Pastoral Visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Jamaica, Merida and Denver, August 9-16, 1993.

POPE JOHN PAUL II,.

Item Number: 140102

Vatican City: Typus Vaticanus, 1993.

First edition of this work commemorating Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to the the Western World. Octavo, original gilt stamped white roan with Papal arms on upper cover, with three attached silk bookmarks, text in English, Spanish and some prayers in Latin. Signed by Pope John Paul on the title page of the Denver service. During his reign, Pope John Paul II (“The Pilgrim Pope”) made 104 foreign trips, more than all previous popes combined. The 1993 World Youth Day was held on August 10-15, 1993 in Denver, Colorado. It was the first World Youth Day held in either North America or an English-speaking nation. The event took place in the context of the pope’s sixtieth apostolic journey, on which, before reaching Denver, he had stopped in Jamaica and Mexico. In fine condition. Housed in a custom slipcase. Books signed by him are rare.

Pope John Paul II was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his death in 2005. He was later canonized as Pope Saint John Paul II. Cardinal Wojtyła was elected pope on the third day of the second papal conclave of 1978, which was called after John Paul I, who had been elected in the first papal conclave of 1978 earlier in August to succeed Pope Paul VI, died after 33 days. Wojtyła adopted the name of his predecessor in tribute to him. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century and the second longest-serving pope after Pius IX in modern history. John Paul II attempted to improve the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He maintained the church's previous positions on such matters as abortion, artificial contraception, the ordination of women, and a celibate clergy, and although he supported the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, he was seen as generally conservative in their interpretation. He was one of the most travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,344, and also canonized 483 people, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. By the time of his death, he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated many of the world's bishops, and ordained many priests. He has been credited with helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and the rest of Europe.