Saint John Paul 11 - medal 3cm in length x 1.7 in width Imported from Italy Patron saint of the World Youth Day & Young Catholic Families Pope John Paul II made history in 1978 by becoming the first non-Italian pope in more than 400 years. Who Was Pope John Paul II? Pope John Paul II was ordained in 1946, became the bishop of Ombi in 1958,and became the archbishop of Krakow in 1964. He was made a cardinal byPope Paul VI in 1967, and in 1978 became the first non-Italian pope inmore than 400 years. He was a vocal advocate for human rights and usedhis influence to effect political change. He died in Italy in 2005. Itwas announced in July 2013 that he would be declared a saint in April of the following year. Early Life Born Karol JózefWojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, Pope John Paul II's earlylife was marked by great loss. His mother died when he was nine yearsold, and his older brother Edmund died when he was 12. Growingup, John Paul was athletic and enjoyed skiing and swimming. He went toKrakow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 where he showed an interest intheater and poetry. The school was closed the next year by Nazi troopsduring the German occupation of Poland. Wanting to become a priest, John Paul began studying at a secret seminary run by the archbishop ofKrakow. After World War II ended, he finished his religious studies at a Krakow seminary and was ordained in 1946. Rise Within the Church John Paul spent two years in Rome where he finished his doctorate intheology. He returned to his native Poland in 1948 and served in several parishes in and around Krakow. John Paul became the bishop of Ombi in1958 and then the archbishop of Krakow six years later. Considered oneof the Catholic Church's leading thinkers, he participated in the Second Vatican Councilsometimes called Vatican II. The council beganreviewing church doctrine in 1962, holding several sessions over thecourse of the next few years. As a member of the council, John Paulhelped the church to examine its position in the world. Well regardedfor his contributions to the church, John Paul was made a cardinal in1967 by Pope Paul VI. Becoming Pope In 1978, John Paul made history by becoming the first non-Italian pope inmore than four hundred years. As the leader of the Catholic Church, hetraveled the world, visiting more than 100 countries to spread hismessage of faith and peace. But he was close to home when he faced thegreatest threat to his life. In 1981, an assassin shot John Paul twicein St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Fortunately, he was able torecover from his injuries and later forgave his attacker. Legacy A vocal advocate for human rights, John Paul oftenspoke out about suffering in the world. He held strong positions on many topics, including his opposition to capital punishment. A charismaticfigure, John Paul used his influence to bring about political change and is credited with the fall of communism in his native Poland. He was not without critics, however. Some have stated that he could be harsh withthose who disagreed with him and that he would not compromise hishard-line stance on certain issues, such as contraception In his later years, John Paul's health appeared to be failing. Atpublic appearances, he moved slowly and seemed unsteady on his feet. Healso visibly trembled at times. One of his doctors also disclosed thatJohn Paul had Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder often characterizedby shaking, in 2001. But there was never any official announcement about his illness from the Vatican. Pope John Paul II died on April 2, 2005, at the age of 84, at his Vatican City residence. More than 3million people waited in line to say good-bye to their beloved religious leader at St. Peter's Basilica before his funeral on April 8. On July 5, 2013, waving the usual five-year waiting period, the Vaticanannounced that the Roman Catholic Church would declare Pope John Paul II a saint and that the canonization ceremony would likely take placewithin the next 16 months. The Vatican also stated that Pope John XXIII, who headed the Catholic Church from 1958 until his death in 1963 andconvened the Vatican II council, would also be declared a saint. On September 30, 2013, Pope Francis announced that the canonizations ofPope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII would occur on April 27, 2014. The announcement of Pope John Paul II's canonization came after the Vatican revealed that two miracles were attributed to the late pope. After adying French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, prayed to Pope John Paul II for during her battle with Parkinson's diseasethe same illness that killed the popeshe was cured. The second miracle involved a50-year-old woman, who claimed that she was cured of a brain aneurysmafter a photograph of Pope John Paul II spoke to her. The official sainthood ceremony, held on April 27, 2014, brought together four popes. Pope Francis led the event to elevate Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII to sainthood, which was also attended by Francis'spredecessor Emeritus Pope Benedict.
