn about his birth and young adulthood in Nazi-occupied Poland , his vocation to the priesthood and his ministry as bishop during the Communist period, his election to the papacy in 1978, the major themes and events of his remarkable 26-year pontificate. The exhibit allows visitors to immerse themselves in the life and teachings of John Paul II, through personal artifacts, texts, images and interactive displays that illustrate the Pope’s historic election, his passion for “Christ, the Redeemer of Man” and his defense of the dignity of the human person.

The Shrine is an initiative of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization with approximately two million members around the world. Faithful to the mission and legacy of the John Paul II Cultural Center, which previously occupied the premises, the Knights began the renovations required to convert the building into its present form: a place of worship seamlessly integrated with a major permanent exhibition and opportunities for cultural and religious formation.

Address 3900 Harewood Road, NE Washington, DC Phone: 202-635-5400

Closest Metro station is Brookland/CUA

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The First Time a Pope Visited the U.S. Was Much More Complicated

A s the the world will see clearly this week, the United States knows how to make a big deal out of a papal visit. When Pope Francis arrives in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, it will begin days of fanfare everywhere from the White House to the United Nations.

Things were far more complicated when the first-ever papal visit to the U.S. took place almost exactly 50 years ago.

In 1965, Pope Paul VI planned a trip to New York in order to address the then-relatively-new United Nations and urge peace, especially as conflict between India and Pakistan was heating up.

The challenge for U.S. officials was that the nation didn’t have formal diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Many Americans believed that to do so would violate the separation of church and state and could give the Holy See undue influence. (Washington changed its mind in the early ’80s.) That lack for recognition meant that President Lyndon Johnson couldn’t treat Pope Paul VI like a visiting head of state. But nor could he ignore him. Snubbing the pope on his first ever visit to the U.S. would have been taken as an insult by Catholics the world over.

The solution? A clever bit of timing–or political ruse, depending on one’s perspective.

The White House said Johnson was already planning in New York for meetings. Given that, it would stand to reason that the two would find some to talk. Sure enough, the pope and the president met at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel to discuss how to make the world a more peaceful place. Other highlights of the papal visit included paying calls at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (where Pope Francis will attend Vespers on Thursday) and leading a Mass at Yankee Stadium (Pope Francis’ equivalent will be at Madison Square Garden).

And those aren’t the only ties between Pope Francis’ modern visit and Pope Paul’s inaugural trip: the dates for Paul VI’s visit to the United States were chosen, as TIME reported back then, to coincide with the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, on the idea that he was the namesake of San Francisco, which was where the United Nations was born. Of course, Saint Francis also inspired a certain someone who’ll be speaking at the U.N. in New York on Friday.

See Photos of Every Papal Visit to the U.S. in History

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Write to Lily Rothman at [email protected]

Pope John Paul II Cultural Center Circa 1998 - 2006

For a number of years this was the website for the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center located in Washington, DC. Content is from the site's 1998-2006 archived pages.

The current website for the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center is found at: www.jp2shrine.org/en/index.html

Pope John Paul II Cultural Center 3900 Harewood Road, NE, Washington, DC 20017 202-635-5400

Cultural Center's Advisory Board of Bishops

Discover the Cultural Center

Situated in a peaceful setting in northeast Washington, DC, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center offers an environment in which to explore one's own faith and learn about the role of faith in the new millennium. Using interactive and multimedia technologies, the Cultural Center artfully creates a memorable experience for people of all faiths.

On arriving, visitors are struck by the museum's breathtaking architectural design - an impressively modern form distinguished by a wing-shaped roof that seems to float above the facility. Already acclaimed for its strong architectural vision, the building creates an expectant tone for what awaits inside - a unique experience that engages the minds and nourishes the souls of all those who visit.

Benedict XVI ANGELUS Saint Peter's Square Fifth Sunday of Lent 2 April 2006

Dear Brothers and Sisters, On 2 April last year, just as today, in these very hours and here in this very apartment, beloved Pope John Paul II was living the last stage of his earthly pilgrimage, a pilgrimage of faith, love and hope which left a profound mark on the history of the Church and of humanity. His agony and death constitute, as it were, an extension of the Easter Triduum.

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, encourages the Cultural Center's efforts to bring the light of the Gospel and the richness of the Church's intellectual and artistic heritage to bear upon the great issues facing contemporary American society. It is his hope that its activities will always promote that sincere and respectful dialogue between the worlds of faith and culture which was so close to the heart of the late Holy Father, and in this way remain faithful to the lofty vision which inspired its founding.

