Pope John Paul II Visits Alaska:
Twice!

The cover pictured above commemorates a visit by Pope Paul II to Alaska and a meeting with Ronald Reagan on May 2, 1984. President Reagan was returning to the United States from a visit to China while Pope John Paul II was making a stopover on his way to South Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Thailand. Their chance meeting took place at the Fairbanks International Airport. The pope's stop in Alaska is remembered on the stamp below, issued as part of the set for his travels in 1983 and 1984: Travels of Pope John Paul II 1983-1984 Scott C79 (1986) Interestingly, this was not the pope's first time in Alaska. Pope John Paul II visited Anchorage, Alaska, on February 26, 1981 during his apostolic journey to the United States. During his visit, he celebrated Mass at Anchorage's Delaney Park Strip before an estimated gathering of 100,000 people. The Pope's visit to Alaska was brief, but it remains the largest gathering of people in the history of the state, and was significant in highlighting the importance of the Catholic Church's ministry in the state, as well as the unique challenges faced by Alaska's Indigenous communities. Papal Journeys of Pope John Paul II (Alaska) Scott #741 (1984) References Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Archives, Remarks at the Welcoming Ceremony for Pope John Paul II in Fairbanks, Alaska May 2, 1984 Wikipedia, List of meetings between the pope and the president of the United States Patricia Freeman, Anchorage Daily News, June 5, 2011, Remembering the pope's Alaska visit