John Paul II
Birth name	Karol Józef Wojtyła
Papacy began	16 October 1978
Papacy ended	2 April 2005
Predecessor	John Paul I
Successor	Benedict XVI
Born	18 May 1920(1920-05-18) Wadowice, Poland
Died	2 April 2005 (aged 84) Apostolic Palace, Vatican City

Styles of Pope John Paul II
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father
Posthumous style	Servant of God

John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II) born Karol Józef Wojtyła (help·info) IPA: [ˈkaɾɔl ˈjuzεf vɔi̯ˈtɨwa]; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) reigned as the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City from 16 October 1978, until his death, almost 27 years later. His was the second-longest pontificate after Pius IX's 32-year reign. He has been the only Polish pope, and was the first non-Italian pope since the Dutch Adrian VI in the 1520s. Image File history File links JohannesPaulII.jpg Description: en: Pope John Paul II on 12 August 1993 in Denver (Colorado), shortcut of Image:Johannes Paul II - Bill Clinton. ... is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pope John Paul I (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo I), born Albino Luciani, (October 17, 1912—September 28, 1978) reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and as Sovereign of Vatican City from August 26, 1978 until his death. ... Papal Arms of Pope Benedict XVI. The papal tiara was replaced with a bishops mitre, and pallium of the Pope was added beneath the coat of arms. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: none Voivodship Lesser Poland Municipal government Rada Miasta w Wadowicach Mayor Ewa Filipiak Area km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 19. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... View across St. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A style of office, or honorific, is a form of address which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a title or post, or to the political office itself. ... His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI (born 1927) His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (born 1935) His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups. ... Servant of God is the title given to a person of the Roman Catholic Church upon whom a pope has opened a cause of sainthood. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Pope (disambiguation). ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... The State of the City of the Vatican or the Vatican City (Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae, Italian Stato della Città del Vaticano) is the smallest independent state in the world (both in area and in population), a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy. ... is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Pius IX reigned for 31 years, 7 months, and 23 days (11,560 days) from 1846 to 1878. ... Pope Pius IX (May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from his election in June 16, 1846, until his death more than 31 years later in 1878. ... Languages Italian, Sicilian, Neapolitan, Corsican, Sardinian, Emiliano-Romagnolo, Ligurian, Lombard, Piedmontese, Venetian, Ladin, Friulian Religions predominantly Roman Catholic      The Italians are a Southern European ethnic group found primarily in Italy and in a wide-ranging diaspora throughout Western Europe, the Americas and Australia. ... Pope Adrian VI (Utrecht, March 2, 1459 – September 14, 1523), born Adriaan Florenszoon Boeyens, son of Floris Boeyens, served as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1522 until his death. ...

John Paul II was Pope during a period in which the Catholic Church's influence declined in developed countries but expanded in the Third World. During his reign, the pope traveled extensively, visiting over 100 countries, more than any of his predecessors. He remains one of the most-traveled world leaders in history. He was fluent in numerous languages: his native Polish and also Italian, French, German, English, Spanish, Croatian, Portuguese, Russian and Latin.^[1] As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he canonized a great number of people. Catholic Church redirects here. ... World map indicating Human Development Index (as of 2004). ... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... Universal Call to Holiness and Apostolate is a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that all people are called to be holy. ... This article is about the process of declaring saints. ...

He beatified 1,340 people (some listed here), more people than any previous pope. The Vatican asserts he canonized more people than the combined tally of his predecessors during the last five centuries, and from a far greater variety of cultures.^[2] Whether he had canonized more saints than all previous popes put together, as is sometimes also claimed, is difficult to prove, as the records of many early canonizations are incomplete, missing, or inaccurate. However, it is known that his abolition of the office of Promotor Fidei ("Promoter of the Faith" and the origin of the term Devil's advocate) streamlined the process. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Devils advocate (disambiguation). ...

Biography

Main article: Biography of Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City for almost 27 years. ...

