Pope John Paul II
41.902133°N 12.456939°E

Pope John Paul II riding in an unprotected car through St. Peters Square.

Pope John Paul II
41.902133°N 12.456939°E

Pope John Paul II riding in an unprotected car through St. Peters Square.

Pope John Paul II was born Karol Jozef Wojtyla. In 1938, he enrolled at Jaciellonian University where he studied philosophy and learned twelve languages. In 1942, he began his studies at the seminary of Krakow and was ordained into the priesthood on All Saints Day November 1, 1946. In 1958, he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Krakow, and then in 1967 was named Cardinal-Priest of the titulus of Cesareo in Polatio. On Oct. 22, 1978, Karol Jozef Wojtyla was inaugurated as the 264th Pope. He was the first non-Italian pope since 1523. Pope John Paul II was helpful in ending communism in Poland and he worked to improve relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. Pope John Paul II supported the church’s stance against artificial contraception and the ordination of women. He was one of the most traveled Popes visiting 129 different countries and putting to good use the many languages he knew. 

Pope John Paul II

John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II), sometimes called Blessed John Paul or John Paul the Great, born Karol Józef Wojtyła (Polish: [ˈkarɔl ˈjuzɛf vɔjˈtɨwa]; 18 May 1920, Wadowice, Republic of Poland – 2 April 2005, Vatican City), reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the second-longest serving Pope in history and the first non-Italian since 1523.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope John Paul II