Pope Leo XIV Prays at the Spot Where St. John Paul II Was Shot

Vatican City, May 13, 2026: Before the General Audience began on May 13, Pope Leo XIV paused and knelt at the site in St. Peter’s Square where St. John Paul II was shot in an assassination attempt on this day in 1981, as he travelled through the crowd in the popemobile.

“Today we remember the memorial of Our Lady of Fatima. On this day, forty-five years ago, an attempt was made on Pope John Paul II’s life, and for these reasons, I dedicated my catechesis today to the Blessed Virgin Mary,” the Pope said while greeting English-speaking pilgrims.

The place is identified by a white marble plaque bearing the coat of arms of St. John Paul II, set among the cobblestones of the square. Following the assassination attempt, the late Pope often stated that he believed the Virgin Mary had protected and preserved his life through her intercession.

In his greetings to Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, Pope Leo also invited the faithful to look towards the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, where, he said, she “entrusted a message of peace to the three shepherd children.”

“In that place, so dear to Christianity, numerous pilgrims from all five continents gather today: their presence is a sign of the need for consolation, unity, and hope among the people of our time. Let us entrust to the Immaculate Heart of Mary the cry for peace and harmony rising from every part of the world, especially from peoples afflicted by war. My blessing to all!”

The Attack on John Paul II

Pope John Paul II was greeting pilgrims before the weekly General Audience from an open white jeep on May 13, 1981, when he was shot at close range. He suffered serious injuries and was rushed to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for treatment.

A statement issued later by the Holy See Press Office confirmed that the Pope had been wounded in the abdomen and was undergoing surgery at Gemelli Hospital. The statement also noted that, although his condition was serious, there were “founded hopes for recovery.”

Four days later, during the Regina Caeli message delivered from the hospital, John Paul II publicly forgave Mehmet Ali Ağca, the man responsible for the attack.

He also assured the faithful of his prayers for the attacker and once again entrusted himself to the Virgin Mary, saying: “Totus tuus ego sum” (“I am entirely yours”).

Courtesy: Vatican News