Only one Catholic Pope has ever made the trip all the way from Rome to New Zealand. In 1986 His Holiness Pope John Paul II spent three days here and the local church prepared for his visit in a uniquely Kiwi way. Eyewitness producer Justin Gregory remembers the Pope's flying visit and tracks down a special item he left behind.

Eyewitness producer Justin Gregory remembers the Pope's flying visit and tracks down a special item he left behind...

"I did most of down on my knees, appropriately."

Just 50m from Christchurch's ruined Catholic Cathedral, six shipping containers sit in a row. Behind high fences and securely locked, they store treasures rescued from the cathedral, including the prize we've come to find - a unique piece of papal paraphernalia.

But the containers are not easy to get into.

"Am I allowed to swear?" asks Father Chris Friel, the administrator of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on Barbadoes Street.

While Father Friel and property and facilities manager Mary Curtis struggle to open one of the containers, he tells me the Cathedral came through the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes reasonably well.

But six months later, cracks in the walls were discovered and engineers warned its dome had to be removed. When this happened, as with Jericho, the walls would come tumbling down.

"The workers were given one hour to get inside and were asked to strip everything from the cathedral that could be taken. These are now all these containers here." - Fr Chris Friel

After a big effort - but no swearing - the container swings opens to reveal its contents, stacked haphazardly on top of each other.

"There we go. There's an organ I can see here, there are vestments, there's a crucifix, a piano...

"...and looking directly at us, is the papal chair used by Pope John Paul II for Mass at Lancaster Park on the 24th of November 1986."

Only one Catholic Pope has ever made the trip all the way from Rome to New Zealand. In 1986 His Holiness Pope John Paul II spent three days in Aotearoa, and the local Church prepared for his visit in a uniquely Kiwi way.

Pope John Paul II flew in to New Zealand on Saturday 22 November 1986. He kissed the ground at Auckland Airport and after a state welcome climbed into our version of the Popemobile - a converted ute - for the drive to Auckland Domain for Mass.

The Pope flew to Wellington that evening and on the next day, a Sunday, battled high winds while celebrating Mass at Athletic Park. He left for Christchurch shortly afterwards…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details