John Paul II's Pastoral Visits in Italy
On being announced the new pope, John Paul II said on 16th October 1978:
"Sia lodato Gesù Cristo. Carissimi fratelli e sorelle, siamo ancora tutti addolorati dopo la morte del nostro amatissimo Papa Giovanni Paolo I. Ed ecco che gli Eminentissimi Cardinali hanno chiamato un nuovo vescovo di Roma. Lo hanno chiamato da un paese lontano... lontano, ma sempre così vicino per la comunione nella fede e nella tradizione cristiana. Ho avuto paura nel ricevere questa nomina, ma l’ho fatto nello spirito dell’ubbidienza verso Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo e nella fiducia totale verso la sua Madre, la Madonna Santissima. Non so se posso bene spiegarmi nella vostra... nostra lingua italiana. Se mi sbaglio mi corrigerete. E così mi presento a voi tutti, per confessare la nostra fede comune, la nostra speranza, la nostra fiducia nella Madre di Cristo e della Chiesa, e anche per incominciare di nuovo su questa strada della storia e della Chiesa, con l’aiuto di Dio e con l’aiuto degli uomini." As Bishop of Rome, he took Rome ... and Italy to his heart. Along with his 104 apostolic voyages 'abroad', John Paul II made 146 pilgrim visits within Italy, as well as 748 visits within the Diocese of Rome or to Castel Gandolfo.
His pastoral visits are listed below (in date order) and include links to read his words. There is also a direct link to his words whenever he met with his 'Carissimi giovani'.
1979
Veneto
26th August - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish
Loreto and Ancona - Shrine of Loreto
Our Lady's birthday, 8th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - Carissimi giovani
Pompei and Naples - Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary
21st October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian & Portuguese
1980
Valnerina and Norcia
23rd March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - Carissimi giovani
Turin - Shrine of Madonna Consolata
13th April - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - ai Giovani
L'Aquila - Shrine of Our Lady of the Cross
30th August - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - Carissimi giovani
Velletri and Frascati
7th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - Carissimi giovani
Siena - for the inauguration of the parish of St Catherine, Doctor of the Church
14th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - Carissimi giovani
Cassino
20th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - ai Giovanni
Subiaco - Grotto of Sacro Speco
28th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish
Otranto
5th October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish - Carissimi giovani
Potenza
25th November - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish
1981
Terni
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish
Bergamo
26th April - click here to read JPII's words in Italian & Portuguese - ai Giovani
Collevalenza, Todi & Orvieto - Shrine of Merciful Love, Shrine of Collevalenza
22nd November - click here to read JPII's words in Italian, Portuguese & Spanish
1982
Assisi
12th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian & Portuguese
Livorno - Shrine of Montenero
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian & Portuguese
Bologna & Emilia Romagna - Shrine of St Luke
18th April - click here to read JPII's words in Italian & Portuguese - Carissimi giovani
Rimini
29th August - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Fonte Avellana
5th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Padua
12th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Cari Giovani
Albano
19th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Brescia
26th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi Giovani
Palermo
20th - 21st November - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi
1983
Rieti & Greccio - Shrine of Greccio
2nd January - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Chieti
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Lombardy - for conclusion of the 20th National Eucharistic Congress in Milan
20th - 22nd May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi Giovani
Palestrina
18th August - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
1984
Bari & Bitonto
26th February - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Viterbo - Shrine of Saint Rose
27th May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Fano
12th August - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Alatri
2nd September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Calabria
5th - 7th October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Lombardy & Piedmont - Sanctuary of the Sacred Mount of Varese
2nd - 4th November, IV centenary of death of St Carlo Borromeo - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
1985
Fucino & Avezzano
24th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Loreto - Shrine of the Holy House of Loreto
11th April - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Salerno
Pentecost, 26th May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Veneto - Shrine of Our Lady of the Cendròle in Riese Pio X
15th - 17th June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Cari giovanni
Abruzzo - Shrine of St Gabriel in Teramo
30th June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovanni
Genoa - Shrine of Our Lady of the Guard
21st - 22nd September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi
Sardinia - Shrine of Our Lady of Bonaria
18th - 20th October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
1986
Prato
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Romagna - Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte in Imola
8th - 11th May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Amatissimi giovani e Carissimi giovani
Valle d'Aosta
