Somalia 2004 Pope John Paul II meets Nelson Mandela BU 25 Shillings

This is one coin in a beautiful set of twelve, which was issued by authority of the government of the Somali Republic in 2004, prior to the death of Pope John Paul II. It has a legal tender value in its country of origin of 25 Shillings, and was a way to honor and celebrate the life of the Holy Father, whose principal message was one of inclusion. Elected pope on 16 October 1978 after John Paul I’s death one week into his papacy, Karol Wojtyla became the first non-Italian pontiff in over 450 years and the first Slavic pope. Remembered as the most public pontiff in history Pope John Paul II maintained himself in the public eye, visiting over 100 different countries, speaking forcefully on behalf of human rights, and surviving an assassination attempt which he responded to by offering his forgiveness to his assailant. Badly disabled by Parkinson’s disease John Paul II passed away on the 2nd of April in 2005 and was succeeded by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 April 2005.