John Paul II, Pope

Name
Karol Jozef Wojtyla 

Date of Birth
May 18, 1920

Date of Death
April 2, 2005 

Place of Birth
Wadowice, Poland 

Birth Family
Father, Karol Wojtyla and Mother,  Emilia Kaczorowska   

Education
High school; Krakow’s Jagiellonian University;
clandestine seminary of Krakow 

Career
Ministry in the Catholic Chruch - priest, cardinal & pope
 
Reason for Fame
Served as Pope for 26 years.
He was one of the most-travelled world leaders in history,
visiting 129 countries during his pontificate.
He was fluent in many languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish, English, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Russian, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Latin, Esperanto and Polish.

Additional Information
He was vicar of various parishes in Krakow as well as chaplain to university students. 
In 1958, he was appointed titular bishop of Ombi and auxiliary of Krakow. 
In 1964, he was appointed archbishop of Krakow and was made a cardinal in 1967. 
The Cardinals elected him Pope at the Conclave of Ocdtober 16, 1978
and he took the name of John Paul II.   

 

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