Pope Saint John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus II; Italian: Giovanni
Paolo II; Polish: Jan PaweÅ‚ II; born Karol Józef WojtyÅ‚a [ˈkarÉ"l
ˈjuzÉ›v vÉ"jˈtɨwa];[a] 18 May 1920 â€" 2 April 2005) was the head
of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from
1978 until his death in 2005. He was elected pope by the second papal
conclave of 1978, which was called after Pope John Paul I, who had
been elected in August to succeed Pope Paul VI, died after 33 days.
Cardinal Wojtyła was elected on the third day of the conclave and
adopted the name of his predecessor in tribute to him.[7][8] John Paul
II is recognised as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland
and eventually all of Eastern Europe, Including Central and Southeast
Europe.[9]John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's
relations with Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He
upheld the Church's teachings on such matters as the right to life,
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 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, he beatified
1,340[12] and 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.[13]John Paul II was the second longest-serving pope in modern
history after Pope Pius IX. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first
non-Italian pope since the 16th-century Pope Adrian VI. John Paul II's
cause for canonisation commenced one month after his death with the
traditional five-year waiting period waived. On 19 December 2009, John
Paul II was proclaimed venerable by his successor, Benedict XVI, and
was beatified on 1 May 2011 (Divine Mercy Sunday) after the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed one miracle to his
intercession, the healing of a French nun called Marie Simon Pierre
from Parkinson's disease. A second miracle was approved on 2 July
2013, and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later. John Paul II was
canonised on 27 April 2014 (again Divine Mercy Sunday), together with
Pope John XXIII.[14] On 11 September 2014, Pope Francis added these
two optional memorials to the worldwide General Roman Calendar of
saints.[15] It is traditional to celebrate saints' feast days on the
anniversary of their deaths, but that of John Paul II (22 October) is
celebrated on the anniversary of his papal inauguration.[16][17]
Posthumously, he has been referred to by some Catholics as "St. John
Paul the Great", although the title has no official
recognition.[18][19][20][21]
Paolo II; Polish: Jan PaweÅ‚ II; born Karol Józef WojtyÅ‚a [ˈkarÉ"l
ˈjuzÉ›v vÉ"jˈtɨwa];[a] 18 May 1920 â€" 2 April 2005) was the head
of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from
1978 until his death in 2005. He was elected pope by the second papal
conclave of 1978, which was called after Pope John Paul I, who had
been elected in August to succeed Pope Paul VI, died after 33 days.
Cardinal Wojtyła was elected on the third day of the conclave and
adopted the name of his predecessor in tribute to him.[7][8] John Paul
II is recognised as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland
and eventually all of Eastern Europe, Including Central and Southeast
Europe.[9]John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's
relations with Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He
upheld the Church's teachings on such matters as the right to life,
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 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, he beatified
1,340[12] and 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.[13]John Paul II was the second longest-serving pope in modern
history after Pope Pius IX. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first
non-Italian pope since the 16th-century Pope Adrian VI. John Paul II's
cause for canonisation commenced one month after his death with the
traditional five-year waiting period waived. On 19 December 2009, John
Paul II was proclaimed venerable by his successor, Benedict XVI, and
was beatified on 1 May 2011 (Divine Mercy Sunday) after the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed one miracle to his
intercession, the healing of a French nun called Marie Simon Pierre
from Parkinson's disease. A second miracle was approved on 2 July
2013, and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later. John Paul II was
canonised on 27 April 2014 (again Divine Mercy Sunday), together with
Pope John XXIII.[14] On 11 September 2014, Pope Francis added these
two optional memorials to the worldwide General Roman Calendar of
saints.[15] It is traditional to celebrate saints' feast days on the
anniversary of their deaths, but that of John Paul II (22 October) is
celebrated on the anniversary of his papal inauguration.[16][17]
Posthumously, he has been referred to by some Catholics as "St. John
Paul the Great", although the title has no official
recognition.[18][19][20][21]
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