Monument to Pope John Paul II, Rome
The monument to Pope John Paul II in Rome was installed in May 2011 at Piazza dei Cinquecento, near the main railway station of Rome – Roma Termini. A sketch for the pontiff's monument was designed by sculptor Oliviero Rainaldi. The sculpture is made in the spirit of modernism. When the Vatican officially approved the sketches, the sculptor began to embody the plan and began to work.
The media openly criticized the monument and called the statue a parody. In response, the Roman Catholic Church stated that another project had been submitted for their consideration. A survey was conducted among the Romans, 90% of whom did not approve of the monument.
As a result of the incident, it was decided to send the statue for revision. Rinaldi Oliviero finalized the sculpture, the lines of the shoulders and chin became smoother. On November 18, 2012 a new presentation of the monument took place. The statue of Pope John Paul II is depicted with him opening the bottom of the garment – a symbol of readiness to protect and accept anyone in need.
Who is John Paul II
In 1978, for the first time in 455 years, the Pope of non-Italian origin was elected. John Paul II was the head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005. The pontiff was born in Krakow, Poland. He was called "The Great" during his lifetime.
How to get there
From the central entrance of the Roma Termini train station, you need to walk a few minutes and you will see a monument of the Pope John Paul II.
