Highlights of Pope John Paul II's papacy

April 2, 2005

Page 2 of 3 -- -- May 18: 75th birthday.

-- Sept. 6: After trying for months to portray Vatican as champion of women's rights ahead of U.N. conference on women, says women have special role in church but still can't be priests.

-- Oct. 4-9: On U.S. visit, celebrates Mass in New York's Central Park, breaks bread with poor at Baltimore soup kitchen and tells U.N. General Assembly it should become "moral center" where all nations feel at home.

Look for a special commemorative section about the life of the late Pope John Paul II in the Boston Sunday Globe.

-- Feb. 23, 1996: Vatican issues new rule book for papal conclave, requiring technicians to sweep Sistine Chapel for bugs and banning cell phones.

-- Oct. 8: Undergoes surgery to remove appendix. Released from hospital Oct. 15.

-- Nov. 10: Celebrates 50th anniversary as priest, urges struggling priests to stay true to church.

-- Nov. 16: Autobiography, "Gift and Mystery," published, tracing pope's journey to priesthood during World War II and reflections as prelate.

-- March 10, 1997: Vatican establishes diplomatic relations with Libya, overriding U.S. objections.

-- April 12-13: Visits Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, after planned 1994 trip was scrapped because of war.

-- May 10-11: Visits Beirut, Lebanon, and urges Christians and Muslims to make peace in war-battered country.

-- May 31-June 10: During visit to Poland, gathers seven European presidents and tells them Europe cannot ignore Christian roots or be exclusive club for rich.

-- Jan. 21-26, 1998: Visits Cuba for first time.

-- Feb. 12: Cuba announces it will release dozens of prisoners in first concrete result of papal visit.

-- Feb. 21: Elevates 22 prelates to rank of cardinal, including Chicago Archbishop Francis George and Denver Archbishop J. Francis Stafford.

-- March 16: Vatican issues "We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah (Holocaust)," expressing remorse for cowardice of some Christians during World War II but defending actions of wartime Pope Pius XII.

-- May 4: Swiss Guard trooper at Vatican kills commander and commander's wife, then self.

-- Oct. 11: Declares Edith Stein a saint, first Jewish-born saint of modern era.

-- Oct. 19: Celebrates 20th anniversary as pope, asks for prayers to fulfill his mission "until the end."

-- Jan. 22-28, 1999: Visits Mexico 20 years after first papal trip there, meets with President Clinton in St. Louis at height of Monica Lewinsky scandal.

-- March 1: Vatican confirms pope has waived five-year waiting period and begun beatification process for Mother Teresa.

-- Dec. 11: Celebrates completion of $3 million restoration of Sistine Chapel.

-- Dec. 24: Ushers in Vatican millennium Jubilee year by opening Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.

-- March 20-26, 2000: Makes first trip to Holy Land and expresses sorrow for suffering of Jews at Christian hands in note left at Jerusalem's Western Wall.

-- Sept. 3: Beatifies much-attacked Pope Pius IX and much-loved Pope John XXIII in one of most disputed acts of papacy. Continued...

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