How many countries did JPII visit as pope?

The total number isn’t in the single digits. It’s not even in the double digits.

It’s in the triple digits.

History’s most well-traveled pope visited a total of 129 countries during his twenty-six-year pontificate.

Of these, the top most-visited country was his native Poland, with nine visits (also where he literally helped topple Communism); then France, with eight visits; and our own United States coming in third place, with seven.

Some folks on the internet actually put together a fun map of all the places he went. The different shades of blue represent the number of times he visited each place:

The darkest blue means 9+ trips; the lightest blue, 1 trip; each shade in between represents a digit, with grey representing zero.

This translates to around 721,000 miles of travel. That’s like circumnavigating the earth 29 times!

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