Early life

Main article: Early life of Pope John Paul II

Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on 18 May 1920 in the Polish town of Wadowice and was the youngest of three children of Karol Wojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska.^[3] His mother died on April 13, 1929, ^[4] when he was just nine years old, and his father supported him so that he could study. His brother, who worked as a doctor, died when Wojtyła was twelve. He lost everyone in his family - a sister, brother, mother, and father - before he became a priest. His youth was marked by extensive contacts with the then thriving Jewish community of Wadowice. He played sports during his youth, and was particularly interested in football (soccer)^[5] as a goalkeeper.^[6] is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Jew (disambiguation). ... Motto: none Voivodship Lesser Poland Municipal government Rada Miasta w Wadowicach Mayor Ewa Filipiak Area km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 19. ... Soccer redirects here. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ...

Karol Wojtyła at 12 years old

After completing his studies at the Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, in 1938 Wojtyła enrolled at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, and in a school for drama.^[3] He worked as a volunteer librarian and did compulsory military training in the Academic Legion, but refused to hold or fire a weapon. In his youth he was an athlete, actor and playwright and he learned as many as ten languages during his lifetime, including Latin, Ukrainian, Greek, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, English as well as his native Polish. He also had some facility with Russian. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Marcin Wadowita (also known as Wadovius or Campius) (1567 - 27 January 1641) was a Polish priest, theologian, professor and chancellor of the Jagiellonian University. ... For several academies alternatively called Krakow Academy, see Education in Kraków The Jagiellonian University (Polish: , often shortened to UJ) is located in Kraków, Poland. ... For other uses, see Krakow (disambiguation). ... A sportsperson (British and American English) or athlete (principally American English) is any person who participates regularly in a sport. ... Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play. ... A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or drama. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

In 1939, Nazi occupation forces closed the Jagiellonian University. All able-bodied males had to have a job. From 1940 to 1944 Wojtyła variously worked as a messenger for a restaurant and a manual labourer in a limestone quarry, and then as a salesman for the Solvay chemical factory to avoid being deported to Germany.^[3] His father died of a heart attack in 1941. B'nai B'rith and other authorities have said he helped Jews find refuge from the Nazis. National Socialism redirects here. ... For several academies alternatively called Krakow Academy, see Education in Kraków The Jagiellonian University (Polish: , often shortened to UJ) is located in Kraków, Poland. ... This article deals with the company named Solvay. ... Bnai Brith Membership Certificate, 1876. ...

On 29 February 1944, Wojtyła was knocked down by a German truck. In sharp contrast to the harshness normally expected from the occupiers, German officers tended him and commandeered a passing truck to get him to a hospital. He spent two weeks there with a severe concussion and a shoulder injury. This accident and his survival seemed to Wojtyła a confirmation of his priestly vocation. On 6 August 1944, "Black Sunday", just after the Warsaw uprising began, the Gestapo rounded up young men in Kraków to avoid a similar uprising. Wojtyła escaped by hiding in the basement of his home as it was searched, then escaped to the Archbishop's residence, where he stayed until after the war. February 29 is a day added into a leap year of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Warsaw Uprising (disambiguation). ...

On the night of 17 January 1945, the Germans quit the city, and the seminarians reclaimed the ruined seminary. Wojtyła and another seminarian volunteered for the odious task of chopping up and carting away piles of frozen excrement from the lavatories. That month, Wojtyła personally helped a 14-year-old Jewish refugee girl named Edith Zierer^[7] who had run away from a Nazi labor camp in Częstochowa. Zierer was attempting to reach her family in Kraków but had collapsed from cold and exhaustion on a train platform in Jędrzejów. No one helped but Wojtyła, who gave her some hot tea and food, personally carried her to a train and accompanied her to Kraków. Zierer credits Wojtyła for saving her life that day. She would not hear of her benefactor again until she read that he was elected as the Pope in 1978.^[8][9][10] is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Motto: CzÄ™stochowa to dobre miasto (CzÄ™stochowa is a good city) Coordinates: , Country Voivodeship Powiat city county Gmina CzÄ™stochowa Established 11th century City Rights 1356 Government  - Mayor Tadeusz Wrona Area  - City 162. ... JÄ™drzejów is a town in Poland. ...

