Quote of the Day (Pope John Paul II)

“The Pope cannot remain a prisoner of the Vatican. I want to go to everybody...from the nomads of the steppes to the monks and nuns in their convents...I want to cross the threshold of every home.”--Pope John Paul II, early in his reign

(An extraordinary era in the history of the Papacy began on this date in 1978, “the year of the three popes,” as Karol Cardinal Wojtyla was elected the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in 1542. The quote above, however, hints at the real transformative nature of his ministry, as he seized the initiative of his predecessor once removed, Paul VI, and became the “pilgrim pope,” visiting almost 130 countries during his 26 years as pontiff. And, of course, he launched what might have been the most successful nonviolent campaign in history, as his example helped inspire resistance to Soviet puppet regimes -- including his native Poland--that, eleven years after his reign began, fell with shocking suddenness, dying with barely a shot fired.)