On this day May 12, 1982, security guards in Portugal successfully prevented an assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II during a religious procession outside the Shrine of the Virgin Mary in Fátima. The attacker, Juan María Fernández y Krohn, a defrocked Spanish priest, tried to stab the pope with a bayonet but was quickly overpowered before he could cause harm.
The incident took place during a pilgrimage marking the first anniversary of the pope’s survival from a previous assassination attempt in Rome in 1981. Fátima, a sacred Catholic site known for the reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1917, drew large crowds that day, adding to the tension and urgency as security personnel responded to the threat within moments.
Pope John Paul II was unharmed and continued with the religious ceremony, reaffirming his commitment to faith and peace despite the escalating threats to his life. The event further solidified his image as a resilient and deeply spiritual global figure who remained calm in the face of danger.
Fun fact: The attacker claimed the pope was betraying the Catholic Church and later received a six year prison sentence in Portugal.
The incident took place during a pilgrimage marking the first anniversary of the pope’s survival from a previous assassination attempt in Rome in 1981. Fátima, a sacred Catholic site known for the reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1917, drew large crowds that day, adding to the tension and urgency as security personnel responded to the threat within moments.
Pope John Paul II was unharmed and continued with the religious ceremony, reaffirming his commitment to faith and peace despite the escalating threats to his life. The event further solidified his image as a resilient and deeply spiritual global figure who remained calm in the face of danger.
Fun fact: The attacker claimed the pope was betraying the Catholic Church and later received a six year prison sentence in Portugal.