Priest

Karol Wojtyła as a priest in Niegowić, Poland, 1948

In 1942 he entered the underground seminary run by the Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha. Karol Wojtyła was ordained a priest on 1 November 1946, by Cardinal Sapieha. Not long after, he was sent to study theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy, commonly known as the Angelicum, where he earned a licentiate and later a doctorate in sacred theology. This doctorate, the first of two, was based on the Latin dissertation Doctrina de fide apud S. Ioannem a Cruce (The Doctrine of Faith According to Saint John of the Cross). Even though his doctoral work was unanimously approved in June 1948, he was denied the degree because he could not afford to print the text of his dissertation (an Angelicum rule). In December of that year, a revised text of his dissertation was approved by the theological faculty of Jagiellonian University in Kraków, and Wojtyła was finally awarded the degree. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1316x904, 236 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Pope John Paul II Biography of Pope John Paul II ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1316x904, 236 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Pope John Paul II Biography of Pope John Paul II ... This article covers the topic of underground education in Poland (Polish Tajne szkolnictwo) during World War II. After the Polish defeat in the Polish Defence War of 1939 and the subsequent German occupation of most Polish territory, Poland was divided into the areas directly incorporated into the Reich and the... For other uses, see Krakow (disambiguation). ... Noble Family Sapieha Coat of Arms Lis Parents Adam Stanisław Sapieha Jadwiga Klementyna Sanguszko Consorts none Children none Date of Birth May 14, 1867 Place of Birth Krasiczyn Date of Death July 23, 1951 Place of Death Kraków Prince Adam Stefan Stanisław Bonifacy Józef Sapieha (1867-1951) was a Polish... Ordination is the process in which clergy become authorized by their religious denomination and/or seminary to perform religious rituals and ceremonies. ... This article is about religious workers. ... is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ... Facade of the main entrance of the Pontifical University of St. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... Facade of the main entrance of the Pontifical University of St. ... Licentiate (from Latin licentia doctorandi = permission/right to teach) is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a license. ... For several academies alternatively called Krakow Academy, see Education in Kraków The Jagiellonian University (Polish: , often shortened to UJ) is located in Kraków, Poland. ... For other uses, see Krakow (disambiguation). ...

Returning to Poland in the summer of 1948, with his first pastoral assignment in the village of Niegowić, fifteen miles from Kraków. In March 1949, he was transferred to Saint Florian's parish in Kraków. He taught ethics at the Jagiellonian University in there and subsequently at the Catholic University of Lublin. Wojtyła gathered a group of fewer than 20 young people, who began to call themselves Rodzinka, the "little family", who met for prayer, philosophical discussion, and helping the blind and sick. Eventually there were some 200 people in his circle, which came to be called Środowisko, meaning roughly "milieu". The group went on both skiing and kayaking trips annually. For other uses, see Pastoral (disambiguation). ... Saint Florian, 1473 painting by Francesco del Cossa. ... For other uses, see Ethics (disambiguation). ... For several academies alternatively called Krakow Academy, see Education in Kraków The Jagiellonian University (Polish: , often shortened to UJ) is located in Kraków, Poland. ... The Catholic University of Lublin (in Polish Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski, or KUL) is located in Lublin, Poland. ... Cross-country skiing (skating style) in Einsiedeln, Switzerland. ... Look up kayak in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Fr Wojtyła wrote a series of articles in Kraków's Catholic newspaper Tygodnik Powszechny ("Universal Weekly") dealing with contemporary church issues, and his literary work blossomed in his first dozen years as a priest. The war, life under communism, and his pastoral responsibilities all fed his poems and plays. These were published under two pseudonyms-Andrzej Jawień, and Stanisław Andrzej Gruda. He used these pseudonyms firstly to distinguish his literary from his religious writings, which were published under his own name, and also so that his literary work would be considered on their own merits rather than as clerical curiosities. Tygodnik Powszechny (translates as Universal Weekly), is a Roman Catholic weekly newspaper, published in Kraków, Poland. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... This article is about the form of society and political movement. ... This article is about the art form. ...

