John Paul II

18.V.1920
John Paul II - the first Polish prelate selected in the Pope. Also over the past 450 years, he became the first non-Italian pope. Karol Wojtyla was born May 18, 1920, in a working class family in Wadowice (Wadowice). His mother died when he was 9 years old, and his father was killed in World War II.
In 1938, Karol enrolled at Jagiellonian University in Cracow (Krakow), the faculty of literature and philology. He wrote poetry and played in a theatrical troupe. When the Nazis closed the university, he worked as a laborer and began studying for the priesthood in a clandestine seminary. Karol also played in an underground theater troupe, which put anti-Nazi play. In addition, he helped Polish Jews flee from Nazi persecution. After World War II, Karol studied in the seminary in Krakow and in 1946 was ordained
. After receiving his Ph.D. from the Pontifical Angelicum University in Rome in 1948, Father Wojtyla returned to Poland to become a parish priest and to continue his theological education
. He studied ethics and theology at the Catholic University of Lublin (Lublin). In 1958 he was appointed assistant bishop / second bishop of Krakow and became the youngest Polish priest, has reached such a dignity. In 1964 he received the rank of archbishop. Once in 1967 he became a cardinal, Father Wojtyla continued his studies of philosophy in Belgium and France.
Karol Wojtyla - a versatile personality. He was fond of sports, knows perfectly 6 languages, writes poetry and books. One of his books, "Love and Responsibility", is a work of sexual ethics. As a representative of the Catholic population of Poland, he defends the interests of the church, as well as the right to freedom of religion.
October 16, 1978 at the age of 58 he was elected pope. John Paul II took the name of his predecessor John Paul I, who died 34 days after his election as pope. On the day of his ordination to the rank was a very important football match, so he has called for a ceremony at noon. He became the first pope, who wears the pants under their robes. In their official statements, Pope John Paul II supports the traditional doctrine of the church. Exception is usual for the Vatican's strategy of neutrality, which he refused, as it became actively involved in international political life.
In January 1979, Pope John Paul II visited the Latin American Bishops Conference in Mexico. Visiting his native Poland in June of that year, he became the first pope, which humiliated visit to the communist country. John Paul II was also the first pope to visit the United States President in the White House. In October, during his tour of six American cities, he visited the General Assembly of the United Nations.

WWC Team