Pope John Paul II John Paul was born Karol Jozef Wojtyla on May 18,1920, in Wadowice, Poland. After his ordination as a priest in November 1946, he rose steadily through the church hierarchy, becoming archbishop of Krakow in 1964. He was elevated to cardinal in a secret consistory in 1968 and formally installed in a Vatican ceremony days later. Despite his reputation as a formidable theologian and fearless defender of Catholic interests, his election as pope October 16, 1978 -- the first-ever Slavic pope and and the first non-Italian to occupy the post in 455 years -- came as a surprise.
 John Paul was the most widely traveled pope in history and was the first to visit the White House, a synagogue and communist Cuba. Only two of his 263 predecessors served longer than he did -- St. Peter, the first pope, and Pope Pius IX in the 19th century. Supporters and critics alike agree that his papacy had immense significance. He drew enormous crowds in his public appearances and was known for his courage and integrity. Although his outspoken views on human rights gained him many admirers, his preaching in such areas as sexual mores, science and the role of women in the church alienated many liberal Catholics. "He was what you might call a revolutionary conservative," said Giovanni Ferro, editor of the Rome-based Catholic magazine Jesus. Taken From CNN And The Vatican
9:00:27 PM 
|
|