He earned a second doctorate, based on an evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic ethic on the ethical system of phenomenologist Max Scheler (An Evaluation of the Possibility of Constructing a Christian Ethics on the Basis of the System of Max Scheler), in 1954. As was the case with the first degree, he was not granted the degree upon earning it. This time, the faculty at Jagiellonian University was forbidden by communist authorities from granting the degree. In conjunction with his habilitation at Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, he finally obtained the doctorate of philosophy in 1957 from that institution, where he had assumed the Chair of Ethics in 1956. In philosophy and sociology a phenomenologist applies the method termed phenomenology by Edmund Husserl to analyze nature, reality or social interactions. ... Max Scheler (August 22, 1874, Munich - May 19, 1928, Frankfurt am Main) was a German philosopher known for his work in phenomenology, ethics, and philosophical anthropology. ... Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a person can achieve by his/her own pursuit in certain European countries. ... The Catholic University of Lublin (in Polish Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski, or KUL) is located in Lublin, Poland. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ...

Bishop and cardinal

Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II with the Marian Cross. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion

On 4 July 1958 Pope Pius XII named him titular bishop of Ombi and auxiliary to Archbishop Baziak, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Kraków. He was consecrated to the Episcopate by Arcbishop Baziak on September 28, 1958. At 38 Karol Wojtyła was the youngest bishop in Poland. Pope John Paul II recounts in his book Rise, Let us be on our Way how he entered a room a full of priests, after news had been received of his appointment as auxiliary Bishop, when Archbishop Baziak called out "Habemus papam" ("We have a Pope"). Baziak died in June 1962 and on July 16 Karol Wojtyła was elected as Vicar Capitular, or temporary administrator, of the Archdiocese until an Archbishop could be appointed. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... The Marian Cross The Marian Cross is an informal name applied to a Roman Catholic cross design. ... Our Lady redirects here. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... Pius XIIs signature Pope Pius XII (Latin: ), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (March 2, 1876 – October 9, 1958), reigned as the 260th pope, the human head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City, from March 2, 1939 until his death in 1958. ... Bishop Richard Pates, current auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the Titular Bishop of Suacia. ... Ombi is a Christian diocese in Poland, guided by Bishop Karol Josef Wojtyla in 1958. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      This article... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Starting in October 1962 Bishop Wojtyła took part in the Second Vatican Council, and in December 1963 Pope Paul VI appointed him Archbishop of Kraków. On 26 June 1967, Paul VI announced Archbishop Wojtyła's promotion to the Sacred College of Cardinals with the title of Cardinal Priest of San Cesareo in Palatio. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. ... This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ... For other uses, see Krakow (disambiguation). ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... The Sacred College of Cardinals is the body of all Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Cardinal Priests are the most numerous of the three orders of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church. ... San Cesareo in Palatio San Cesareo in Palatio, or San Caesareo de Appia, titular church in Rome. ...

He made contributions to two of the most historic and influential products of the council, the Decree on Religious Freedom (in Latin, Dignitatis Humanae) and the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes). Dignitatis Humanæ is the Second Vatican Councils Declaration on Religious Freedom. ... Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, was one of the chief accomplishments of the Second Vatican Council. ...

In 1960, Wojtyła had published the influential book Love and Responsibility, a defense of the traditional Church teachings on sex and marriage from a new philosophical standpoint. In 1967, he was instrumental in formulating the encyclical Humanae Vitae which deals with those same issues and forbids abortion and artificial birth control. An encyclical was a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. ... Humanae Vitae (Latin Of Human Life) is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and promulgated on July 25, 1968. ...

A Pope from Poland

Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square (1985).

Main article: Papal conclave, 1978 (October)

In August 1978 following Paul's death, he voted in the Papal conclave that elected Pope John Paul I, who at 65 was considered young by papal standards. However, John Paul I was in poor health^{[citation needed]} and he died after only 33 days as pope, thereby precipitating another conclave. Subject: Pope John Paul II Source: Vatican City official site [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Subject: Pope John Paul II Source: Vatican City official site [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Saint Peters Square, or Saint Peters Piazza (Piazza San Pietro, in Italian), is located directly in front of St. ... Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) The winner of the October 1978 conclave. ... The Sistine Chapel is the location of the conclave since 1492. ... Pope John Paul I (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo I), born Albino Luciani, (October 17, 1912—September 28, 1978) reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and as Sovereign of Vatican City from August 26, 1978 until his death. ...

