Pope John Paul II will have a mountain in central Italy named for him on his next birthday, the BBC reported Thursday.

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The 7,900-foot peak is in the Gran Sasso range, the highest range in the Appennines in the Abruzzo region.

"We decided on the Gran Sasso because the Pope visited it many times in order to get some rest as well as to pray," said Monsignor Casolini, a member of the Abruzzo regional committee.

John Paul once told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square that in the Bible, mountains "were considered a special place to meet God."

As a young man in Poland, the pontiff particularly enjoyed mountain hiking and skiing.

The commemoration ceremony is slated for May 18, when the frail pope turns 85.