![Pope John Paul II watches a priests blessing the altar with incense during an open-air mass in Lourdes, August 15, 2004. Sometimes strong and sometimes slurred, Pope John Paul struggled through his Pope John Paul II watches a priests blessing the altar with incense during an open-air mass in Lourdes, August 15, 2004. Sometimes strong and sometimes slurred, Pope John Paul struggled through his](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2CRCW5N/pope-john-paul-ii-watches-a-priests-blessing-the-altar-with-incense-during-an-open-air-mass-in-lourdes-august-15-2004-sometimes-strong-and-sometimes-slurred-pope-john-paul-struggled-through-his-sermon-at-an-open-air-mass-on-sunday-in-a-test-as-challenging-as-the-vigorous-sports-he-used-to-enjoy-i-have-to-finish-the-84-year-old-head-of-the-roman-catholic-church-mumbled-in-his-native-polish-at-one-point-as-he-took-a-sip-of-water-before-resuming-the-sermon-in-french-reutersalessandro-bianchi-pkgb-2CRCW5N.jpg)
Pope John Paul II watches a priests blessing the altar with incense during an open-air mass in Lourdes, August 15, 2004. Sometimes strong and sometimes slurred, Pope John Paul struggled through his
![Pope John Paul II arrives to celebrates his Sunday Angelus in Les Combes July 16. The 80-year-old Pope arrived on July 10 to rest in Les Combes, a sleepy mountain hamlet near Pope John Paul II arrives to celebrates his Sunday Angelus in Les Combes July 16. The 80-year-old Pope arrived on July 10 to rest in Les Combes, a sleepy mountain hamlet near](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D5C2KJ/pope-john-paul-ii-arrives-to-celebrates-his-sunday-angelus-in-les-combes-july-16-the-80-year-old-pope-arrived-on-july-10-to-rest-in-les-combes-a-sleepy-mountain-hamlet-near-italys-border-with-france-in-the-bilingual-val-daosta-region-for-12-days-the-pontiff-who-tires-more-easily-than-before-will-be-billeted-in-a-newly-built-stone-house-that-is-part-of-a-summer-camp-owned-by-the-salesian-religious-order-2D5C2KJ.jpg)
Pope John Paul II arrives to celebrates his Sunday Angelus in Les Combes July 16. The 80-year-old Pope arrived on July 10 to rest in Les Combes, a sleepy mountain hamlet near
![Pope John Paul II looks on as he passes behind the relics of the blessed during a beatification mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican for five new blessed of the Pope John Paul II looks on as he passes behind the relics of the blessed during a beatification mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican for five new blessed of the](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D43ANX/pope-john-paul-ii-looks-on-as-he-passes-behind-the-relics-of-the-blessed-during-a-beatification-mass-in-saint-peters-square-at-the-vatican-for-five-new-blessed-of-the-roman-catholic-church-comprising-two-spaniards-an-italian-a-belgian-and-a-french-nun-november-9-2003-to-date-the-pope-has-named-477-men-and-women-as-saints-and-beatified-more-than-1320-people-putting-them-in-the-waiting-room-for-eventual-elevation-to-sainthood-2D43ANX.jpg)
Pope John Paul II looks on as he passes behind the relics of the blessed during a beatification mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican for five new blessed of the
![Pope John Paul II waves to pilgrims and tourists who gathered outside a mountaintop retreat to hear his Sunday prayer in Les Combes, July 11, 2004. The 84 year old Pope is Pope John Paul II waves to pilgrims and tourists who gathered outside a mountaintop retreat to hear his Sunday prayer in Les Combes, July 11, 2004. The 84 year old Pope is](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D3KW28/pope-john-paul-ii-waves-to-pilgrims-and-tourists-who-gathered-outside-a-mountaintop-retreat-to-hear-his-sunday-prayer-in-les-combes-july-11-2004-the-84-year-old-pope-is-at-the-mid-point-of-a-two-week-mountain-holiday-in-a-secluded-chalet-in-the-the-hamlet-of-les-combes-near-the-border-with-france-at-the-valle-daosta-in-northern-italy-2D3KW28.jpg)
Pope John Paul II waves to pilgrims and tourists who gathered outside a mountaintop retreat to hear his Sunday prayer in Les Combes, July 11, 2004. The 84 year old Pope is
![Pope tells pilgrims he shares their suffering | News, Sports, Jobs - Lawrence Journal-World: news, information, headlines and events in Lawrence, Kansas Pope tells pilgrims he shares their suffering | News, Sports, Jobs - Lawrence Journal-World: news, information, headlines and events in Lawrence, Kansas](https://ogden_images.s3.amazonaws.com/www.ljworld.com/images/2004/08/23005421/napope.jpg)
Pope tells pilgrims he shares their suffering | News, Sports, Jobs - Lawrence Journal-World: news, information, headlines and events in Lawrence, Kansas
![Pope John Paul II (L) shakes hands with French President Jacques Chirac (R) during a brief private meeting, August 14, 2004 at Tarbes' airport after the pontiff's arrival for a two-day pilgrimage Pope John Paul II (L) shakes hands with French President Jacques Chirac (R) during a brief private meeting, August 14, 2004 at Tarbes' airport after the pontiff's arrival for a two-day pilgrimage](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D4E5PC/pope-john-paul-ii-l-shakes-hands-with-french-president-jacques-chirac-r-during-a-brief-private-meeting-august-14-2004-at-tarbes-airport-after-the-pontiffs-arrival-for-a-two-day-pilgrimage-to-lourdes-2D4E5PC.jpg)
Pope John Paul II (L) shakes hands with French President Jacques Chirac (R) during a brief private meeting, August 14, 2004 at Tarbes' airport after the pontiff's arrival for a two-day pilgrimage
![Pope John Paul II statue next to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France Photograph by Michal Bednarek - Fine Art America Pope John Paul II statue next to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France Photograph by Michal Bednarek - Fine Art America](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/1-pope-john-paul-ii-statue-next-to-notre-dame-cathedral-in-paris-france-michal-bednarek.jpg)