Pope John Paul II 

Karol Jozef Wojtyla was born May 18, 1920 at Wadowice, near Krakow, Poland. Pope John Paul II, was an excellent sportsman in his youth.

He became the Catholic Pope John Paul II, on October 16, 1978, He was 58 years old. He was the first Polish pope and also the first non-Italian pope since Pope Adrian VI in 1522.

He is very well known for his stance on abortion, life issues, and human rights. Many country leaders have sought his advice and guidance.

"This evening or this night, Christ opens the door to the Pope "

»Angelo Comastri
  Vicar general of Vatican City

The Pope died in his private apartment at the Vatican at 2137 local time (1937 GMT) on Saturday, 2^nd April 2005.

He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Cracow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.

Growing up, he was a great student and very athletic. He liked to play soccer, backpack, hike, and he wanted to have a career in theater. In 1942, he thought he might want a career in the religious life. In 1946, he was ordained a priest.

Pope John Paul II didn't have a very happy childhood. Many of his family members died when he was a young boy. As a child and as he grew, he had a love for athletic activities and theater. His father had a dream that his son would be a Pope. Eighteen months after his father died, Karol Jozef entered school to become a priest. 

Pope John Paul II can speak eight languages. He learned Spanish after becoming the Pope. He also traveled more than any Pope in history.

In 1994, Time Magazine named him the Man of the Year. He has authored several books. One of his books, "Crossing the Threshold of Hope," is a best seller. 

Within the last few years, he has added the Luminous mysteries, a series of meditations, to the Rosary. 

He was the most widely-traveled pontiff and visited more than 120 countries during his 26-year papacy.

John Paul's papacy nearly ended in 1981 when he was shot and seriously wounded as he toured St Peter's Square in Rome. After a long period of recovery, in 1983, he visited and forgave the would-be assassin.

John Paul's reign saw radical changes in the world including the collapse of communism and the spread of Aids.

Although plagued by ill health throughout the latter part of his papacy he maintained his international schedule and in 2000 made a poignant pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

He also made a final, nostalgic return to his homeland in 2002.

In recent years, it was discovered that Pope John Paul II has Parkinson's disease. Despite this, he has continued to serve Catholics worldwide and has remained a very active head of Roman Catholicism.

The Pope died in his private apartment at the Vatican at 2137 local time (1937 GMT) on Saturday, 2^nd April 2005.

O Father! We Miss You

See Important Dates in His Life