“Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ” (from his Homily for the Inauguration of his Pontificate, October 22, 1978, Pope John Paul II).
No one is more known, or better loved, in contemporary Catholic history than Pope St. John Paul II. In total, his Pontificate spanned nearly 27 years, (1978-2005), while leading the Church through some of the most tumultuous times in the history of the modern world. He visited over 129 countries and seemed tireless in the face of such darkness, bringing a calm presence to the faithful while penning several Encyclicals and Apostolic Exhortations during this period. In honor of the Feast of St. John Paul II, the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. is holding a weeklong celebration for this beloved Pope. While hard to narrow it down, here are 4 milestones about this giant of a man that you should know before the celebration concludes!
Early Life Filled with Suffering & Sorrow
Born Karol Wojtyla in 1920 to parents Emilia Katzorowska and Karol Wojtyła, Sr. in Wadowice, Poland, a small city on the Skawa River. Five years before his birth, World War I military operations would pass through this town. Winters were harsh and food was scarce: not the ideal upbringing for the future successor of St. Peter, however, things would get worse. In a short span of 12 years, the future Pope would lose those closest to him. His mother Emilia would pass away in 1929 from kidney and heart failure when he was only 12 years old. Just three years later, his brother Edmund would succumb to scarlet fever and perish. Finally, in 1941, Karol would lose his father when he was 21 years old. The following year, Karol would secretly enter seminary in Krakow.
This seminary was “secret” because once the Cardinal was notified that a man wanted to become a priest, he was given material to take home and study in secret due to the Nazi occupation. Five seminarians had been accosted by the Nazis when they were discovered in a closed seminary: some were shot and killed-others were deported to Auschwitz. In 1944, the seminarians were eventually moved to the Archbishop’s residence to study and went underground.
New Peoples, New Languages Represented
Prior to his election, the 20th century Papacy had been represented by Italy and Italian Popes. Ordained as the Archbishop of Krakow in 1964, Karol’s homeland was Poland and he was a member of the Western Slavic people. They are the largest ethnic and linguistic group located in Europe. The Slavic people tended toward Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy in their religious identity.
Assassination Attempt
While there have been Popes killed in history, John Paul II’s assassination attempt in 1981 has been the most recent. However, according to his long-term secretary, it wasn’t the only attempt on the Pontiff’s life. Just one year after the attack, while celebrating Mass, another attempt on his life allegedly took place. In true “turn the other cheek” fashion so remarkable of this Pope, he visited his first would be assassin in prison just two years after the first unsuccessful attempt was made.
Historic First Time Visit
In January of 1998, Pope John Paul II made history by being the first Pontiff to visit Cuba. Although there to encourage the other Bishops, he would go on to say, “...it has also been my wish that my greeting should reach all Cubans, as a concrete sign of God’s infinite love for everyone.” This visit was historic not just because it was the first, but because Cuba was the only country in the Western Hemisphere that followed the political, economic and social systems of Marxism. The Christian community was small and fearful of being marginalized if found out. His visit was a welcome sight in those hostile times.
If you are interested in reading another article I wrote about Pope John Paul II, you can find it here or sign-up for my FREE newsletter so you never miss an article!
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