Voting in the second conclave was divided between two particularly strong candidates: Giuseppe Siri, the Archbishop of Genoa; and Giovanni Benelli, the Archbishop of Florence and a close associate of Pope John Paul I. In early ballots, Benelli came within nine votes of victory. However, Wojtyła secured election as a compromise candidate, in part through the support of Franz Cardinal König and others who had previously supported Cardinal Siri. Giuseppe Siri (20 May 1906 - 2 May 1989) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. ... For other uses, see Genoa (disambiguation). ... Giovanni Cardinal Benelli (Poggiole di Vernio, diocese of Pistoia, May 12, 1921-October 26, 1982) was one of many Italian cardinals believed to be among the papabili, those considered especially electable to the Pontificate, at the two Papal conclaves of 1978. ... Florence (or Firenze, Florentia and Fiorenza) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany, and of the province of Florence. ... Pope John Paul I (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo I), born Albino Luciani, (October 17, 1912—September 28, 1978) reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and as Sovereign of Vatican City from August 26, 1978 until his death. ... Franz Cardinal König (center) His Eminence Franz Cardinal König (August 3, 1905 – March 13, 2004) was Archbishop of Vienna (1956 - 1985), and a Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. ...

He became the 264th Pope according to the chronological List of popes. At only 58 years of age, he was the youngest pope elected since Pope Pius IX in 1846. Like his immediate predecessor, Pope John Paul II dispensed with the traditional Papal coronation and instead received ecclesiastical investiture with the simplified Papal inauguration on 22 October 1978. During his inauguration, when the cardinals were to kneel before him to take their vows and kiss his ring, he stood up as the Polish prelate Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski knelt down, stopped him from kissing the ring and hugged him (SABC2 "The Greatest souls" documentary 2005). As Bishop of Rome he took possession of his Cathedral Church, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, on 12 November 1978. Popes buried in St. ... Pope Pius IX (May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from his election in June 16, 1846, until his death more than 31 years later in 1878. ... Pope John XXIII blesses the crowds moments after his coronation in 1958. ... Investiture, from the Latin (preposition in and verb vestire, dress from vestis robe) is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent (heir, elect of nominee) in public office, especially by taking possession of its insignia. ... Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) is crowned at the last papal coronation to date, in 1963. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski was the known as the primate of Poland. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pope. ... For other uses, see Cathedral (disambiguation). ... The late Baroque façade of the Basilica of St. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

Assassination attempts

Main articles: 1981 Pope John Paul II assassination attempt, Juan María Fernández y Krohn, and The Bojinka Plot

On 13 May 1981 John Paul II was shot and critically wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca, a Turkish gunman, as he entered St. Peter's Square to address an audience. He was rushed into the Vatican complex, then to the Gemelli Hospital, where Dr. Francesco Crucitti, a noted surgeon, had just arrived by police escort after hearing of the incident. The Pope had lost almost three-quarters of his blood, a near-exsanguination, despite the fact that the bullets missed his mesenteric artery and abdominal aorta. He underwent five hours of surgery to treat his massive blood loss and abdominal wounds. En route to the hospital, he lost consciousness. Ağca was caught and restrained by a nun and other bystanders until police arrived. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. Two days after Christmas 1983, John Paul II visited the prison where his would-be assassin was being held. The two spoke privately for 20 minutes. John Paul II said, "What we talked about will have to remain a secret between him and me. I spoke to him as a brother whom I have pardoned and who has my complete trust." The pope also stated that Our Lady of Fatima helped keep him alive throughout his ordeal. An attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II occurred on May 13, 1981. ... Juan María Fernández y Krohn (born in Spain in 1950) was ordained a Catholic priest in 1978, though known for his extreme right wing political and religious views. ... The Bojinka Plot was a planned large-scale terrorist attack on airliners in 1995. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Mehmet Ali AÄŸca (born January 9, 1958) is a Turkish assassin, who shot and wounded Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981. ... Saint Peters Square, or Saint Peters Piazza (Piazza San Pietro, in Italian), is located directly in front of St. ... The Gemelli Hospital, named after Agostino Gemelli, is a university hospital in Rome, Italy. ... Exsanguination (also known colloquially as bleeding out) is the fatal process of total blood loss. ... Life imprisonment or life incarceration is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime, often for most or even all of the criminals remaining life, but in fact for a period which varies between jurisdictions: many countries have a maximum possible period of time (usually 7 to 50 years... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Fatima (pron. ...

