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PHOTOS: Pope John Paul II visits Philadelphia in 1979

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Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Pope John Paul II greets the crowds before performing mass in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979
In this Oct. 3, 1979 file photo Pope John Paul II performs an outdoor mass for a huge audience at Logan Circle in Philadelphia.
Pope John Paul II stands at the altar as he performs an outdoor mass for a huge audience at Logan Circle in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
Pope John Paul II bows his head and closes his eyes while praying during an outdoor mass at Logan Circle in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979. More than a million people attended.
Hundreds of balloons are released as Pope John Paul II passes in a motorcade in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
Pope John Paul II speaks to a small crowd at the St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 4, 1979.
A Pennsylvania Highway patrolman kisses the hand of Pope John Paul II as he prepares to leave for Des Moines, Iowa, from the airport in Philadelphia,
A nun receives communion from Pope John Paul II during an outdoor mass in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979. The Pope will spend the night in Philadelphia.
Pope John Paul II is shown celebrating mass at the alter in Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 1979. Also standing at the alter is John Cardinal Krol of Philadelphia.
Pope John Paul II touches one of the children gathered in front of the Ukrainian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 4, 1979.
Pope John Paul II waves to the crowd in front of the Ukrainian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 4, 1979. At right is Cardinal John Krol of Philadelphia.
Pope John Paul II prays at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
Pope John Paul II escorted by a Secret Service agent, waves a bouquet of flowers and holds another after arriving at Philadelphia International Airport, Oct. 3, 1979.
Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo kneels and kisses the hand of Pope John Paul II at the airport in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
Pope John Paul II gives communion at an outdoor mass in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
With his robes flowing in the breeze, Pope John Paul II gestures to a huge crowd attending an outdoor mass at Logan Circle in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
Pope John Paul II performs an outdoor mass in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
Pope John Paul II meditates at the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Philadelphia, Pa., before celebrating mass before more than one million people, Oct. 3, 1979.
Pope John Paul II, in white, and Cardinal John Krol wave to the crowd welcoming the Pontiff to Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979.
In this 1979 file photo Pope John Paul II greets crowd at the Convention Center.
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Pope John Paul II greets the crowds before performing mass in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1979

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia hosted a massive crowd to see a pope once before. See images from Pope John Paul II in the City of Brotherly Love back in 1979.

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