President George W. Bush greets the Pope during their meeting at the Vatican June 4, 2004.
Assassination attempt
John Paul II has gone on to become the most widely travelled pope in history. His advisers warned him that his growing influence could make him an assassination target, but he kept up the pace of public appearances. On 13 May 1981 he was shot and seriously wounded by a hired would-be assassin in St Peter's Square as he leaned out of his vehicle. He is pictured here just moments after the shooting.
Forgiveness
After a long recovery he met the Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca and offered forgiveness. In May 2000 the Vatican revealed that in 1917 three children in Portugal had seen a prophetic vision of the assassination attempt. This was the so-called third secret of Fatima - kept secret for decades - which was revealed to coincide with a visit by the Pope to the shrine of Fatima. He believed the Virgin of Fatima had saved his life.
World tours
Security around the Pope has been tight since the 1981 attempt on his life. His regular foreign tours have given the world a new word - Popemobile. The glass-sided, bullet-proof cars, where John Paul II stands and waves to the crowds, have become a familiar sight. He is pictured here on a trip to the Czech Republic.
Historic moments
The Pope has seen many political changes across the world including the fall of Communism in eastern Europe and the end of apartheid in South Africa. In September 1995 he visited South Africa and is pictured in Johannesburg with the country's first black President, Nelson Mandela.
Ill health
In recent years Pope John Paul II has been dogged by arthritis and Parkinson's Disease. He had a hip replacement operation in April 1994 and on a trip to France in 1996 he collapsed. But he has continued to travel widely. In January 1998 the Pope visited Cuba and was greeted by Fidel Castro, the Communist leader of a traditionally Roman Catholic country.
Medal History
Forgiveness
World tours
Historic moments
Ill health
