Karol Józef Wojtyla (pronounced Voy-tee-wah) was born in the Polish town of Wadowice on May 18, 1920, the youngest of the three children of Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. He received the Sacrament of Baptism on June 20, 1920, First Holy Communion at age nine and Confirmation at age 18.
After graduating from high school, he enrolled in Krakow's Jagiellonian University in 1938. The school was closed by the Nazis and he had to work in a quarry and later in the Solvay chemical factory.
In 1942, he acknowledged his call to the priesthood and enrolled in the clandestine seminary of Krakow. After the conclusion of World War II, Karol Józef Wojtyla continued his studies at the seminary and was ordained to the priesthood on November 1, 1946 by Archbishop Sapieha.
He was sent to Rome where he worked on and finished his doctorate in theology, writing his thesis on the works of St. John of the Cross. In 1948, he returned to Poland and served as the vicar of various parishes and as a chaplain to university students. Wojtyla resumed his studies in 1951 and in 1953 became a professor at the major seminary at Krakow.
Pope John Paul II
On July 4, 1958, Karol Józef Wojtyla received an appointment to the position of titular bishop of Ombi by Pope Pius XII. He took part and made significant contributions in the Second Vatican Council from 1962 through 1965. He served as a bishop until January 13, 1964 when he was appointed Archbishop of Krakow by Pope Paul VI, who later made Wojtyla a Cardinal on June 26, 1967.
Wojtyla was elected Pope on October 16, 1978 by the Cardinals and it was at this time that he took the name of John Paul II. He became the 263rd successor to Peter the Apostle and his pontificate lasted for 27 years.
An attempt was made on his life on May 13, 1981 while the Pope was riding in a convertible in St. Peter’s Square. Two bullets entered his stomach, another his right arm, while yet another bullet struck his little finger.
Surgeons performed a five-hour operation and the Pope eventually made a full recovery. The would be assassin, Mehmet Ali Hagca, was immediately arrested and sentenced to life in prison. The Pope forgave the man and visited him while he was in prison.
In 2000, Hagca was pardoned by the Italian president with John Paul’s approval.
The Holy Father Passes Away
John Paul II became one of the most loved and recognizable of Peter’s successors. He established World Youth Day and encouraged dialog with leaders of other religions. He declared a total of 482 saints during his Papacy and made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.
On Saturday, April 2, 2005, Pope John Paul II entered into eternal rest after complications from a throat operation due to breathing problems. He was 84-years-old.
Sources:
BBC on this Day, Retrieved on 2/26/09.
Holy See Press Office, Retrieved on 2/26/09.
