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Reagan condemns assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II

On May 13, 1981, after Pope John Paul II was shot in St. Peter’s Square, President Reagan issued a public statement condemning the attack and expressing the nation’s prayers and support for the Pope’s recovery.

Reagan condemns assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II

The Pope was a prominent anti-communist symbol, and Reagan’s response signaled U.S. solidarity with the Vatican and reinforced Cold War political and moral alignment with the Pope’s stance.

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