Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus II; Italian: Giovanni Paolo II; Polish: Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła [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.
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).
John Paul II
16 October 1978
2 April 2005
1 November 1946
by Adam Stefan Sapieha
28 September 1958
by Eugeniusz Baziak
26 June 1967
by Paul VI
Cardinal priest (1967–1978)
2 April 2005 (aged 84)
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
- Auxiliary Bishop of Kraków (1958–1964)
- Titular Bishop of Ombi (1958–1964)
- Archbishop of Kraków (1964–1978)
- Cardinal Priest of San Cesareo in Palatio (1967–1978)
Totus tuus
(Latin for 'Totally yours')
22 October
Catholic Church
1 May 2011
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
by Benedict XVI
27 April 2014
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
by Francis
- Papal ferula
- Papal vestments
- Poland
- Archdiocese of Kraków
- World Youth Day (co-Patron)
- World Meeting of Families 2015 (co-patron)
- Young Catholics
- Families[1]
- Świdnica[2]
- Trecastelli[3]
- Borgo Mantovano[4]
- Rivignano Teor[5]
- Paradahan, Tanza, Cavite (Major Patron)[6]
- Love and Responsibility
- Theology of the Body
- 1983 Code of Canon Law (promulgated)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (promulgated)
- Fides et ratio
- Memory and Identity
Adam Stefan Sapieha (Kraków)
Adam Stefan Sapieha (Kraków)
20 October 1946
Adam Stefan Sapieha (Kraków)
1 November 1946
Chapel of the Kraków Archbishop's residence
Eugeniusz Baziak (Kraków AA)
- Franciszek Jop (Sandomierz aux)
- Bolesław Kominek
28 September 1958
Wawel Cathedral, Kraków
26 June 1967
Your Holiness
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 slave 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. John Paul I had been elected in an August papal conclave to succeed Pope Paul VI. Wojtyła adopted the name of his predecessor in tribute to him.[20] 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.[21][22] 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,[23] and also canonised 483 people, 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.[24] 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.[25] 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.[26] Posthumously he has been referred to by some Catholics as "Pope St. John Paul the Great", though that title has no official recognition.[27] He has been criticised for allegedly, as archbishop, having condoned the sexual abuse of children by priests in Poland,[28] though the allegations themselves have been criticised.[29][30]
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.
Relations with other world religions
Animism
In his book-length interview Crossing the Threshold of Hope with the Italian journalist Vittorio Messori published in 1995, John Paul II draws parallels between animism and Christianity. He wrote:
John Paul II apologised to many groups that had suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church through the years.[87][272] Before becoming pope he had been a prominent editor and supporter of initiatives such as the Letter of Reconciliation of the Polish Bishops to the German Bishops from 1965. As pope, he officially made public apologies for over 100 wrongdoings, including:[273][274][275][276]
The Great Jubilee of the year 2000 included a day of Prayer for Forgiveness of the Sins of the Church on 12 March 2000.
On 20 November 2001, from a laptop in the Vatican, John Paul II sent his first e-mail apologising for the Catholic sex abuse cases, the church-backed "Stolen Generations" of Aboriginal children in Australia, and to China for the behaviour of Catholic missionaries in colonial times.[279]
Pope Saint
John Paul II
2 April 2005 (aged 84)
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
1 May 2011, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI
27 April 2014, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Francis
22 October
Kraków, Poland, World Youth Day, young Catholics, Świdnica, families, World Meeting of Families 2015