6th - 7th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Fiesole & Florence - Beatification of Theresa Maria of the Cross Manetti
18th - 19th October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi amici giovani
Perugia & Assisi - for the World Day of Peace
26th - 27th October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian & English - Carissimi giovani
1987
Civitavecchia
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Apulia - Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in San Severo, Marian Shrine of Valleverde de Bovino
23rd - 25th May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Diocese of Belluno-Feltre
Feast of St John Gualberto, 12th July - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
1988
Verona - Beatification of Giuseppe Nascimbeni & Giovanni Calabria, Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Crown in Val D'Adige
16th - 17th April - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani e Carissimi giovani
Civita Castellana - Sanctuary of Santa Maria ad Rupes, Castel Sant'Elia
Feast of St Joseph, the Artisan, 1st May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Emilia Romagna - Sanctuary of Madonna della Ghiara, Reggio
3rd - 7th June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani e Carissimi giovani e ragazzi
Messina & Reggio Calabria - Canonization of Eustochia Calafato, Sanctuary of the Madonna di Tindari, closing of XXI National Eucharistic Congress
11th - 12th June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Lombardy, Veneto, Trento - Marian Sanctuary of Pietralba
16th - 17th July - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Turin - Beatification of Laura Vicuña at Colle Don Bosco
2nd - 4th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Cari giovani e Carissimi giovani
Fermo & Porto San Giorgio
30th December - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
1989
Grosseto
21st May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Gaeta - Shrine of Our Lady of Civita, Itri
25th June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Pisa, Volterra & Lucca
22nd - 24th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani, Carissimi giovani e Carissimi giovani
Taranto
28th - 29th October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
1990
Ivrea
18th - 19th March, Feast of St Joseph - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Orvieto
17th June, Feast of Corpus Christi - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Benevento - Shrine of Our Lady of Graces
2nd July - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Ferrara - Comacchio
22nd - 23rd September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Genoa - Act of Entrustment to Our Lady of the Guardia
14th October - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Campania - Act of Entrustment to Mary, Scampia, Naples
9th - 13th November - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani e Carissimi giovani
1991
Camerino, S Severino & Fabriano, Matelica
18th - 19th March, Feast of St Joseph - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Basilicata - Act of Entrustment of the Community of Matera-Irsina to the Virgin Mary
27th - 28th April - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Mantua - Preghiera a San Luigi Gonzaga
22nd - 23rd June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Vicenza - Shrine of Monte Berico
7th - 8th September, Our Lady's birthday - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Latina - Shrine of the home of St Maria Goretti
29th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
1992
Sorrento-Castellammare di Stabia
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Friuli-Venezia Giulia - Shrine of Mary, Mother & Queen, Monte Grisa
30th April - 3rd May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi
Nola, Caserta & Capua
23rd - 24th May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Lombardy - Shrine of Nostra Signora del Fonte, Caravaggio, Act of Entrustment to Mary at the Shrine of Santa Maria della Croce, Crema, Beatification of Father Francesco Spinelli
19th - 21st June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
1993
Assisi - Prayer Vigil for peace in Europe
9th - 10th January - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Sabina-Poggio Mirteto
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Sicily
8th - 10th May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Cortona & Arezzo - Prayer before tomb of St Margaret of Cortona, Act of Entrustment to Our Lady of Cortona
23rd May - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - Carissimi giovani
Macerata, Foligno & the Gran Sasso massif - Prayer before tomb of Blessed Angela of Foligno
19th - 20th June - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
La Verna & Camaldoli - Franciscan Shrine of La Verna
17th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Asti - Beatification of Joseph Marello
25th - 26th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
1994
Lecce
17th - 18th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Catania & Syracuse - Beatification of Mother Maddalena Caterina Morano, Shrine of Our Lady of the Tears
4th - 6th November - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani e Carissimi amici
Loreto - Prayer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto
10th December - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
1995
Molise - Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, Castelpetroso
Feast of St Joseph, 19th March - click here to read JPII's words in Italian
Trent - Beatification of John Nepomuceno de Tschiderer
29th - 30th April - 450th anniversary of the Council of Trent - click here to read JPII's words in Italian & French - Carissimi giovani
Loreto - Shrine of the Holy House of Loreto
9th - 10th September - click here to read JPII's words in Italian - ai Giovani
Palermo - for the 3rd Ecclesial Convention
23rd November - click here to read JPII's words in Italian