Pope John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojtyła on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, served as the head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 1978 until his death in 2005. He is widely recognized for his significant contributions to the Church and the world, earning him the nickname "the people's Pope."
Karol Wojtyła was the youngest of three children born to Emilia Kaczorowska and Karol Wojtyła Sr. His mother died when he was just 9 years old, followed by his older brother Edmund in 1932. His father, a retired military officer, died in 1941. These early losses shaped Wojtyła's deep faith and commitment to the Church. He studied at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, where he was introduced to philosophy and literature, and later, after the university was closed by the Nazis, he worked in a quarry and then in a chemical plant to avoid being drafted into the German army.
During World War II, Wojtyła also studied for the priesthood in secret, being ordained on November 1, 1946. He pursued further studies in Rome, earning doctorates in philosophy and theology. He returned to Poland, where he served as a parish priest and later as an auxiliary bishop of Kraków, being appointed by Pope Paul VI in 1958. In 1964, he became the Archbishop of Kraków and was made a cardinal in 1967.
Upon the death of Pope John Paul I in 1978, Wojtyła was elected pope on October 16, 1978, becoming the first non-Italian pope in 455 years and the first from a Slavic country. His election marked a significant shift in the Church's focus towards Eastern Europe and the issues of communism.
John Paul II's papacy was one of the longest in history, lasting over 26 years. He was a pivotal figure in the late 20th century, influencing both religious and political spheres. After his death on April 2, 2005, he was beatified on May 1, 2011, and canonized as a saint on April 27, 2014, by Pope Francis, in an event that also saw the canonization of Pope John XXIII.
His papacy was not without criticism, including his handling of the clergy sexual abuse scandal, his conservative views on contraception, and his stance on women's ordination.