May 18, 1920: Karol Joseph Wojtyla born in Wadowice, Poland.

Nov. 1, 1946: Ordained as a priest.

Sept. 28, 1958: Consecrated as auxiliary bishop of Krakow.

March 8, 1964: Installed as bishop of Krakow.

June 26, 1967: Elevated to cardinal by Pope Paul VI.

Oct. 16, 1978: Elected pope by cardinals, first Pole ever and first non-Italian in 455 years.

Oct. 22, 1978: Elevated to Papacy.

Jan. 25, 1979: First trip abroad, to Dominican Republic, Mexico, Bahamas.

June 2, 1979: Goes to Poland for first time as pope, setting off sparks that help establish Solidarity, first independent labor movement in Soviet bloc.

May 13, 1981: Shot in abdomen by Turkish militant Mehmet Ali Agca in St. Peter's Square.

Sept. 15, 1982: Receives Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat at Vatican, provoking criticism from Israel and Jewish groups.

April 13, 1986: Makes historic visit to Rome's main synagogue.

Dec. 1, 1989: Meets Mikhail Gorbachev at Vatican, first ever meeting between a pope and a Kremlin chief.

May 1, 1991: Issues first encyclical on social issues since fall of communism in Europe, giving qualified approval to capitalism but warning rich against taking advantage of poor.

July 15, 1992: Operation for benign tumor on colon. Leaves hospital July 28.

Sept. 4-10, 1993: Visits former Soviet Union for first time, traveling to Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.

Oct. 5, 1993: Issues encyclical "Splendor of Truth," his major statement on morality, cracking down on dissent.

Dec. 30, 1993: Agreement signed establishing formal ties between Israel and Vatican.

Oct. 19, 1994: Publishes his book, "Beyond the Threshold of Hope."

March 3, 1995: Issues encyclical "Gospel of Life," and condemns spreading "culture of death," including abortion, euthanasia, experimentation on human embryos.

March 10, 1997: Vatican establishes diplomatic relations with Libya, overriding U.S. objections.

Jan. 21-26, 1998: Visits Cuba for first time.

March 16, 1998: Vatican issues "We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah," or Holocaust, expressing remorse for cowardice of some Christians during World War II but defending actions of wartime Pope Pius XII.

Oct. 19, 1998: Celebrates 20th anniversary as pope, asks for prayers to fulfill his mission "until the end."

Dec. 24, 1999: Ushers in Vatican millennium Jubilee year by opening Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.

March 20-26, 2000: Makes first trip to Holy Land. In note left at Jerusalem's Western Wall, expresses sorrow for suffering of Jews at Christian hands.

Sept. 3, 2000: Beatifies much-attacked Pope Pius IX and much-loved Pope John XXIII in one of most disputed acts of papacy.

May 4, 2001: Becomes first pope to visit Greece since Schism of 1054; issues sweeping apology for "sins of action and omission" by Roman Catholics against Orthodox Christians.

April 23, 2002: Summons U.S. cardinals to discuss sex abuse scandal, tells them there is no place in priesthood for clerics who abuse young.

May 17, 2003: Cardinal, in newspaper interview, confirms pope has Parkinson's disease.

June 5-9, 2003: Makes 100th foreign trip, visiting Croatia.

July 31, 2003: Vatican launches global campaign against gay marriages.

Aug. 15, 2004: Breathes heavily and gasps during open-air Mass at Lourdes, France.

Feb. 1, 2005: Rushed to Rome hospital with flu and difficulties breathing.

March 30, 2005: Given nasal feeding tube.

March 31, 2005: Develops high fever brought on by urinary infection.

April 1, 2005: Vatican announces pope is in "very serious" condition after suffering heart failure.

April 2, 2005: Called Home to the Father (age 84).