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A faithful prays in front of Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Thursday. Pope John Paul's frail health has sent waves of anxiety around the Roman Catholic world.
HERE ARE SOME STATISTICS RELATING TO
THE HISTORIC PAPACY OF POPE JOHN PAUL II, WHICH BEGAN ON OCTOBER 16, 1978:
THE POPE has so far reigned for 26 years, five months and 15 days, the third-longest pontificate in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, which spans some 2,000 years.
The longest papal reign is believed to be that of
St. Peter, who presided for at least 34 years. There were a number of popes who ruled for a month or
less in the Middle Ages.
One man, Stephen II, was elected in 757 but died
four days later, before he was officially installed. The shortest reign in modern times was that of John Paul II's predecessor, John Paul I, who reigned for just 33 days.
DURING HIS PONTIFICATE, POPE JOHN PAUL HAS:
Travelled a total of 1,247,613 km (775,231 miles), or 3.24 times the distance from Earth to the Moon, in papal trips inside and outside Italy.
Made 104 trips outside Italy.
Visited 129 different countries and territories.
Made 146 trips in Italy.
Made 301 visits to parishes in Rome.
Spent 822 days, or over two years and three months, outside the Vatican.
Read more than 20,000 addresses.
Read nearly 100,000 pages of addresses.
Held more than 1,160 general audiences at the Vatican that have been attended by more than
17.64 million people.
Issued more than 100 major documents, including 14 encyclicals, 45 apostolic letters, 14 apostolic exhortations and 11 apostolic constitutions.
Beatified 1,338 people, more than all of his
predecessors in the last four centuries combined.
Canonised 482 people, more than all of his
predecessors in the last four centuries combined.
Appointed 231 cardinals, of whom 183 are still alive and 119 under the age of 80 and eligible to enter the conclave to elect a new pope. Of these 119, 116 have been appointed by John Paul and only three by Paul VI, who reigned from 1963 to 1978.
Held talks with more than 1,590 heads of state
or government.
