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2002: Pope John Paul II visits Bulgaria 26.09.2015

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40 years since the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II

published on 5/13/21 7:05 AM

Photo: Library

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome. The Bulgarian Sergei Antonov, an employee of the BGA Balkan office in Rome, was accused of complicity in the attack on May 13, 1981. The news of the "Bulgarian trace" in the attempted assassination travelled around the world in a flash.

On March 29, 1986, an Italian court acquitted Antonov, and the assassin, Ali Agca, remained in prison for life. On April 1, 1986, after 1,222 days behind bars in an Italian prison, Antonov returned to Sofia in a severe physical and mental condition, diagnosed with cerebral atrophy caused by psychotropic drugs which, according to doctors, were forcibly administered to him in prison.

In May 2002, during his official visit to Bulgaria at a meeting with President Georgi Parvanov, Pope John Paul II stated: "I never believed in the so-called Bulgarian trace in the assassination attempt against me, it was an insinuation and a great injustice to the Bulgarian people.”.

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Radio Bulgaria News Ali Agca assassination attempted assassination Pope John Paul II Sergei Antonov

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