-- Angelo Cardinal Sodano Secretary of State Vatican City

History of the Center

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has called us to be not afraid, but to boldly meet the challenges of the future in fidelity with the Gospel. In 1988, during a meeting with the Holy Father, the then Bishop Maida proposed the building of a Catholic Center that would help people address the challenges of faith and help inspire people in their faith. The concept of the Center developed into a cultural center inspired by the sentiment of the Holy Father that it must not focus on him but on the message, of not only of this Pope, but also, of his predecessors.

The Cultural Center incorporates three major entities. It is an interactive museum featuring modern technology that challenges the visitor to explore their faith and to interact with others in a dialogue about faith. It is an art museum featuring changing art exhibits from the Vatican Museums, as well as other art exhibits. It is, also, a place of scholarly research, exploring the concepts in Catholic thought that have been laid out by Pope John Paul II. With the concept of the Center established, the question became where this idea would be realized. The Holy Father selected Washington, DC, calling it the crossroads of the Third Millennium. The realization of the dream began in 1997 with the start of construction on the Center. The site chosen was a wooded 12 acres adjacent to The Catholic University of America and near both the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In November of 2000, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center was dedicated in a series of events with American Cardinals Maida, Hickey, Law, Bevilacqua and Keeler and the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo. The dedication served as a sneak peek for those who helped to create the Center through either financial donations or their labor.

In March 2001, the Center opened in a grand ceremony with the presence of President George W. Bush; the Governor of Vatican City, Cardinal Szoka; American Cardinals Maida, Hickey, Keeler, McCarrick and Law; Polish Cardinal Macharski; the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo and elected officials from the United States Congress.

Welcoming visitors to the Center is a statue donated by the Polish Conference of Catholic Bishops, as a sign of their support of the Center's mission. It was officially unveiled during Polonia Day celebrations held at the Center by Polish Cardinals Macharski and Gulbinowicz and American Cardinal Maida on June 9 of 2001. It currently rests on a bed of limestone that is sandblasted with the Center's logo. The logo is a symbol of the Center's mission, and it symbolizes all of the foundational ideas of the Center as a connection to the Bishop of Rome and as a place to challenge and explore one's faith.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the Shrine a national shrine on March 14, 2014.

"You have a facility that offers a unique social and spiritual atmosphere in a top-notch environment. ... your institution has the potential to impact peoples lives and our world in a positive way. We were extremely impressed and inspired by the presentation and effectiveness of your interactive displays."

Plan a Visit Circa 2006

The Saint John Paul II National Shrine welcomes pilgrims who wish to encounter Jesus Christ through the life and teachings of St. John Paul II. Visitors undertake a spiritual journey with this great saint and leave inspired to continue the New Evangelization he taught was the vocation of every Christian. Visitors can attend daily Mass and receive the sacraments in the Redemptor Hominis Church and venerate a first-class relic of St. John Paul II in the Luminous Mysteries Chapel

Pope John Paul II Cultural Center 3900 Harewood Road, NE Washington, DC 20017 Phone: 202-635-5400 Fax: 202-635-5411 E-mail: [email protected]

Hours of Operation Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 12 noon to 5 p.m. Please call 202-635-5400 for holiday schedule.

Admission Admission to the Cultural Center is by donation. Suggested Donation: $5 individuals; $15 families; $4 seniors and students

NOTE: According to the current website for the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, the center is: Open 365 days a year 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily No admission fee

Group Visits Group fee: $4 per person To book a group visit, please fill out the Group Reservation Form (see link above). For additional information about group visits, please e-mail [email protected] or call 202-635-5475.

Accessibility The Cultural Center is handicap accessible. Wheelchairs are available and provided free of charge. Please see Admissions Desk staff for assistance.

Café Light refreshments are available in the Café, including box lunches for $6.50 and soft drinks for $1.00. Visitors are at all times welcome to bring their own food and take advantage of the Café seating area.

Activities for Children Children 0-5: Build with blocks; create art rubbings of saints, angels and nature; ring the bells; play dress up; and watch Bible stories under a tent. Children 5-8: ring the bells; discover melody selections from Catholic hymnals; and create an electronic stained-glass window. Children 8 & up: participate in a scavenger hunt, available at the Admissions Desk.

Perhaps the best way to visualize the Center's mission is as a safe haven for those who are journeying on the road to Emmaus. As people come together here, they will, at some point, begin to share their faith. It is through learning about and facing the challenges of faith and also sharing with others along our journey of faith that we come to discover the very presence of God and understand our universal call to holiness as followers of Christ. It is the hope of the Center that it can provide the atmosphere and the resources needed for those who visit to discover their faith or to just reflect on their journey to Emmaus. And although each visitor's stay may be short, the Center invites us to put our faith into action.

