John Paul II

About John Paul II

John Paul II (Karol Wojtyła) was Pope from 1978-2005, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years and first Slavic pope. He helped end communism in Eastern Europe, reaching out to other religions, and traveled more than any pope. He promoted human dignity, family life, and youth evangelization (World Youth Day). He survived an assassination attempt in 1981. His pontificate lasted 26 years, third-longest in history. Canonized 2014.