On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot in St. Peter’s Square by Mehmet Ali Ağca. The date coincided with the anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917. The Pope attributed his survival to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, stating, “One hand fired the shot, another guided the bullet.” In gratitude, he visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in 1982 and placed the bullet that had struck him into the crown of the statue of Our Lady. This event deepened his devotion to the Rosary and the Fatima message, leading him to consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to promote the Rosary as a powerful tool for peace and spiritual renewal. He later introduced the Luminous Mysteries to the Rosary in 2002, further enriching this cherished prayer.
Source: adoremus.org