Conversation Questions
Pope John II

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom.

Do you know his full name? (Karol Wojityla)
Where was he born? (Wadowice, Poland)
What was his birthdate? (May 18, 1920)
Where did he live? Vatican City (Rome)
When was he elected Pope? (Oct. 16, 1978)
How many Popes have there been including him? (He was the 264th Pope)
When was he the victim of an attempted assassination? (May 1981)
How many trips to foreign lands had he made? (more than 100)
When did he die? (April 2, 2005 at 9.37 p.m. [Rome time])
Can you name any other Popes? (John XXIII/John Paul I /Paul VI (1963-1978))
Where were you when you heard the Pope had died?
What were your first thoughts when you heard he had died?
Why was he known as "the Globetrotter Pope"?
Can you name any cities or countries he visited?
Did he ever visited your city or country?
- When did he visit?
- Did you see or meet him?
What do you know about him?
Why was he important?
Why did people admire him?
What did he do for humanity?
What was his approach towards children?
What was his approach towards other religions?
How was he different from other Popes?
When did he receive the then Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev at the Vatican? 1989
What was his political approach towards the East?
How is a Pope elected?
Have you ever visited the Vatican City? When?
Did you see St. Peter's Square?
Did you see the Vatican Museum?
Did you see the Sistine chapel Chapel?
Who built St. Peter's Square? (Bernini)
- When was it built? (1656 - 1667)
- How long did it take to build St. Peter's Square? (More than 300 years)
- Can you describe it?
- Did you like it? Why or Why not?
Who painted the dome of the Sistene Chapel? (Michelangel)
- How long did it take him to paint it? (1506 - 1512)
Can you name any famous paintings in the Sistene Chapel?
- Can you describe it?
- Which painting did you like the best? Why?
- Which did you like the least? Why?
When was the last Holy Year? (2000)
What is the significance of the Holy Year? (One year of remission of sins and the punishment for sins. The reconciliation among enemies)
What does a Pope do to initiate the Holy Year? (The Pope knocks three times with a silver hammer at the holy door, the door is then opened. The Pope will cross the doorway carrying a candle in his left hand and a cross in his right hand. The ritual is then repeated in the other churches [four in all])
What do you do during the Holy Year? (We visit the four churches in Rome and pray for remission)
Can you name the four churches in Rome we visit? (St. Peter's/San Giovanni in Laterano/Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo)
When was the first Holy Year celebrated? (In1300 by Pope Boniface VIII)
Did you visit Rome during the Holy Year? If yes, did you like it?
Do you know any history of Rome?
Would you be interested in learning about Rome? Why or why not?

If you can think of another good question for this list, please add it.

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Conversation QuestionsPope John II

Conversation Questions
Pope John II