Pope John Paul II arrived in Miami, Florida, on this historic day, September 10, 1987, to begin a ten-day tour of the United States. He was greeted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, as well as thousands of well-wishers.
“I come as a pilgrim, a pilgrim in the cause of justice, peace and human solidarity, striving to build the one human family,” Pope John Paul II said that day, reading his remarks in English on a stage set up under a canopy at Miami International Airport, The New York Times reported.
The enthusiastic audience of thousands waved flags and wore the papal colours of yellow and white.
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In his remarks upon the Pope's arrival, President Reagan referred to the heat of Florida.
“The sunshine in Florida today,” Reagan told the Pope, “is no warmer than the welcome he will receive in this country,” according to several sources.
Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) appears with his arms raised in greeting after a speech at St. Patrick's College Chapel, Maynooth, Ireland, October 1979. (Chuck Fishman/Getty Images)
Over the course of his nearly 27-year pontificate, Pope John Paul II would make seven separate visits to the United States — five of significant length and two brief stops during which he nonetheless left a lasting impression, according to the Catholic News Agency.
During his visit to Miami in September, according to the Archdiocese of Miami, he recalled these events:
- He met with representatives of the country's priests at St. Martha's Church in Miami Shores
- He attended a groundbreaking meeting with representatives of the American Jewish community, which began to pave the way for eventual recognition of the State of Israel by the Vatican.
- He paraded down Biscayne Boulevard in his “Popemobile”
- He celebrated an open-air Mass in Tamiami Park attended by more than 200,000 people. “The Mass was interrupted by lightning and thunder, and the Pope finished the celebration in a trailer behind the huge altar and then went outside to bless the few who had waited out the storm,” the same source said.
“The theme of the visit was unity, and Miami's multiculturalism was on full display, with Cuban flags and banners of Solidarity with Poland; music in Spanish, Creole, English and Gregorian chant; and Mass celebrated in three languages,” the Archdiocese of Miami also said.
Pope John Paul II, circa 1983, in Milan, Italy. In addition to Miami, the pontiff visited Columbia (South Carolina), New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Francisco and Detroit. (Press Images/IMAGES/Getty Images)
In addition to Miami, the pontiff visited Columbia (South Carolina), New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Francisco and Detroit.
“This trip was the longest of St. John Paul II's visits to the United States, and his first to the contiguous West Coast,” the Catholic News Agency noted.
“Miami's multiculturalism was on full display, with Cuban flags and banners of solidarity with Poland; music in Spanish, Creole, English and Gregorian chant; and Mass celebrated in three languages.”
Notable episodes after his stay in Miami include addressing representatives of black Catholics at the Superdome in New Orleans; attending an ecumenical conference on the campus of the University of South Carolina; celebrating a Mass in San Antonio with an attendance of about 275,000 people; visiting 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 of the communications industry in Los Angeles, the source said.
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Pope John Paul II was born in Wadowice, Poland, on May 18, 1920, as Karol Wojtyla.
He was elected Pope on 16 October 1978 and held office until his death on 2 April 2005.
Pope John Paul II was born Karol Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland, on 18 May 1920. He was elected Pope on 16 October 1978 and served until his death on 2 April 2005. (Bernard Bisson/Sygma/Getty Images)
He was a Pope who did many things for the first time.
He was the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century and the most traveled pope in history, visiting 129 countries, including Cuba and Haiti, the Catholic News Agency reported.
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He was also the first Pope to visit the White House (1979); the first to travel to the United Kingdom and pray with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury (1982); the first to visit Egypt and meet with the Coptic Pope and the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria (2000); the first to visit Greece and pray in a mosque (2001); the first to visit and celebrate Mass at Auschwitz (1979); the first to set foot in a Jewish synagogue since the early days of Christianity (Rome, 1986); and the first to pray at the Wailing Wall during a visit to Jerusalem (2000), according to the same source.
Pope John Paul II is remembered for his successful efforts to end communism, as well as for building bridges with people of other faiths.
On April 2, 2005, John Paul II died at his home in the Vatican.
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He was 84 years old.
Six days later, two million people packed Vatican City for his funeral, History.com said.
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Pope John Paul II is remembered for his successful efforts to end communism, as well as for building bridges with people of other faiths and issuing the Catholic Church's first apology for its actions during World War II, the source said.
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Pope John Paul II was succeeded by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Francis then succeeded Pope Benedict in March 2013 and canonized John Paul II in April 2014.
