2005 Malta 1 Lira Pope John Paul II 5-Coin Set

A Maltese Tribute to Pope John Paul II

From 1978 until his death in 2005, Pope John Paul II served as the sovereign of Vatican City and the head of the worldwide Catholic Church. Young an energetic, the Pontiff was the second longest-serving pope in modern history and would go on to make 104 foreign trips – more than all previous popes combined – attracting huge crowds wherever he went.

One of the Church’s most beloved figures, he was honored upon his passing with the special five-coin legal-tender set released by the nation of Malta. Each coin is 1 Lira legal-tender and depicts a different part of Pope John Paul II’s life:

• Praying at the Wailing Wall – During a 2000 pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Pontiff prayed for forgiveness of the sins of those involved in the Holocaust and placed a prayer into the crevices of Jerusalem’s Western (or Wailing) Wall.
• Becoming Pope – When he was elected pope by the second Papal conclave of 1978, Pope John Paul II became the first non-Italian pope in more than 450 years and the first from a Slavic country.
• Insignias of the Pope – The insignia of the papacy includes the image of two Crossed Keys bound with a red cord. This represents the “keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.”
• Arrival of the Pope in Poland – Born Karol Józef Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, the Pontiff visited his native country nine times during his papacy, the first in 1979 saw him welcomed by millions during his nine-day tour.
• Portrait of John Paul II – The “People’s Pope,” John Paul II was a vocal advocate for human rights and used his influence to effect political change. He died in Italy in 2005 and was declared a saint in 2014.

Pope John Paul II was beloved by millions – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – because he made painstaking efforts to go out of his way to communicate with ordinary people. He also prayed and met with many different religious leaders, expressing his respect for their faith and making it crystal clear to Christians around the world that there were no enemies here. This set wonderfully captures the spirit and legacy of Pope John Paul II and comes sealed in a colorful story folder that allows you to see the obverse and reverse of each coin. Get one for yourself and one for anyone you know who loves and cherishes the life and memory of Saint John Paul the Great.