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| -The Pope arriving in Paraná- |
Since the beginning of his pontificate—October 16, 1978—John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyła) undertook numerous pastoral journeys beyond the borders of the Vatican State. While not entirely unprecedented, such travel was still far from common at the time.
Argentina was not left out of his pilgrimages. In particular, his first visit to the country took place on June 11–12, 1982, during the final days of the South Atlantic War. Many believe that his trip to Buenos Aires was intended to make the military leadership understand the need to put an end to the hostilities.
On that occasion, the Pope arrived at Ezeiza Airport on June 11, 1982, aboard an Alitalia DC-10-30, I-DYNA “Galileo Galilei.” Upon his arrival, he was greeted by the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Juan Carlos Aramburu, and the Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Ubaldo Calabresi, who boarded the aircraft to welcome him. After disembarking, John Paul II was received by the de facto president at the time, General Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri.
The short notice of the trip’s planning meant he did not visit other parts of the country. Nevertheless, he managed to visit the city of Luján, 70 kilometers from Buenos Aires, traveling there by train. During the mass, he called for a swift end to the war. Promptly, on June 12, 1982, he departed aboard a Boeing 747-287, LV-OOZ, of the Argentine state airline.
On Monday, April 6, 1987, John Paul II arrived at Jorge Newbery Airport at 4:00 PM. The aircraft that brought him from Antofagasta was a Boeing 767-216ER of LanChile (CC-CJU, msn. 23623/142), which caused a stir due to its size—being a wide-body aircraft at the Aeroparque. From the metropolitan airport, the Pope traveled by Popemobile to the Cathedral of Buenos Aires.
The following day, the Pope began his pastoral visit, which included nine cities outside Buenos Aires: Bahía Blanca, Viedma, Mendoza, Córdoba, Tucumán, Salta, Corrientes, Paraná, and Rosario.
The Argentine Air Force's Directorate of Aircraft coordinated with the 1st Air Brigade for the transportation of the Popemobile, which was carried aboard a Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Renault Argentina had built two Popemobiles according to safety specifications provided by experts, and with dimensions suitable for aircraft transport.
To enable John Paul II’s extensive tour of the country’s interior, the use of a Fokker F-28 Mk. 1000 (T-02, msn. 11048) was arranged. The aircraft was slightly modified, with an armchair added to the front section. A worktable with four seats and, to the right, a sofa bed with a nightstand were also installed. Behind a partition, 28 seats were available for the papal entourage, led by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, Secretary of State of the Papal State.
Nothing was left to chance: the other presidential Fokker accompanied much of the journey as a backup. Additionally, aircraft 0741/5-T-20 of the Aviación Naval Argentina was kept on standby in case of need.
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| -The repeated image, the turn of Tucumán- |
On Tuesday, April 7, 1987, the Pope began his day at 8:00 AM, flying to Bahía Blanca, where he was received by some 130,000 people.
The next destination was Viedma, where he arrived at 1:30 PM to hold a Liturgy of the Word from a bus. After the ceremony, the papal entourage took to the skies again, heading to El Plumerillo Airport in Mendoza, 1,032 kilometers away. The Fokker carrying the papal party landed at 4:45 PM. From the airport, he proceeded to the site of a new celebration attended by an estimated 200,000 people. At 7:00 PM, John Paul II returned to El Plumerillo Airport to fly to Córdoba, 465 kilometers away, where he spent the night.
On Wednesday, April 8, 1987, in the Mediterranean capital, the Pope began his day at 8:00 AM, visiting the cathedral. In the afternoon, he headed back to Pajas Blancas Airport to fly to Benjamín Matienzo Airport in Tucumán, 510 kilometers away. He was received by around 80,000 people, most of whom had walked from the city center. A large stage with a towering iron cross had been erected at the airport. After the event, the papal entourage boarded the Fokker again, flying 234 kilometers to Salta. From the airport, the Pope was driven to the Limache Racecourse for his meeting with the people of Salta. After the celebration, he returned to the Archbishop’s residence for the night.
On Thursday, April 9, 1987, after completing various scheduled activities, he flew 740 kilometers to Corrientes. Despite heavy rain upon landing, around 100,000 people gathered to greet him. In the afternoon, he visited Paraná. The Fokker covered the 510 kilometers, and the Pope addressed the crowd from the airport’s esplanade. After the ceremony, he walked to the aircraft steps, waved to the crowd, and departed for Buenos Aires, where he spent the night at the Apostolic Nunciature.
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| -The entourage in Rosario- |
On Sunday, April 12, 1987, in the final hours before his departure, the Pope engaged in several activities in Buenos Aires. In the afternoon, he traveled by Popemobile to Ezeiza Airport, where he delivered a farewell speech. At 7:30 PM, once again aboard the Boeing 747 LV-OOZ of the Argentine state airline, he departed for Rome. John Paul II's second visit to Argentina had come to an end. Over the course of the Argentine tour, the T-02 Fellowship covered 5,229 kilometers carrying the distinguished pilgrim. In recognition, the aircraft was allowed to bear the papal coat of arms on the lower right frame of its main entrance door for many years. After long service, the aircraft is now stored at El Palomar Air Base under a different identity.
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