Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus II), born Karol
Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005), served as Pope from 1978 to 2005.
He was elected by the second Papal conclave of 1978. John Paul II has been
declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. He is referred to by Roman
Catholics as Pope Saint John Paul II or Saint John Paul the Great.
John Paul II is recognised as helping to end Communist
rule in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe. John Paul II
significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, the
Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. He upheld the Church's
teachings on such matters as artificial contraception and the ordination of
women, but also supported the Church's Second Vatican Council and its reforms.
He was one of the most travelled world leaders in
history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. By the time of his
death, he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or
co-consecrated a large number of the world's bishops, and ordained many priests.
A key goal of his papacy was to transform and reposition the Catholic Church.
His wish was "to place his Church at the heart of a new religious alliance
that would bring together Jews, Muslims and Christians in a great religious
armada".
He was the second longest-serving pope in modern history
after Pope Pius IX, who served for nearly 32 years from 1846 to 1878. Born in
Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the Dutch Pope Adrian
VI, who served from 1522 to 1523.
These two postcards came from jacekstefan (23 October
2015) Postcrossing.
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