Saint John Paul II
The Polish pope who travelled widely during more than twenty-six years in office
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Pope
- Life
- 1920 – 2005
- Era
- 21st century
- Feast
- 22 October
- Countries
- Poland, Vatican City
Life story
Karol Wojtyła was born on 18 May 1920 at Wadowice in southern Poland. His mother died when he was a child and his father died during the German occupation. He studied literature and drama in Kraków and, from 1942, studied secretly for the priesthood in the underground seminary. He was ordained on 1 November 1946.
He earned a doctorate in theology in Rome and afterwards taught ethics and philosophy in Kraków and Lublin. In 1958 he became auxiliary bishop of Kraków, in 1964 archbishop of Kraków and in 1967 was made a cardinal by Paul VI. He took part in the sessions of the Second Vatican Council.
On 16 October 1978 he was elected pope as John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in more than four centuries. He made well over a hundred journeys outside Italy, began the World Youth Days in 1985, and was gravely wounded in a shooting in St Peter's Square on 13 May 1981. He also promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992.
He died on 2 April 2005 at the Vatican after years of illness. He was beatified on 1 May 2011 and canonised on 27 April 2014 together with John XXIII. His pontificate lasted more than twenty-six years, one of the longest in history. He visited well over a hundred countries, beatified and canonised more people than any predecessor, and wrote fourteen encyclicals. His first return to Poland as pope, in 1979, is remembered as an important moment in the country's recent history.
Works and witness
- Archbishop of Kraków from 1964, cardinal from 1967
- Pope from 16 October 1978 to 2 April 2005
- Began the World Youth Days in 1985
- Promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992
Saints from the same country
References
- Martyrologium Romanum
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
- Karol Wojtyła, Gift and Mystery
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.