Pope John Paul will mark his 24th anniversary as pontiff on Wednesday by changing the rosary for the first time in nine centuries.
According to Vatican sources, the Pope on Wednesday will issue a document proposing that Catholics meditate on five more events in Christ's life in the new rosary, adding a further layer of spirituality to the age-old prayer.
Changing one of Christianity's most fundamental prayers after nearly a millennium will be a typical way for the 82-year-old Pope to crown 24 years of a pontificate marked by bold initiatives sometimes taken against the advice of aides.
He is the fifth-longest serving Pope in history, and, if he lives five more months, will become the fourth-longest.
The most travelled Pope in history has made 240 trips in Italy and abroad since his election.