The Varsitarian

POPE John Paul II begins the year 2002 with the same crowded agenda he has had for the most part of his 23-year pontificate, which include international trips, major documents, and canonizations.

To start the year, the 81-year-old Pope looks forward to a meeting of religious leaders for peace on Jan. 24 in Assisi.

The most-awaited event of 2002 in the Holy Father’s list of activities is the 17th World Youth Day, scheduled for July in Toronto, Canada. More than 500,000 youth participants from all over the world are expected to attend.

After World Youth Day, the Holy Father might go to Mexico to canonize Blessed Juan Diego, the Indian who witnessed the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1531.

Recently the Bulgarian government confirmed that the Pope would visit Sofia at the end of May. The trip has been approved by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, which initially opposed the visit. The visit will be another step in the Holy Father’s efforts to move toward full unity with the Orthodox Church, which separated from Rome almost 1,000 years ago.

Press sources have alluded to possible papal visits to Azerbaijan and Byelorussia in 2002, and to the Roman Pontiff’s native country, Poland.

On papal documents, it is expected that the apostolic exhortation “Church in Europe” will be published in 2002, summarizing the conclusions of the 1999 synod of European bishops.

2002 may also see high-profile canonizations such as those of Padre Pio and Opus Dei founder Jose María Escrivá de Balaguer, as well as Mexico´s Juan Diego. Alder T. Almo