Pope St. John Paul II
Pope St. John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojty?a, was a Pope of many firsts in the history of the Catholic Church. His papacy, which lasted from 1978 until his passing in 2005. Here are seven remarkable facts about his life:
?
1. The first non-Italian pope since the 16th century
One of the most significant firsts associated with Pope John Paul II was his election as Pope in 1978. As a Polish man, he was the first non-Italian Pope in over 450 years, breaking a longstanding tradition.
?
2. Spoke 8 languages fluently
Pope St. John Paul II was a true polyglot. The languages include:
This allowed him to communicate with people from all over the world.
?
3. World traveler
Throughout his papacy, John Paul II traveled across the world, visiting 129 countries. He covered approximately 775,000 miles, over 31 trips around the globe!
?
4. Forgave his assassin
St. John Paul II forgave the man who attempted to assassinate him on May 13, 1981. This showed his commitment to living out the holiness that he wanted so much for the Church.
?
5. Long hours and split concentration
It was not unusual for him to work 12-16 hours per day. During his pontificate, he averaged writing over 3,000 pages per year. He had the ability to perform two tasks at the same time. For example, he could be deep in writing while having a full conversation with someone else.
?
领英推荐
6. Record-breaking canonizations
Pope John Paul II beatified and canonized more people than all the popes combined. In total, he had 1,340 beatifications and 483 canonizations. This matched his emphasis on the universal call to holiness: we are all called to sanctity.
?
7. Communist support in Krakow
The Communist regime in Poland wanted him to become the Archbishop of Krakow. This was because they believed he would be a weak, moderate figure. Little did they know that he would become a staunch advocate for human rights and lead to their downfall.
Further Resources
TV Miniseries - Karol: A Man Who Became Pope
This 2005 TV miniseries shows the full life of Karol Wojty?a, the man who would become Pope St. John Paul II.
?
Book - Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves Discover the five great loves of St. John Paul II through remarkable unpublished stories on him from bishops, priests , students, Swiss Guards, and others. Mining through a mountain of papal resources, Jason Evert has uncovered these many gems, offering a treasure chest brimming with the jewels of the saint's life.
?
Jason Evert explains the five loves of Saint John Paul II in this presentation during the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal.
Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.
- Pope St. John Paul II
President, Communications Electronics Systems LLC
1 年The note (prayer) that Pope John Paul II left at the Western Wall; “GOD OF OUR FATHERS, YOU CHOSE ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS TO BRING YOUR NAME TO THE NATIONS WE ARE DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE BEHAVIOUR OF THOSE WHO IN THE COURSE OF HISTORY HAVE CAUSED THESE CHILDREN OF YOURS TO SUFFER, AND ASKING YOUR FORGIVENESS WE WISH TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO GENUINE BROTHERHOOD WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE COVENANT" Still Relevant today!
Estimator
1 年Need a Pope like him again.
LDI Business Consultant - Principal Owner Providing Strategic Direction Helping Goodness Grow The daughter of a very good father.
1 年I am so Grateful that I Lived during Pope Saint John Paul II’s time on earth. His Papacy - Amazing all that he was able to accomplish working with World Leaders for Peace, Love, Life, Forgiveness and the Dignity of All Human Life. I will be for ever grateful for his contribution to the Rosary - the edition of the 5th Decant of the Rosary - “The Luminous” - “The Mysteries of Light.” ??????????