Posted on 11/10/2023 4:16:16 PM PST by RandFan
@fasc1nate
In 1981, Mehmet Ali Agca pulled a gun and shot Pope John Paul II during a procession in St. Peter's Square.
Though critically wounded, the Pope survived four gunshot wounds to his abdomen. Following the shooting, Pope John Paul II asked people to "pray for my brother…whom I have sincerely forgiven".
In 1983, Pope John Paul II and Agca met and spoke privately at the prison where Agca was being held. The Pope brought the photographer and the cameramen because he wanted the image in that cell to be shown around the world.
In 2000, the Pope requested a pardon for Agca from President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, which was granted.
Agca, while serving his prison sentence in 2007, converted to Christianity. In 2014, he visited Pope John Paul II's tomb and left flowers as a gesture of respect.
(Excerpt) Read more at twitter.com ...
Extraordinary....
I remember that. What a great man he was.
Yeah he was lucky to survive. Mehmet Ali Agca was also lucky he survived. If he hadn’t he would have never left that prison alive. I really was unaware that he had been released at the request of the Pope, or I had forgotten. I think I just never heard it though.
John Paul II (wh was a great man) forgave his would-be killer, but did Agcachange his mind snd repent? Hardly!
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2006/11/pope_insulted_by_attempted_ass.html
And then some history:
It was big news at the time
Remember it well. From what i remember the Russians hired a muslim to do the job.
I actually saw him in October, 1979 at Madison Square Garden when he came to America soon after being announced Pope. They gave all the Catholic HS in the archdiocese tickets for the students to attend- i was a student at JFK HS. I went with two buddies for a day in NYC and seeing JP II was incredible beyond all my expectations. We snuck downstairs and we were right there when they put the little girl on the top of his truck. Her father was NYPD and had died a few month earlier. Her father served with my dad, who was NYPD for 23 years. We were all over the news that night and in the papers the next day.
Ironically i was in St Pats Cathedral with my young daughter when he finally passed on. Still have his obituary card hanging right here near my desk- a great man i always admired.
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/pope-john-paul-ii-at-msg-36-years-later/
You remember well!
To further refresh your memory see the link I posted above by Paul Kengor who wrote a book on John Paul II and Ronald Reagan:
Remarkable story thanks for posting !
All before I was born:))
the soviets were skeeerd sh!tless of him
iirc he threatened to quit being pope and return to Poland as the Vicar of Warsaw...
I was blessed to be able to see JPII twice: Once when I was part of an AF security detail when he made a stop on Guam—I was only a few feet from him— and the second time a few years later when he celebrated a Mass at Dodger Stadium. The man absolutely glowed with holiness.
He’s burning in hell along with all the other popes.
It’s all true. Pope St. John Paul II inspired untold conversions in his lifetime. One of the greatest men of our, or any, time.
“He’s burning in hell along with all the other popes.” I sure hope not. Hell is a bad place to be stuck in. JP II shows up in exorcisms today along with St. Joan of Arc and other warrior saints.
Who died and made you the judge of souls?
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