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| Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II : Biography
Pope
John Paul II made history in 1978 by becoming the first non-Italian pope in
more than 400 years.
“As the family goes, so goes the
nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.”
—John Paul II
Pope
John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland.
He was ordained in 1946, became the bishop of Ombi in 1958, and became the
archbishop of Krakow in 1964. He was made a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1967,
and in 1978 became the first non-Italian pope in more than 400 years. He was a
vocal advocate for human rights and used his influence to effect political
change. He died in Italy in 2005. It was announced in July of 2013 that he
would be declared a saint in April of the following year.
Early Life
Born
Karol Józef Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, Pope John Paul II's
early life was marked by great loss. His mother died when he was 9 years old,
and his older brother Edmund died when he was 12
Growing
up, John Paul was athletic and enjoyed skiing and swimming. He went to Krakow's
Jagiellonian University in 1938 where he showed an interest in theater and
poetry. The school was closed the next year by Nazi troops during the German
occupation of Poland. Wanting to become a priest, John Paul began studying at a
secret seminary run by the archbishop of Krakow. After World War II ended, he
finished his religious studies at a Krakow seminary and was ordained in 1946.
Rise Within the Church
John
Paul spent two years in Rome where he finished his doctorate in theology. He
returned to his native Poland in 1948 and served in several parishes in and
around Krakow. John Paul became the bishop of Ombi in 1958 and then the
archbishop of Krakow six years later. Considered one of the Catholic Church's
leading thinkers, he participated in the Second Vatican Council—sometimes
called Vatican II. The council began reviewing church doctrine in 1962, holding
several sessions over the course of the next few years. As a member of the
council, John Paul helped the church to examine its position in the world. Well
regarded for his contributions to the church, John Paul was made a cardinal in
1967 by Pope Paul VI.
Becoming Pope
In
1978, John Paul made history by becoming the first non-Italian pope in more
than four hundred years. As the leader of the Catholic Church, he traveled the
world, visiting more than 100 countries to spread his message of faith and
peace. But he was close to home when he faced the greatest threat to his life.
In 1981, an assassin shot John Paul twice in St. Peter's Square in Vatican
City. Fortunately, he was able to recover from his injuries and later forgave
his attacker.
Legacy
A
vocal advocate for human rights, John Paul often spoke out about suffering in
the world. He held strong positions on many topics, including his opposition to
capital punishment. A charismatic figure, John Paul used his influence to bring
about political change and is credited with the fall of communism in his native
Poland. He was not without critics, however. Some have stated that he could be
harsh with those who disagreed with him and that he would not compromise his
hard-line stance on certain issues, such as contraception.
In
his later years, John Paul's health appeared to be failing. At public
appearances, he moved slowly and seemed unsteady on his feet. He also visibly
trembled at times. One of his doctors also disclosed that John Paul had
Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder often characterized by shaking, in 2001.
But there was never any official announcement about his illness from the
Vatican.
John
Paul II died on April 2, 2005, at the age of 84, at his Vatican City residence.
More than 3 million people waited in line to say good-bye to their beloved
religious leader at St. Peter's Basilica before his funeral on April 8.
On
July 5, 2013, waving the usual five-year waiting period, the Vatican announced
that the Roman Catholic Church would declare Pope John Paul II a saint, and
that the canonization ceremony would likely take place within the next 16
months. The Vatican also stated that Pope John XXIII, who headed the Catholic
Church from 1958 until his death in 1963 and convened the Vatican II council,
would also be declared a saint.
On
September 30, 2013, Pope Francis announced that the canonizations of Pope John
Paul II and Pope John XXIII would occur on April 27, 2014. The announcement of
Pope John Paul II's canonization came after the Vatican revealed that two
miracles were attributed to the late pope. After a dying French nun, Sister
Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, prayed to Pope John Paul II for during her battle
with Parkinson's disease—the same illness that killed the pope—she was cured.
The second miracle involved a 50-year-old woman, who claimed that she was cured
of a brain aneurysm after a photograph of Pope John Paul II spoke to her.
The
official sainthood ceremony, held on April 27, 2014, brought together four
popes. Pope Francis led the event to elevate Pope John Paul II and Pope John
XXIII to sainthood, which was also attended by Francis's predecessor Emeritus
Pope Benedict.
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