The Story of Pope John Paul II

John Paul II was one of the most celebrated popes of his time. He was born in 1920 in Poland, and grew up in rough conditions. He joined the underground seminary when he was 22, and was ordained a priest within 4 years. He studied theology and earned two doctorates, and was elected the papacy after John Paul I died (who had only been the pope for 31 days before dying in suspicious conditions). He died on April 2nd, 2005, and you probably remember this even if you aren’t Catholic. His death caused mourning around the world, from followers and non-followers.

During his time spent as the pope, John Paul II was one of the most interesting and charismatic popes ever to enter the position. He was well-known for being fit and physically active when he first started at the age of 58. During all his free time, he could be found lifting weights, swimming, and jogging. One famous story of him tells of the Vatican officials being disturbed by the fact that he was jogging in sight of tourists who were visiting St. Peter’s Basilica. His famed response was simple: So what?

An assassination attempt almost took the life of John Paul II in 1981. A Turkish gunman shot him as he was speaking in St. Peter’s Square. He ended up being rushed to the hospital barely holding onto consciousness, and was hospitalized for some time before he recovered. The gunman was caught and thrown in prison for life. In one of the more mysterious stories surrounding Join Paul II, he visited the would-be murderer in his cell. They talked alone for 20 minutes, during which nobody but the two of them knew what was happening. After he was done, the Pope officially pardoned the man. Nobody knows what the two talked about. Another assassination attempt was thwarted in Portugal, when a man tried to stab him with a bayonet.

The pope John Paul II lived a full and interesting life, and was one of the most celebrated popes of all time. When he died, the entire world grieved. He was the recipient of one of the largest memorial services in the history of the world, and with good reason. He was a charismatic man, and loved universally by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.