John Paul II
Polish pope from 1978 to 2005, the first non-Italian in more than four centuries. He supported Solidarity and travelled more widely than any pope before him.
Biography
John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła, was a Polish priest who studied theology in secret during the Nazi occupation and became Archbishop of Kraków. In 1978 he was elected pope, the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century.
His visits to Poland inspired the Solidarity movement and contributed to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. He travelled to more than 120 countries, reached out to Jews and other faiths, and upheld conservative teaching on sexuality and the priesthood. He survived an assassination attempt in 1981, reigned until his death in 2005 and was declared a saint in 2014.
Offices held
Affiliations
Education
- Nov 26, 1946 – Jul 1, 1947 Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
