# Attempted assassination of John Paul II (1981)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1981-attempted-assassination-of-john-paul-ii
Location: Vatican City
Themes: Papacy

The pope is shot in St Peter's Square. At this point in the timeline (13 May 1981), the Bishop of Rome was Pope John Paul II (16 October 1978 – 2 April 2005).

## Why it matters
Attempted assassination of John Paul II mattered because it shaped the authority, policy or public role of the papacy and the Catholic Church.

Pope at the time: [Pope John Paul II](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-john-paul-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_assassination_of_Pope_John_Paul_II)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Attempted assassination of John Paul II](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Attempted+assassination+of+John+Paul+II)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Era (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_20th_century)