Pope John Paul II visiting with Turkish President Fahri Koruturk in Ankara, Turkey

On 2 March 2006, an Italian parliamentary commission concluded that the Soviet Union was behind the attempt, in retaliation for John Paul II's support of Solidarity, the Catholic, pro-democratic Polish workers' movement, a theory which had already been supported by Michael Ledeen and the United States Central Intelligence Agency at the time. The report stated that certain Communist Bulgarian security departments were utilized to prevent the Soviet Union's role from being uncovered.^[11] Although the Pope declared during a May 2002 visit to Bulgaria that this country had nothing to do with the assassination attempt, his secretary, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, alleges in his book A Life with Karol that the pope was convinced privately that the KGB was behind the assassination attempt.^[12] Bulgaria and Russia disputed the Italian commission's conclusions, pointing out that the Pope denied the Bulgarian connection. This theory was also central to Tom Clancy's novel Red Rabbit, published in 2002. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... -1... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Solidarity (Polish: ; full name: Independent Self-governing Trade Union Solidarity — Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Solidarność) is a Polish trade union federation founded in September 1980 at the then Lenin Shipyards, and originally led by Lech Wałęsa. ... Michael Ledeen (born August 1, 1941) is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. ... CIA redirects here. ... For the member of the Irish folk band The Clancy Brothers, see Tom Clancy (singer) and for the American Celticist, see Thomas Owen Clancy. ... Red Rabbit (2002) is a novel by Tom Clancy. ...

Another assassination attempt took place on 12 May 1982, just a day before the anniversary of the last attempt on his life, in Fatima, Portugal when a man tried to stab John Paul II with a bayonet, but was stopped by security guards. The assailant, a right wing Spanish ex-priest named Juan María Fernández y Krohn, a former priest of the Diocese of Madrid, reportedly opposed the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and called the pope an agent of Communist Moscow. Fernández y Krohn subsequently left the Roman Catholic priesthood and served a six-year sentence. He was treated for mental illness and was expelled from Portugal afterwards, only to become a lawyer in Belgium, where he would try to assassinate King Juan Carlos I of Spain. is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Fatima basilica Fatima esplanade, 13/05/2003 Religious articles, 13/05/2003 Fátima is a town in Portugal famous for the religious visions that are said to have taken place there in 1917. ... For other uses, see bayonet (disambiguation). ... This article is about religious workers. ... Juan María Fernández y Krohn (born in Spain in 1950) was ordained a Catholic priest in 1978, though known for his extreme right wing political and religious views. ... Pope Pius XI blesses Bishop Stephen Alencastre as fifth Apostolic Vicar of the Hawaiian Islands in a Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace window. ... This article is about the Spanish capital. ... The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... Juan Carlos I redirects here. ...

Pope John Paul II was also one of the targets of the Al-Qaeda-funded Operation Bojinka during a visit to the Philippines in 1995. The first plan was to kill Pope John Paul II when he visited the Philippines during the World Youth Day 1995 celebrations. On January 15, 1995, a suicide bomber would dress up as a priest, while John Paul II passed in his motorcade on his way to the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City. The assassin planned to get close to the Pope, and detonate the bomb. The planned assassination of the Pope was intended to divert attention from the next part of the phase. However, a chemical fire inadvertently started by the would-be assassins alerted police to their whereabouts, and they were arrested nearly a week before the Pope's visit. Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... Operation Bojinka (also known as Project Bojinka, Bojinka Plot, Bojinga, from Arabic: بجنكة – slang in many dialects for explosion and pronounced Bo-JIN-ka, except in Egyptian where it is Bo-GIN-ka) was a planned large-scale attack on airliners in 1995, and was a precursor to the September... World Youth Day 2000 in Rome World Youth Day (It. ... The 1995 World Youth Day was held in Manila, Philippines. ... A suicide bombing is a bomb attack on people or property, committed by a person who knows the explosion will cause his or her own death in addition to the attacks primary purpose (see suicide, suicide weapons). ...