It is this vision that makes the Center a place where people can discover the Church's past, participate in its present, and most importantly join in building its Third Millennium.

NEWS 2002-2006

May 2, 2006 Carmelite Lecture Examines the Many Facets of Mary at Pope John Paul II Cultural Center WASHINGTON - "Mary and Carmel," a talk by Rev. Emmanuel J. Sullivan, OCD, Ph.D., will examine the many dimensions of Mary as mother, patron, sister, and queen and her presence in the life of members of the Carmelite order at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on May 13 at 3 p.m.

April 24, 2006 Winners of National Essay Contest Announced Young Scholars Examine Pope John Paul II's Recipe for Peace WASHINGTON - Students who explored Pope John Paul II's guidelines for peace earned $23,000 in scholarships in the final round of competition in the national essay contest sponsored by the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on April 22.

April 19, 2006 Scholarships Announced CleanItSupply sponsors a merit based scholarship program Philadelphia - The janitorial supplies distributor has funded a merit based scholarship for Christian Studies in association with the Cultural Center. Applicants may apply during their junior and senior years for awards ranging from $2,500 to $5,000. Awards are announced in July for the following September school year.

First place winner Blaise Blain from Albuquerque received a $10,000 college scholarship for defense of his essay titled "A Christian Response to Terrorism." Second place went to Kelsye Gould from Rapid City, SD, who won a $5,000 scholarship for her essay and discourse "Pope John Paul II: A Pope for Peace." Third place winner Joseph Siddons of San Diego received a $3,000 college scholarship for his essay, "Just Another Day."

April 14, 2006 Pope's Play about Love Comes to Washington: The Jeweler's Shop Opens May 19 at Pope John Paul II Cultural Center WASHINGTON - Pope John Paul II's acclaimed play about the trials, tribulations and triumphs of love, The Jeweler's Shop, will open at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on May 19 for a limited engagement.

Newsday called this drama about love and family, "Marvelous. A message for our times." Gannett Newspapers described it as "surprisingly secular" and a "compelling evening of entertainment that touches the audience in unexpected ways."

The three-act play with musical introductions will run Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. from May 19 through June 18, except for Memorial Day weekend. The Jeweler's Shop was written by Karol Wojtyla in 1960 while he was bishop in Krakow.

February 14, 2006 Spirituality Lectures at Pope John Paul II Cultural Center WASHINGTON - The second lecture in the Carmelite spirituality lecture series will be presented at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on February 25 at 3:00 p.m. George Mangiaracina, OCD, S.L.L., will speak about Liturgical Spirituality. The talk bridges spirituality and liturgy with reflections on Vatican II teachings.

The lecture series, A Living Charism: Carmelite Spirituality for a Second Century, is sponsored by the Institute of Carmelite Studies and commemorates 100 years of the Discalced Carmelite Friars in the United States.

March 9, 2005 Nelson Shanks' Papal Portrait Now on View at Pope John Paul II Cultural Center Museums WASHINGTON - A portrait of Pope John Paul II by famed portrait painter Nelson Shanks is on display at the Museums at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. The stunning oil on canvas portrait portrays the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica, offering benediction in the area known as the Great Crossing. The portrait, on extended loan, is on view in the Cultural Center's Lower Level. Prior to its display at the Cultural Center, the portrait traveled with the exhibit St. Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes to four American cities in 2003-2004. Shanks completed the portrait in October 2002.

July 8, 2004 Papal Tapestry Finds Permanent Home At Pope John Paul II Cultural Center Museums Washington, DC -A tapestry that was the backdrop for Pope John Paul II as he celebrated Mass in Central Park during his 1995 visit to the United States has finally found a permanent home at the Museums at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. The Family of Christ tapestry now hangs prominently in the Cultural Center's rotunda. The 55-foot wide, 19-foot high hand-made tapestry depicts families of every nationality placed in the shape of a cross with Christ in the middle, symbolizing the inclusiveness of the Church.

January 13, 2003 Visit Solomon's Temple New Museum Exhibit Opens at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

Washington, DC - An exhibit of five detailed models of the temples that were built on the Ancient Temple Mount in Jerusalem opens at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center January 31 and runs through January 11, 2004.

