PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II takes the holy communion during an open-air mass celebrated 21 September 1996 in the Tours' air base attended by an estimated 100,000 pilgrims to commemorate the 16th centenary of the death of Saint-Martin, bishop of Tours. The pontiff visited from 19 to 22 September France. It was his 74th International Pastoral visit.

Pope John Paul II prays on the tomb of St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort in St. Laurent sur Sevres Basilica Thursday Sept 19 1996. John Paul II came to this small Western France village on the first day of his four-day visit to France. (AP PHOTO/Michel Gangne/POOL)

Pope John Paul II delivers his traditional "Urbi et Orbi (Latin for "to the City and the World") blessing to the faithful from the central balcony of St. Peter's basilica during the traditional Easter Sunday celebrations at the Vatican, Sunday April 7, 1996. (AP Photo/Arturo Mari)

Pope John Paul II closes the doors of a confessional booth in St. Peter's Basilica prior to hearing confessions from the faithful on Good Friday at the Vatican Friday April 5, 1996. (AP Photo/Luciano Mellace,Pool)

Pope John Paul II reads his message during the weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1996. The pope continued the series of catechisms on the Virgin Mary and the references to her in the old and new testament. (AP Photo/Giulio Broglio)

Pope John Paul II looks at a dove and says "Go to Sarajevo" after he delivered the noon blessing from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's square at the Vatican Sunday, Jan. 28, 1996. Sunday was the Church's day devoted to leprosy victims and the Pontiff praised the efforts of Catholic youth groups for peace. After his remarks, two unidentified children appeared at his side to release doves into the air. (Ap Photo/Bruno Mosconi)

Pope John Paul II enjoys the view of Palermo from the Utveggio Castle atop the Mount Pellegrino Thursday Nov. 23, 1995. The Pope was in Palermo to attend the Third Convention of the Italian dioceses. (AP Photo/Arturo Mari, POOL)

Pope John Paul II reacts to cheering faithful and pilgrims at the end of weekly general audience inside Paul VI hall at the Vatican Wednesday, Nov.8 1995. (Ap Photo/Bruno Mosconi)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/WOJTEK LASKI Piata (najkrotsza) i nieoficjalna pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. Trwala zaledwie jeden dzien. Jan Pawel II przyjechal 22.05.1995 z pielgrzymka do miejsca urodzenia Jana Sarkandra, ktorego kanonizowal dzien wczesniej podczas pielgrzymki do Czech. Haslo wizyty w Polsce brzmialo: "Zlo dobrem zwyciezaj". N/z: msza swieta na wzgorzu Kaplicowka. Skoczow, 22.05.1995. V pilgrimage of John Paul II to Poland 1995. Pictured: John Paul II, Skoczow, POLAND, 22/05/1995.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II is embraced by Eurico Rogerio Borja (L) from Cape Verde, one of 240 the delegates from the International Youth Forum who were individually received by the 74-year-old Pontiff after a mass at the church-run University of Santo Tomas in Manila 13 January. The Pope called on the youth to serve the church in Asia. (COLOR KEY: Pope wears red vestment.)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/LASKI PAPIEZ JAN PAWEL II PODCZAS OSTATNIEJ WIZYTY W PoLSCE POPE JOHN PAUL II VISITING POLAND 30th anniversary of pontificate of Pope John Paul II. Karol Wojtyla was elected and intronisated on 16 October 1978.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II (C) lets a dove loose upon his arrival 30 January 1990 in N'Djamena. The pontiff visited Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Burkina Fasso and Chad from 25 January to 01 February. It was his 45th International Pastoral visit.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Picture taken 20 August 1989 of pope John Paul II waving to the crowd of faithful as he celebrates mass in Oviedo, during a journey to Spain.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Pope John Paul II plays with two little girls 29 April 1989 during an open-air mass for Madagascar youths in Antisiranana. The pontiff visited Madagascar, La R??union, Zambia and Malawi from 28 April to 06 May. It was his 41st International Pastoral visit.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II waves to the wellwisher 28 April 1989 upon his arrival in Antanarivo at the beginning of a 10-day Africa tour. The pontiff visited Madagascar, La R??union, Zambia and Malawi from 28 April to 06 May. It was his 41st International Pastoral visit.

Pope John Paul II greets some 10,000 believers as he opens the holy open air mass at Maseru, capital of the African state of Lesotho, September 15, 1988, during his visit here. (AP Photo/Udo Weitz)

Into his 8th day of a 12-day tour of South Africa, Pope John Paul II rest his eyes while wating to address Priests, students and laymen inside the main cathedral Saturday, May 14, 1988 in Downtown Lima. John Paul will offer a Mass Sunday morning as well as meeting with President Alan Garcia during his 1 1/2 day stay in Peru. (AP Photo/Jeff Robbins)

His Holiness Pope John Paul II emerges froma teepee in Fort Simpson, North West Territories, Canada, after changin into a fringed robe to conduct Mass for the aboriginal peoples of Canada, Sunday, Sept. 20, 1987. (AP Photo)

Pope John Paul II walks in a bed of flowers Thursday, September 17, 1987 during mass at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, the second of his three stops in California. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Pope John Paul II blesses the crowd of over 100,000 people gathered at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Calif., Tuesday night, Sept. 15, 1987. The Pope told the crowd that California leads the nation in many ways, but that progress "creates new possibilities for evil as well as good." (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)