Health

Main article: Health of Pope John Paul II

The ailing Pope John Paul II riding in the Popemobile on September 22, 2004

When he became pope in 1978, John Paul II was already an avid sportsman, and he traveled extensively during his papacy. At the time, the 58-year old was extremely healthy and active, jogging in the Vatican gardens, weightlifting, swimming and hiking in the mountains. He was also fond of football and played for Poland in his youth. John Paul II during a general audience on 29 September 2004 Pope John Paul II entered the papacy as an avid sportsman, enjoying hiking and swimming. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1633x1090, 333 KB) Summary Der kränkliche Papst Johannes Paul II. am 22. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1633x1090, 333 KB) Summary Der kränkliche Papst Johannes Paul II. am 22. ... Pope Benedict XVI in a popemobile as he passes the White House in Washington DC. i love pope ... is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... -1... Swimmer redirects here. ... Two hikers in the Mount Hood National Forest Eagle Creek hiking Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ...

John Paul's obvious physical fitness and athletic good-looks earned much comment in the media following his election, which compared his health and trim figure to the poor health of John Paul I and Paul VI, the portliness of John XXIII and the constant claims of ailments of Pius XII. The only modern pope with a keep-fit regime had been Pope Pius XI (1922–1939) who was an avid mountain climber. An Irish Independent article in the 1980s labeled John Paul the "the keep-fit pope." Pope Pius XI (Latin: ; Italian: Pio XI; May 31, 1857 – February 10, 1939), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, reigned as Pope from February 6, 1922 and as sovereign of Vatican City from 1929 until his death on February 10, 1939. ... The Irish Independent is Irelands best-selling daily newspaper. ...

In 1981, John Paul II's health suffered a major blow after the first failed assassination attempt. He went on to a full recovery, and sported an impressive physical condition throughout the 1980s. Starting about 1992, however, his health slowly declined. He rarely walked in public and began to suffer from an increasingly slurred speech and difficulty in hearing. Most experts agreed that the frail pontiff suffered from Parkinson's disease, although it wasn't until 2003 that the Vatican finally confirmed it. From being strikingly fitter than his predecessors, he had declined physically to far more ill health than was the norm among more elderly popes. Assassin and Assassins redirect here. ...

In February 2005 John Paul II was taken to the Gemelli hospital with inflammation and spasm of the larynx, the result of influenza. He was released from the hospital, then taken back after a few days because of difficulty breathing. A tracheotomy was performed, which improved the Pope's breathing but limited his speaking abilities, to his visible frustration. In March 2005, speculation was high that the Pope was near death; this was confirmed by the Vatican a few days before John Paul II died. The Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic (Italian: Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli) is a large general hospital in Rome, Italy. ... An abscess on the skin, showing the redness and swelling characteristic of inflammation. ... The larynx (plural larynges), colloquially known as the voicebox, is an organ in the neck of mammals involved in protection of the trachea and sound production. ... Flu redirects here. ... Completed tracheotomy: 1 - Vocal cords 2 - Thyroid cartilage 3 - Cricoid cartilage 4 - Tracheal cartilages 5 - Balloon cuff A tracheotomy is a procedure performed by paramedics, emergency physicians and surgeons in order to secure an airway. ...

Death

(l-r): U.S. President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, former Presidents Bush and Clinton, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, pay their respects to John Paul II lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica, 6 April 2005.

