It was a trip that almost didn’t take place. Political tension was rife at the time, with Britain engaged in the Falklands conflict with Argentina. Not wishing to favour either side, the pontiff was set to cancel the visit to the UK and it seemed the man, once voted Time magazine’s Person of the Year, wasn’t coming after all.

That wasn’t the only hurdle. Just a year earlier, Pope John Paul II had survived an assassination attempt in St Peter’s Square and had endured a long and difficult period of convalescence.

Fortunately, after Archbishop Worlock’s (then Archbishop of Liverpool) persuasive trip to Rome and with Pope John Paul II agreeing to visit Argentina shortly afterwards, the path was cleared and the Holy Father gave the green light.

Sacraments

The Papal Visit of ’82 was based around the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church.

In Westminster, Pope John Paul II celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism, Southwark Cathedral saw the Holy Father anoint the sick, confirmations took place in Coventry, whilst Heaton Park, Manchester saw the ordination of 12 priests. In Cardiff, First Holy Communion was given to a group of children and he spoke extensively about the Sacrament of Penance in Liverpool. In York, he celebrated Marriage and Family Life.

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