May 1, 2002 Prized Portrait of Popular Saint On View at Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

Washington, DC - A unique, almost life-size, painting of one of the 20th Century's most revered saints now graces a special place at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. A portrait of St. Therese of Lisieux, affectionately known by Catholics throughout the world as the Little Flower, hangs in the chapel at the Cultural Center. The portrait, painted by her sister Celine Martin (Sister Genevieve), who, like St. Therese, was a nun of the Carmel of Lisieux, is a gift from the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Philadelphia. The extraordinary portrait was considered one of their most prized possessions.

John XXIII and John Paul II: Pastors in the midst of the people

By Alessandro Gisotti

Who are the saints? First of all, they are not “supermen”, as Francis has so often reminded us. Yet in the collective imagination, even of non-believers, holiness is synonymous with exceptionality. If your name is on the calendar – one could say facetiously – it is certainly due to a life lived in an extraordinary way.

Pope Francis, however, speaking precisely on this point, has emphasized – in an Apostolic Exhortation that would perhaps repay further and deeper study – that all the baptised are called to holiness, to be “saints next door”, who are far more numerous than those included on the Church’s calendar. Holiness, the Pontiff wrote in Gaudete et exsultate , is seen “in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile”.

John XXIII and John Paul II believed wholeheartedly in this holiness of the People of God, a patient people who know how to entrust themselves to the Father and let themselves be guided by Him, and on 27 April ten years ago they were proclaimed saints in a St Peter’s Square packed with the faithful.

Angelo Roncalli and Karol Wojtyła – in Venice and Krakow respectively, and later during their Petrine ministry in Rome – were “shepherds with the smell of sheep”, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio would say today. They lived as shepherds in the midst of the people without fear of touching the wounds of Christ, wounds visible in the sufferings of sisters and brothers who make up that Body that is the Church. The Second Vatican Council – born from the docile and courageous heart of John XXIII and which had in the young bishop Karol Wojtyla one of its most passionate supporters – has put the image of the Body of Christ back at the centre of ecclesial life, linking it to the springtime experience of the first Christian community related in the Acts of the Apostles.

We are living in a time of great upheaval: in recent years, first the pandemic, then the war in Ukraine, and now the new conflict in the Middle East have come together, sowing pain, fear, and a sense of turmoil that, thanks to globalisation, now seems to be a constitutive dimension of humanity as a whole. Yet the times in which Roncalli and Wojtyła lived were no less complex, no less marked by fear of the annihilation of the human race. John XXIII, elderly and ill, was faced with the Cuban Missile Crisis in the opening days of the Council. John Paul II, who as a priest had experienced the Nazi horror in his native Poland and as a bishop the suffocating Communist dictatorship, as Pope faced, with prophetic tenacity, the confrontation between the two blocs of the Cold War leading up to the dramatic dissolution of the Soviet Union and the consequent illusion of the “end of history”.

These two 20th-century popes did not respond to the tragedies of their time with resignation and pessimism. They did not join the litany of the “prophets of doom” who then, as now, seemed to prefer to complain about what is wrong rather than roll up their sleeves to help make things better. As Pope Francis emphasised in the homily of the Mass for their canonisation, in John XXIII and John Paul II “faith was more powerful – faith in Jesus Christ the Redeemer of man and the Lord of history”, a faith that manifested itself in the joy and hope that only those who have encountered Christ in their lives can testify.

“Such were the hope and the joy which these two holy popes had received as a gift from the risen Lord,” Pope Francis noted in his homily, “and which they in turn bestowed in abundance upon the People of God, meriting our eternal gratitude”. That gratitude to the two saints does not fade with the passing of the years, but rather grows in the conviction that now from Heaven they can intercede for the Church, for the People of God, whom in their earthly lives they served with love and self-denial.

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Pope visits Venice to speak to the artists and inmates behind the Biennale's must-see prison show

VENICE, Italy — Venice has always been a place of contrasts, of breathtaking beauty and devastating fragility, where history, religion, art and nature have collided over the centuries to produce an otherworldly gem of a city. But even for a place that prides itself on its culture of unusual encounters, Pope Francis’ visit Sunday stood out.

Francis traveled to the lagoon city to visit the Holy See’s pavilion at the Biennale contemporary art show and meet with the people who created it. But because the Vatican decided to mount its exhibit in Venice’s women’s prison, and invited inmates to collaborate with the artists , the whole project assumed a far more complex meaning, touching on Francis’ belief in the power of art to uplift and unite, and of the need to give hope and solidarity to society’s most marginalized.

Francis hit on both messages during his visit, which began in the courtyard of the Giudecca prison where he met with the women inmates one by one. As some of them wept, Francis urged them to use their time in prison as a chance for “moral and material rebirth.”