On 31 March 2005 the Pope developed a very high fever and profoundly low blood pressure, but was neither rushed to the hospital nor offered life support. Instead, he was offered medical monitoring by a team of consultants at his private residence. This was taken as an indication that the pope and those close to him believed that he was nearing death; it would have been in accordance with his wishes to die in the Vatican.^[13] Later that day Vatican sources announced that John Paul II had been given the Anointing of the Sick by his friend and secretary Stanisław Dziwisz. During the final days of the Pope's life, the lights were kept burning through the night where he lay in the Papal apartment on the top floor of the Apostolic Palace. Image File history File links Pictured from left, US President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, former President George H. W. Bush, former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card pay their respects to Pope John Paul II as he... Image File history File links Pictured from left, US President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, former President George H. W. Bush, former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card pay their respects to Pope John Paul II as he... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Laura Lane Welch Bush (born Laura Welch on November 4, 1946 in Midland, Texas) is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States George W. Bush, murderess, and current First Lady of the United States. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born June... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Condoleezza Rice (born November 14, 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. ... Lying-in-state is the term used during a major funeral procession when the coffin is placed on public view to allow members of the public to pay their respects to the deceased. ... The Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: ), officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... An analogue medical thermometer showing the temperature of 38. ... In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. ... Extreme Unction, part of The Seven Sacraments (1445) by Roger van der Weyden. ... StanisÅ‚aw Dziwisz (born April 27, 1939 in Raba Wyżna), is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Krakow in Poland. ... View across St. ...

Tens of thousands of people rushed to the Vatican, filling St. Peter's Square and beyond with a vast multitude, and held vigil for two days. Upon hearing of this, the dying pope was said to have stated: "I have searched for you, and now you have come to me, and I thank you." Berninis piazza was extended by the Via della Conciliazione, Mussolinis grand avenue of approach. ...

On Saturday 2 April, at about 15:30 CEST, John Paul II spoke his final words, "Let me go to the house of the Father," to his aides in his native Polish and fell into a coma about four hours later.^[14] He died in his private apartment, at 21:37 CEST (19:37 UTC), 46 days short of his 85th birthday. The mass of the vigil of the Second Sunday of Easter, that is, Divine Mercy Sunday which was put into the Church's calendar by him on the occasion of the canonization of St. Faustina on 30 April 2000,^[15] had just been celebrated at his bedside. Several aides were present, along with several Polish nuns of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, who ran the papal household. is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Coma (disambiguation). ... Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... ... The Feast of the Divine Mercy or Divine Mercy Sunday is the second Sunday of Easter (formerly designated Low Sunday), and dedicated to the devotion to the Divine Mercy promoted by St. ... Saint Faustina Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Most Blessed Sacrament (born Helena Kowalska) (August 25, 1905, Głogowiec, Poland - October 5, 1938, Kraków, Poland) - a Polish Catholic saint and mystic. ... is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

Wikinews has related news:

Pope John Paul II dies

A crowd of over two million present in Vatican City mourned the death of John Paul II. The public viewing of his body in St. Peter's Basilica drew over four million people to Vatican City and was one of the largest pilgrimages in the history of Christianity. Many world leaders expressed their condolences and ordered flags in their countries lowered to half-staff. Numerous countries with a Catholic majority, and even some with only a small Catholic population, declared mourning for John Paul II. Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... The Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: ), officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. ... This article is about the religious or spiritual journey. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Church historian redirects here. ...

On his death certificate, (refractory) septic shock was listed as a primary cause of death along with profound arterial hypotension leading to complete circulatory collapse. In cases of fatal sepsis, the normal cause of death is complete circulatory collapse. Septic shock is a very serious medical condition caused by decreased tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery as a result of infection and sepsis. ... In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. ...

Funeral

The tomb of John Paul II

Main article: Funeral of Pope John Paul II

The death of the pontiff set in motion rituals and traditions dating back to medieval times. The Rite of Visitation took place from 4 April to 7 April at St. Peter's Basilica. The Mass of Requiem on 8 April was said to have set world records both for attendance and number of heads of state present at a funeral^{[citation needed]}. The Dean of the College of Cardinals, Joseph Ratzinger, who would become the next pope, conducted the ceremony. John Paul II was interred in the grottoes under the basilica, the Tomb of the Popes. He was lowered into a tomb created in the same alcove previously occupied by the remains of Blessed Pope John XXIII. The alcove had been empty since Pope John's remains had been moved into the main body of the basilica after his