Papież portret

Pope John Paul II blesses a crowd of Catholic worshippers before celebrating Mass in the Nigerian capital of Abuja Monday, March 23, 1998. Pope John P...

Pope John Paul II delivers his traditional ''Urbi et Orbi'' "To the city and the world" Christmas day blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter's...

Pope John Paul II waves to faithfuls as he arrives to Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997, to attend the Festival of Witnesses....

Pope John Paul II attend the Festival of Witnesses at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997. The Pontiff condemned abortion as th...

Pope John Paul II attends the celebration of first beatification mass ever held in Paris at Notre Dame cathedral Friday Aug.22,1997. The 77-year-old...

Pope John Paul II gives a blessing to believers on a ski jumping range in Zakopane, southern Poland, Friday June 6, 1997. The Pope is on an eleven-day...

Pope John Paul II prays during a Mass in the cathedral of Gniezno, Tuesday, June 3, 1997. The Pope is on an eleven-day tour through his home country....

Pope John Paul II blesses an applauding crowd outside of the Czech Papal Nunciate Friday April 25, 1997 from his "Popemobile" during the first of a th...

Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful during his weekly general audience at the Vatican Wenesday April 9 1997. In background, St. Peter's Basilica. T...

Pope John Paul II holds crucifix and a sprig of olive as he waves to pilgrims and faithful while touring St. Peter's square after he celebrated Palm S...

FILE--Pope John Paul II prays intensely during the feast of the Immaculate Conception at the Spanish Steps in Rome, December 8, 1995. (AP Photo/Giulio...

Pope John Paul II attends a meeting with the young after celebrating a mass in the Roman parish church of Santa Maria della Speranza (St. Mary of the...

Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful in the church of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Rome where he celebrated a traditional thanksgiving Te Deum mass, ma...

Pope John Paul II gives his ''Urbi et Orbi'' (Latin for to the City and to the World) Christmas' Day blessing from the main balcony of the St. Peter's...

Pope John Paul II waves as he enters St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Sunday, November 10, 1996. The Pontiff, and priests he invited from around th...

Pope John Paul II gives his blessing during a solemn mass inside St. Peters Basilica Sunday, November 10 1996. The Pontiff, and priests he invited fro...

Pope John Paul II waves from his open car as he leaves the Gemelli Hospital after doctors pronounced him well-healed from surgery Tuesday October 15,...

Pope John Paul II delivers a special greeting to the faithful gathered under his window at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome Sunday, Oct. 13, 1996, after t...

Pope John Paul II prays during the beatification ceremony in St. Peter's Square where 16 people were elevated toward possible sainthood, at the Vatica...

Pope John Paul II has this intensive expression during the beatification ceremony in St. Peter's Square where 16 people were elevated toward possible...

Pope John Paul II waves to faithful during a group audience at the Vatican Saturday, October 5, 1996. The Pope addressed 25,000 pilgrims from an organ...

FILE--Pope John Paul II prays intensely during the feast of the immaculate conception at the Spanish Steps in Rome, December 8, 1995. (AP Photo/Giulio...

Pope John Paul II blesses worshippers upon his arrival to celebrate mass for an estimated crowd of over 75,000 at Saint Anne d'Auray in western France...

Pope John Paul II blesses worshippers inside St Laurent Sur Sevres Basilica before Vespers Thursday Sept 19 1996. John Paul, on a four-day visit to Fr...

Pope John Paul II sits during Verpers in Pannohalma Abbey Friday Sept 6 1996. Snubbed by a Russian church leader, Pope John Paul II turned to his ow...

Pope John Paul II prays during his appearance at the window of his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of Rom...

Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful from the balcony of his summer palace at Castel Gandolfo at noon Thursday Aug.15, 1996. The Pontiff was report...

Pope John Paul II greets faithful from the balcony of his summer residence in Castelgandolfo, Sunday August 4, 1996. During his message, the Pope pra...

Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful during Sunday's noon blessing in a piazza of the small mountain resort of Pieve di Cadore in the Italian Alps J...

Pope John Paul II holds the crucifix during ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica Saturday, June 29, 1996 in which he gave the Pallium to 31 Archbishops. T...

Pope John Paul II welcomes the worshippers at the beginning of a Mass in Paderborn, Saturday, June 22, 1996. The Pope is on a three-day-visit to Germa...

Pope John Paul II wipes his eye during a ecumenical prayer service at the Paderborn's cathedral Saturday June 22, 1996. The pontiff stays in Germany f...

Pope John Paul II. welcomes worshippers at the beginning of a mass in Paderborn, Saturday, June 22, 1996. The Pope is on a three-day visit to Germany....

Pope John Paul II waves from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square after the noon blessing Sunday June 9, 1996. Speaking to a crowd...

Pope John Paul II delivers his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" (Latin for "to the City and the World") blessing to the faithful from the central balcony of...

Pope John Paul II blesses the faithful in St. Peter's square from the window of his apartment at the Vatican Sunday, February 18 1996. The Pope, who o...

Pope John Paul II waves to a crowd before celebrating Mass at the Virgin of Coromoto cathedral near Gunare, Venezuela, Saturday Feb. 10, 1996. An enth...

Pope John Paul II holds a candle during the Candlemas celebration in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Friday , February 2, 1996, The Candlemas is t...

Pope John Paul II speaks from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square during the noon blessing ceremony Sunday Dec. 31, 1995. The Pope...

Pope John Paul II blesses faithful from the window of his apartment overlooking St. Peter's Square Tuesday, Dec. 26, 1995. A day after illness forced...

Pope John Paul II waves to the faithful from the window of his apartment overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sunday Oct. 15, 1995. The pope...

Pope John Paul II prays while visiting the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore Sunday Oct. 8, 1995. (AP Photo/Joe Marquette)

Pope John Paul II waves to the cheers of Catholic followers as he arrives at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y. Friday evening Oct. 6, 1995. The p...

Pope John Paul II is seen after his arrival to the United Nations Thursday Oct. 5, 1995. The pope visited the United Nations Thursday for the first ti...

Pope John Paul II waves to the crowd at Giants Stadium holding a crucifix during a Mass in East Rutherford, N.J., Thursday, Oct. 5, 1995. (AP Photo/PO...

Pope John Paul II waves to crowds from the altar as he prepares to celebrate Mass at Gosforth Park near Johannesburg Sept. 17 1995. The Roman Catholic...

Pope John Paul II makes a blessing from the altar during the celebration of an open-air mass in the huge concave of Montorso, near Loreto, attended by...

Pope John Paul II greets spectators during a mass in Kosice, eastern Slovakia Sunday, July 2, 1995. More than one hundred thousand people came to an a...

Pope John Paul II's cape blows in the wind, as he waves to the crowd at the beginning of a Mass at the Kaplicowka Hill (Chapel Hill) in the Polish cit...

Pope John Paul II greets faithful from the papal chair situated on the threshold of St. Peter's Basilica Wednesday, April 26, 1995 to celebrate the we...