Pope Visits America: Paul VI Makes History
Pope Paul VI landed at Kennedy Airport on October 4, 1965, becoming the first sitting pope to visit the United States or the Western Hemisphere. His 14-hour trip packed in a meeting with President Johnson, an address to the United Nations General Assembly where he pleaded 'No more war, war never again,' a Mass at Yankee Stadium attended by 90,000 people, and a visit to the Vatican Pavilion at the World's Fair. The logistics were unprecedented: the Secret Service, NYPD, and Swiss Guard coordinated security for a figure whose presence drew millions into the streets. Paul VI's willingness to fly across the Atlantic signaled a papacy ready to engage directly with the modern world, setting the template for John Paul II's globe-spanning pontificate that followed.
October 4, 1965
61 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on October 4
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