“Paradoxically, a stay in prison can mark the beginning of something new, through the rediscovery of the unsuspected beauty in us and in others, as symbolized by the artistic event you are hosting and the project to which you actively contribute,” Francis said.

Francis then met with Biennale artists in the prison chapel, decorated with an installation by Brazilian visual artist Sonia Gomes of objects dangling from the ceiling, meant to draw the viewer’s gaze upward. He urged the artists to embrace the Biennale’s theme this year “Strangers Everywhere,” to show solidarity with all those on the margins.

The Vatican exhibit has turned the Giudecca prison, a former convent for reformed prostitutes, into one of the must-see attractions of this year’s Biennale, even though to see it visitors must reserve in advance and go through a security check. It has become an unusual art world darling that greets visitors at the entrance with Maurizio Cattelan’s wall mural of two giant filthy feet , a work that recalls Caravaggio’s dirty feet or the feet that Francis washes each year in a Holy Thursday ritual that he routinely performs on prisoners.

The exhibit also includes a short film starring the inmates and Zoe Saldana, and prints in the prison coffee shop by onetime Catholic nun and American social activist Corita Kent.

Francis’ dizzying morning visit, which ended with Mass in St. Mark’s Square, represented an increasingly rare outing for the 87-year-old pontiff, who has been hobbled by health and mobility problems that have ruled out any foreign trips so far this year.

And Venice, with its 121 islands and 436 bridges, isn’t an easy place to negotiate. But Francis pulled it off, arriving by helicopter from Rome, crossing the Giudecca Canal in a water taxi and then arriving in St. Mark’s Square in a mini popemobile that traversed the Grand Canal via a pontoon bridge erected for the occasion.

During an encounter with young people at the iconic Santa Maria della Salute basilica, Francis acknowledged the miracle that is Venice, admiring its “enchanting beaty” and tradition as a place of East-West encounter, but warning that it is increasingly vulnerable to climate change and depopulation.

“Venice is at one with the waters upon which it sits,” Francis said. “Without the care and safeguarding of this natural environment, it might even cease to exist.”

Venice, sinking under rising sea levels and weighed down by the impact of overtourism, is in the opening days of an experiment to try to limit the sort of day trips that Francis undertook Sunday.

Venetian authorities last week launched a pilot program to charge day-trippers 5 euros ($5.35) apiece on peak travel days. The aim is to encourage them to stay longer or come at off-peak times, to cut down on crowds and make the city more livable for its dwindling number of residents.

For Venice’s Catholic patriarch, Archbishop Francesco Moraglia, the new tax program is a worthwhile experiment, a potential necessary evil to try to preserve Venice as a livable city for visitors and residents alike.

Moraglia said Francis’ visit — the first by a pope to the Biennale — was a welcome boost, especially for the women of the Giudecca prison who participated in the exhibit as tour guides and as protagonists in some of the artworks.

He acknowledged that Venice over the centuries has had a long, complicated, love-hate relationship with the papacy, despite its central importance to Christianity.

The relics of St. Mark — the top aide to St. Peter, the first pope — are held here in the basilica, which is one of the most important and spectacular in all of Christendom. Several popes have hailed from Venice — in the past century alone three pontiffs were elected after being Venice patriarchs. And Venice hosted the last conclave held outside the Vatican: the 1799-1800 vote that elected Pope Paul VII.

But for centuries before that, relations between the independent Venetian Republic and the Papal States were anything but cordial as the two sides dueled over control of the church. Popes in Rome issued interdicts against Venice that essentially excommunicated the entire territory. Venice flexed its muscles back by expelling entire religious orders, including Francis’ own Jesuits.

“It’s a history of contrasts because they were two competitors for so many centuries,” said Giovanni Maria Vian, a church historian and retired editor of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano whose family hails from Venice. “The papacy wanted to control everything, and Venice jealously guarded its independence.”

Moraglia said that troubled history is long past and that Venice was welcoming Francis with open arms and gratitude, in keeping with its history as a bridge between cultures.

“The history of Venice, the DNA of Venice — beyond the language of beauty and culture that unifies — there’s this historic character that says that Venice has always been a place of encounter,” he said.

Francis said as much as he closed out Mass in St. Mark’s before an estimated 10,500 people.

“Venice, which has always been a place of encounter and cultural exchange, is called to be a sign of beauty available to all,” Francis said. “Starting with the least, a sign of fraternity and care for our common home.”

Winfield reported from Rome. Associated Press writer Colleen Barry contributed.