Pope John Paul II is greeted by a group of children during a general audience inside Pope Paul VI's hall at the Vatican Wednesday, Aug. 28, 1996. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

Pope John Paul II (R) greets young people 09 August 1993 outside Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity Home, Jamaica. The Pope is on the first day of a three-day vist to Jamaica before traveling to Mexico.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Pope John Paul II greets out-stretched hands during a walk-about 24 February 1992 in Conakry. The pontiff visited Senegal, Gambia and Guinea from 19 to 26 February. It was his 54th International Pastoral visit. AFP PHOTO MICHEL GANGNE

Pope John Paul II greets out-stretched hands during a walk-about 24 February 1992 in Conakry. The pontiff visited Senegal, Gambia and Guinea from 19 to 26 February. It was his 54th International Pastoral visit. AFP PHOTO MICHEL GANGNE

Pope John Paul II greets out-stretched hands during a walk-about in Dakar 21 February 1992. The pontiff visited Senegal, Gambia and Guinea from 19 to 26 February. It was his 54th International Pastoral visit .

Pope John Paul II greets young well-wishers prior a mass 03 June 1991 in Kielce Cathedral during his visit to Poland. AFP PHOTO DERRICK CEYRAC

PHOTO: EAST NEWS PAPIEZ JAN PAWEL II ODPRAWIA MSZE PRZED POSAGIEM MATKI BOSKIEJ FATIMSKIEJ Pope John Paul II celebrates a mass 12 May 1991 in the Chapel of the Apparition in front of the statue of Virgin of Fatima in Fatima where about a million believers attended the Procession of Candles. In 1997, the pope dedicated a shrine in a Polish church to the Virgin of Fatima, thanking her for intervening to save him from an assassination attempt in 1981. The Pontiff said that surviving the assassination attempt against him 13 May 1981 by Turkish terrorist Ali Agca was a miracle thanks to the "intervention of the Virgin of Fatima", who "deflected the bullet" fired at point-blank range. The Catholic church also believes the Virgin of Fatima intervened to bring an end to the Soviet regime after asking the three shepherd children to pray for the "conversion" of Russia. The Pontiff visited Portugal from 10 to 13 May 1991. It was his 50th International Pastoral visit. .

(FILE) Picture taken 12 May, 1990 of Mexican child Heron Badillo (C, in his mother's arms) beside Pope John Paul II upon his arrival at Zacateca's airport, during his visit to Mexico. According to his family, four-year Heron was healed from his leukemia -incurable according to his doctors- by the Pope. That story was confirmed by Mexican Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan -Vatican's Health Minister during John Paul II's papacy during an interview with a local TV broadcast 02 April, 2005. AFP PHOTO

A leper woman (L) holds Pope John Paul II's hand during his visit to a large leper colony 28 January 1990 in Cumura. 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.

Pope John Paul II is acclaimed by a cheering crowd 10 October 1989 in Jakarta. The pontiff visited South Korea, Indonesia and Mauritius from 06 to 10 October. It was his 44th International Pastoral visit.

Pope John Paul II is welcomed by South Korean girls in traditional costumes 07 October 1989 upon landing at Seoul's airport. The pontiff visited South Korea, Indonesia and Muaritius from 06 to 10 October. It was his 44th International Pastoral visit.

Pope John Paul II waves to the crowd of several thousand young people at the Universal Ampitheatre in Los Angeles, Calif., Sept. 15, 1987. The pontiff addressed the group along with satellite viewers in Portland, Denver and St. Louis. (AP Photo/John Spink)

Pope John Paul II blesses Argentinian faithful 08 April 1987 in Salta during the pontiff"s Pastoral visit to Uruguay, Chile and Argentina, from 31 May to 13 April (his 34th International Pastoral visit). AFP PHOTO MARCO UGARTE

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Fredy Ormeno, a young Chilean man, embraces 02 April 1987 smiling Pope John Paul II during an open-air mass celebrated for young people in Santiago. Ormeno complained to the pontiff about the difference in the opportunities between the rich and the poor under the government of General Pinochet.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Pope John Paul II chats with some school children 28 November 1986 during his visit of St Leo's parish school in Melbourne. The pontiff was visiting from 18 November to 01 December Bangladesh, Singapore, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Australia and Seychelles East (it was his 32nd International Pastoral visit).

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Pope John Paul II is greeted by a representative group of unemployed persons in Hobart, Tasmania, 27 November 1986. The pontiff was visiting from 18 November to 01 December Bangladesh, Singapore, Fiji Island, New Zealand, Australia and Seychelles (it was his 32nd International Pastoral visit).

Pope John Paul II is greeted by a representative group of unemployed persons in Hobart, Tasmania, 27 November 1986. The pontiff was visiting from 18 November to 01 December Bangladesh, Singapore, Fiji Island, New Zealand, Australia and Seychelles (it was his 32nd International Pastoral visit).

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Pope John Paul II and Australian students hold hands as they sing at the rally held 25 November 1986 in Sydney. The pontiff was visiting from 18 November to 01 December Bangladesh, Singapore, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Australia and Seychelles East (it was his 32nd International Pastoral visit).

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS Druga pielgrzymka papieza Jana Pawla II do Polski. N/Z: przejazd kolumny papieskiej przez Stare Miasto, Warszawa, 16.06.1983. The second apostolic journey of Pope John Paul II to Poland. Pictured: cavalcade of vehicles drives through the Old Town, Warsaw, POLAND, 16/06/1983.

Pope John Paul II is shown at Holy Martyrs with John Cardinal Cody of Chicago, Il., Friday, Oct. 5, 1979. (AP Photo)