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Pope John Paul II Arrived in Granada on an Alsina Graells Bus

A mechanical issue forced the Pontiff to use local public transport during his 1982 visit to the city of Granada.

Vintage Alsina Graells bus with Almería license plate on a street in Granada.
IA

Vintage Alsina Graells bus with Almería license plate on a street in Granada.

The visit of Pope John Paul II to Granada in 1982 became a memorable event when, due to a popemobile breakdown, the Pontiff used a bus from the Alsina Graells company.

The Vatican's pomp and the media frenzy surrounding papal visits often transform these journeys into major events. The last visit by a Holy Father to Andalusia before the anticipated arrival of Pope Leo XIV was by John Paul II, who visited the region in 1982 and 1993, leaving behind memorable anecdotes. One of the most notable occurred in Granada.
Upon his arrival in the Alhambra's capital, Pope Wojtyla found that his official vehicle, the popemobile, had broken down. Unable to miss an important engagement, he opted for local transportation: a bus from the Alsina Graells company, with a license plate from Almería (AL-3337-G). This company was well-known in Eastern Andalusia, and its buses, popularly called 'alsinas', were a daily sight for residents in provinces such as Granada, Málaga, Almería, and Jaén. Currently, the Alsa firm, originally from Asturias, has absorbed the 'alsinas'.
The popemobile, a recent innovation following an assassination attempt in 1981, featured armored glass to ensure the Pontiff's safety. However, its breakdown forced Karol Wojtyla to take the Alsina Graells bus to head towards the Basilica of Our Lady of Anguish, as reported by the era's chronicles in the newspaper Ideal. This incident generated 'collective ecstasy' among the people of Granada, who saw their Pope traveling in such a familiar vehicle.
During his visit, John Paul II drew hundreds of thousands of people to a plaza near the Almanjáyar neighborhood, an area then considered one of Spain's most disadvantaged and now largely urbanized. The 1982 tour also included Seville, where he beatified Sister Angela de la Cruz, and covered a total of 18 cities across 11 autonomous communities, coinciding with the start of the first PSOE government under Felipe González.
Statistics from the time reflect the impact of the 'Wojtyla hurricane'. In the years from the late 70s to the early 90s, many children were named Juan Pablo, reaching a peak in 1982. The image of an approachable Pope, who boarded a bus like any other passenger, deeply resonated with Spanish society.

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