Arriving in Sion, canton Valais, June 16, 1984 (Keystone).
Keystone
Zurich, June 12, 1984. (Keystone)
Keystone
Einsiedeln cathedral, June 15, 1984. (Keystone)
Keystone
The faithful en route to Mass in Flüeli, canton Obwalden, June 14, 1984. (Keystone)
Keystone
Addressing the crowds in Sion, June 17, 1984. (Keystone)
Keystone
Bern, June 6, 2004. (Keystone)
Keystone
The Bern arena, June 5, 2004. (Keystone)
Keystone
The Bern arena, June 5, 2004. (Keystone)
Keystone
The Bern arena, June 5, 2004. (Keystone)
Keystone
A last goodbye in Payerne, June 6, 2004. (Keystone)
Keystone
John Paul II was a regular visitor
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John Paul II visited Switzerland three times during his 26 years as head of the Catholic Church. In 1982, on an unofficial trip to Geneva, he visited some of the international organisations based in the city. In June 1984, he spent six days touring Switzerland, during which he visited 14 towns and cities. And in June 2004, he spent two days in the “Protestant” capital, Bern, where he attended a youth gathering of 13,000, and was present at a Mass which drew an estimated 70,000 of the faithful.
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Pope’s Swiss visit ends on a high note
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The Pope held talks with Swiss bishops and a meeting with former papal guards before flying back to Rome on Sunday evening. The Pope’s first visit to the country in 20 years was in response to an invitation by young Swiss Catholics to attend a national youth gathering. Earlier on Sunday tens of thousands of…
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His address to 12,000 young people in Bern was interrupted many times by loud cheering. Speaking in German, French and Italian, the Pope often appeared to struggle with his text and his words were at times almost inaudible. For the crowd, it hardly seemed to matter. “The Church needs your enthusiasm,” he told them, prompting…
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Last week’s nomination of a Swiss ambassador to the Vatican has led to claims by Protestants that the state is favouring Catholicism over other religions. Just days before Pope John Paul II was due to arrive in Switzerland, the government said it was appointing an ambassador in an effort to “normalise” relations with the Vatican.…
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