Pope John Paul II

Several terms redirect here. For other uses, see John Paul II (disambiguation), Pope John Paul II (disambiguation), Saint John Paul II (disambiguation), JP2 (disambiguation), and Karol Wojtyla (disambiguation).

Pope Saint

John Paul II
Bishop of Rome
John Paul II in 1988
ChurchCatholic Church
Papacy began16 October 1978
Papacy ended2 April 2005
PredecessorJohn Paul I
SuccessorBenedict XVI
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination1 November 1946
by Adam Stefan Sapieha
Consecration28 September 1958
by Eugeniusz Baziak
Created cardinal26 June 1967
by Paul VI
RankCardinal priest (1967‍–‍1978)
Personal details
Born
Karol Józef Wojtyła

(1920-05-18)18 May 1920
Wadowice, Second Polish Republic
Died2 April 2005(2005-04-02) (aged 84)
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
DenominationCatholic
Education
MottoTotus tuus
(Latin for 'Totally yours')
SignatureJohn Paul II's signature
Coat of armsJohn Paul II's coat of arms
Sainthood
Feast day22 October
Venerated inCatholic Church
Beatified1 May 2011
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
by Benedict XVI
Canonized27 April 2014
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
by Pope Francis
Attributes
Patronage
Philosophy career
Notable work
Era20th-century philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
School
Notable ideas
Ordination history
History
Diaconal ordination
Ordained byAdam Stefan Sapieha (Kraków)
Date20 October 1946
Priestly ordination
Ordained byAdam Stefan Sapieha (Kraków)
Date1 November 1946
PlaceChapel of the Kraków Archbishop's residence
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorEugeniusz Baziak (Kraków AA)
Co-consecrators
Date28 September 1958
PlaceWawel Cathedral, Kraków
Cardinalate
Elevated byPope Paul VI
Date26 June 1967
Source(s):[7][8]
Papal styles of
Pope John Paul II
Reference styleHis Holiness
Spoken styleYour Holiness
Posthumous stylePope Saint
Pope Saint

John Paul II

Patriarch of Rome
Painting of Saint John Paul II painted by Zbigniew Kotyłło, 2012
Pope and Confessor
Born18 May 1920
Wadowice, Poland
Died2 April 2005 (aged 84)
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
Venerated inCatholic Church
Beatified1 May 2011, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI
Canonized27 April 2014, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Francis
Feast22 October
AttributesPapal ferula, Papal vestments
PatronageKraków, Poland, World Youth Day, young Catholics, Świdnica, families, World Meeting of Families 2015

Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus II; Polish: Jan Paweł II; Italian: Giovanni Paolo II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła, Polish: [ˈkarɔl ˈjuzɛv vɔjˈtɨwa];[b] 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his death in 2005.

In his youth, Wojtyła dabbled in stage acting. He graduated with excellent grades from an all-boys high school in Wadowice, Poland, in 1938, soon after which World War II broke out. During the war, to avoid being kidnapped and sent off to a German forced labour camp, he signed up for work in harsh conditions in a quarry. Wojtyła eventually took up acting and developed a love for the profession and participated at a local theatre. The linguistically skilled Wojtyła wanted to study Polish at university. Encouraged by a conversation with Adam Stefan Sapieha, he decided to study theology and become a priest. Eventually, Wojtyła rose to the position of Archbishop of Kraków and then a cardinal, both positions held by his mentor. Wojtyła was elected pope on the third day of the second papal conclave of 1978, and became one of the youngest popes in history. The conclave was called after the death of John Paul I, who served only 33 days as pope. Wojtyła adopted the name of his predecessor in tribute to him.[9]

John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the third-longest-serving pope in history after Pius IX and St. Peter. John Paul II attempted to improve the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the spirit of ecumenism, holding atheism as the greatest threat. He maintained the Church's previous positions on such matters as abortion, artificial contraception, the ordination of women, and a celibate clergy, and although he supported the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, he was seen as generally conservative in their interpretation.[10][11] He put emphasis on family and identity, while questioning consumerism, hedonism and the pursuit of wealth. He was one of the most travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, John Paul II beatified 1,344 people,[12] and canonised 483 saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. By the time of his death, he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated many of the world's bishops, and ordained many priests.[13]

He has been credited with fighting against dictatorships for democracy and with helping to end communist rule in his native Poland and the rest of Europe.[14] Under John Paul II, the Catholic Church greatly expanded its influence in Africa and Latin America and retained its influence in Europe and the rest of the world. On 19 December 2009, John Paul II was proclaimed venerable by his successor, Benedict XVI, and on 1 May 2011 (Divine Mercy Sunday) he was beatified. On 27 April 2014, he was canonised together with John XXIII.[15] He has been criticised for allegedly, as archbishop, having been insufficiently harsh in acting against the sexual abuse of children by priests in Poland,[16] though the allegations themselves have been criticised.[17][18] Posthumously he has been referred to by some Catholics as Pope St. John Paul the Great, though that title has no official recognition.[19]

Under John Paul II, the two most important constitutions of the contemporary Catholic Church were drafted and put in force: the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which, among many things, began an effort to curb sexual abuse in the Catholic Church; and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which among other things clarified the Church's position on homosexuality.

  1. ^ "St. John Paul II, the patron saint of families". 27 April 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  2. ^ "John Paul II proclaimed the patron saint of Świdnica". 9 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Trecastelli celebra il suo patron ricordando Giovanni Paolo II". Centro Pagina. 21 October 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Comune di Borgo Mantovano (MN)". Tuttitalia. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Il santo patrono del nuovo commune è Giovanni Paolo II". Messaggero Veneto. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Mass Schedule for St. John Paul II Parish". 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Biographical Profile: John Paul II". Booklet for the Celebration of the Canonization of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II. Holy See. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  8. ^ Peter C. Kent (2002). The Lonely Cold War of Pope Pius XII: The Roman Catholic Church and the Division of Europe. McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 128.
  9. ^ "John Paul the Great Catholic University". John Paul the Great Catholic University. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  10. ^ "John Paul's Conservative Legacy". CBS News. 3 April 2005. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  11. ^ "The Riddle of John Paul II". Beliefnet. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Beatifications By Pope John Paul II, 1979–2000". Office of Papal Liturgical Celebrations. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Pope John Paul II (St. Karol Józef Wojtyła)". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  14. ^ Lenczowski, John (2002). "Public Diplomacy and the Lessons of the Soviet Collapse". JSTOR review.
  15. ^ "Report: Pope Francis Says John Paul II to Be Canonized April 27". National Catholic Register. 3 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  16. ^ Lepiarz, Jacek (15 March 2023). "Poland: John Paul II abuse cover-up claims divide a nation". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Kontrowersje wokół Jana Pawła II. "Znawcy życia i dorobku" papieża komentują". Polsat News (in Polish). 11 March 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Kłamstwa w reportażu o Janie Pawle II. Czego nie powiedziano w dokumencie - Wiadomości - polskieradio24.pl". polskieradio24.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  19. ^ "John Paul the Great Catholic University". Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.


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