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Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa meets Pope John Paul II during papal visit to Poland

Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005.

Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the third-longest-serving pope in history, after St. Peter and Pius IX.

In his youth, Wojtyła dabbled in stage acting. He graduated with excellent grades from an all-boys high school in Wadowice, Poland, in 1938, soon after which World War II broke out. During the war, to avoid being kidnapped and sent to a German forced labour camp, he signed up for work in harsh conditions in a quarry. Wojtyła eventually took up acting and developed a love for the profession and participated at a local theatre. The linguistically skilled Wojtyła wanted to study Polish at university.

Historical Significance

Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005.

Key People

Lech Wałęsa

– present

John Paul II

–

Events Before

  1. The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the

    The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the AFC Divisional Playoff, setting numerous playoff scoring records

  2. Paul Belmondo dies

    Paul Belmondo dies

  3. "Thirtysomething" stars Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig meet; they later marry

    "Thirtysomething" stars Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig meet; they later marry

  4. American singer Barbra Streisand and hairdresser/film producer Jon Peters' romantic relationship ends

    Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director.

  5. NFC Championship, Candlestick Park, SF: San Francisco 49ers defeat Dallas Cowboys 28-27; "The Catch," an iconic moment i

    NFC Championship, Candlestick Park, SF: San Francisco 49ers defeat Dallas Cowboys 28-27; "The Catch," an iconic moment in NFL history, Dwight Clark makes a fingertip touchdown catch from Joe Montana with 58 seconds remaining; SF goes on to win the Super Bowl

Events After

  1. AT&T's 22 owned Bell System companies divest into seven independent companies

    The Bell System was a system of telecommunication companies, led by the Bell Telephone Company and later by AT&T, that dominated the telephone services industry in North America for over 100 years…

  2. "Night Court," starring Harry Anderson and created by comedy writer Reinhold Weege, premieres on NBC; runs for nine seas

    "Night Court," starring Harry Anderson and created by comedy writer Reinhold Weege, premieres on NBC; runs for nine seasons

  3. Supreme Court rules 5-4 that private home use of VCRs to record TV programs for later viewing does not violate federal c

    Supreme Court rules 5-4 that private home use of VCRs to record TV programs for later viewing does not violate federal copyright law

  4. Apple Computer Inc. unveils its revolutionary Macintosh personal computer in a Super Bowl TV ad directed by Ridley Scott

    Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, in Silicon Valley, best known for its consumer electronics, software and online services.

  5. Britain's Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean famously dominate ice dancing at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, performing t

    Britain's Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean famously dominate ice dancing at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, performing to Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" in their free dance routine and recording 9-of-9 perfect scores for artistic impression [1]

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The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the

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death

Bill Veeck dies

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 23, 1983?
Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the third-longest-serving pope in history, after St. Peter and Pius IX.
Why is Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa meets Pope John Paul II during papal visit to P... significant?
Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005.
Who was involved in Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa meets Pope John Paul II during papal visit to P...?
Key figures include Lech Wałęsa, John Paul II.

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June 23 in HistoryYear 1983