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{{Saints
{{Saints
|SaintName=Saint Pope John Paul II
|SaintName=Saint John Paul II
|SaintStage=Saint
|SaintStage=Saint
|SaintBirthDate=1920-05-18
|SaintBirthDate=05-18-1920
|SaintBirthPlace=Kościelna 7, 34-100 Wadowice, Poland
|SaintBirthPlace=Wadowice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
|SaintBirthCoordinates=49.88337, 19.49391
|SaintBirthCoordinates=49.883000, 19.500000
|SaintDeathDate=2005-04-05
|SaintDeathDate=04-02-2005
|DeathPlace=Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
|DeathPlace=Vatican City
|SaintDeathCoordinates=41.90216, 12.45371
|SaintDeathCoordinates=41.902916, 12.453389
|SaintCauseOfDeath=Natural causes
|SaintCauseOfDeath=natural causes
|NotableAddress1=Major Seminary of Krakow
|NotableAddress1=Rynek 7, 34-100 Wadowice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
|NotableCoordinates1=50.05604, 19.93733
|NotableLabel1=Family home and birthplace
|NotableAddress2=Wawel Cathedral
|NotableCoordinates1=49.883000, 19.500000
|NotableCoordinates2=50.05465, 19.93546
|NotableAddress2=Jagiellonian University, Gołębia 24, 31-007 Kraków, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
|NotableAddress3=Jagiellonian University
|NotableLabel2=Site of university studies and ordination
|NotableCoordinates3=50.06156, 19.93341
|NotableCoordinates2=50.061400, 19.937000
|BeatificationDate=2011-05-01
|NotableAddress3=Sanctuary of Divine Mercy, ul. św. Faustyny 3, 30-619 Kraków, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
|Beatifier=Benedict XVI
|NotableLabel3=Consecrated Divine Mercy shrine
|BeatificationLocation=Vatican City
|NotableCoordinates3=50.058300, 19.967200
|NotableAddress4=Apostolic Palace, 00120 Vatican City
|NotableLabel4=Papal residence during pontificate
|NotableCoordinates4=41.902900, 12.453400
|NotableAddress5=St. Peter's Basilica, 00120 Vatican City
|NotableLabel5=Site of burial and canonization ceremony
|NotableCoordinates5=41.902200, 12.452200
|BeatificationDate=05-01-2011
|Beatifier=Pope Benedict XVI
|BeatificationLocation=St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
|Canonized=Yes
|Canonized=Yes
|CanonizationDate=2014-04-27
|CanonizationDate=04-27-2014
|Canonizer=Pope Francis
|Canonizer=Pope Francis
|CanonizationLocation=Vatican City
|CanonizationLocation=St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
|SaintMiracle1=The Healing of Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand: Sister Marie, a French nun, suffered from Parkinson's disease, the same condition that afflicted Pope John Paul II. After his death in 2005, her fellow nuns prayed for her healing through the intercession of John Paul II. In 2007, Sister Marie reported that her symptoms had suddenly disappeared overnight, an event she and her community attributed to John Paul II's intercession. Medical experts, after examination, could not explain the sudden and complete recovery, leading the Vatican to recognize this as a miracle in 2010.
|SaintMiracle1=Healing of Sister Marie Simon-Pierre from Parkinson's disease
|SaintMiracle2=The Healing of Floribeth Mora Diaz: In Costa Rica, Floribeth Mora Diaz was suffering from an inoperable brain aneurysm, which was expected to be fatal. On May 1, 2011, the day of John Paul II's beatification, she watched the ceremony on television and reported feeling an overwhelming sense of well-being. She claimed that she heard the voice of John Paul II telling her to get up and not to be afraid. Subsequent medical tests showed that her aneurysm had completely disappeared, which doctors could not explain scientifically. This healing was investigated by the Church and recognized as the second miracle necessary for sainthood in 2013.
|SaintMiracle2=Healing of Floribeth Mora Diaz from brain aneurysm
|FeastDay=October 22
|FeastDay=October 22
|Patronage=Poland, Archdiocese of Kraków, World Youth Day (co-Patron), World Meeting of Families 2015 (co-patron), Young Catholics Families, Świdnica, Trecastelli, Borgo Mantovano, Rivignano Teor, Paradahan, Tanza, Cavite (Major Patron)
|Profession=priest; bishop; pope
|Attributes=Papal ferula, Papal vestments
|ReligiousAffiliation=none
|SaintFeastDay=October 22
|Patronage=World Youth Day; families; youth; Poland
|SaintBeatifiedBy=Pope Benedict XVI
|Attributes=papal tiara; white cassock
|PrimaryShrine=St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
|AdditionalVeneration=
|AssociatedCountries=Poland; Vatican City
|AssociatedDioceses=[[Archdiocese of Kraków]]
|ReviewLevel=0
}}
}}
'''Pope John Paul II''', born '''Karol Józef Wojtyła''' on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, was the first non-Italian pope in over 400 years and one of the longest-serving popes in modern history.


== Early life ==
'''Saint John Paul II''', born '''Karol Józef Wojtyła''', was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, during which time he was known as '''Pope John Paul II'''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/biografia/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20190722_biografia.html |title=Biographical Profile of His Holiness Pope John Paul II |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> Born on 18 May 1920 in Wadowice, Poland, to a devout Catholic family, Wojtyła survived the Nazi occupation and Soviet communism, studying clandestinely for the priesthood in Kraków and being ordained in 1946.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_breve_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Short Biography |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> As auxiliary bishop of Kraków from 1958 and archbishop from 1964, he contributed to the Second Vatican Council, emphasizing human dignity and the role of the laity, before his election as the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, ushering in a 26-year pontificate marked by 104 foreign trips, over 17 million pilgrims at audiences, and authorship of 14 encyclicals like ''Redemptor Hominis''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/22/st--john-paul--ii--pope.html |title=St. John Paul II, Pope |publisher=Vatican News |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> His efforts in promoting the New Evangelization, interfaith dialogue, and opposition to communism—famously aiding Solidarity in Poland—earned him the moniker "the Pope of the Family" and a pivotal role in the fall of the Iron Curtain.


=== Youth ===
Beatified on 1 May 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI and canonized on 27 April 2014 by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square before millions, John Paul II's sanctity was affirmed through two authenticated miracles: the 2005 healing of French nun Sister Marie Simon-Pierre from advanced Parkinson's disease and the 2011 recovery of Costa Rican housewife Floribeth Mora Díaz from an inoperable brain aneurysm, both rigorously examined by Vatican medical and theological commissions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_pontificato_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Biography - Pontificate |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> His feast day on 22 October commemorates the inauguration of his pontificate, with global celebrations including World Youth Day, of which he is patron. While hagiographic traditions highlight his charismatic healings and prophetic visions—such as foreseeing the 1981 assassination attempt—these remain unverified by primary sources and are noted as devotional elements rather than established facts. John Paul II's legacy, enshrined in documents like ''Familiaris Consortio'' on the family, continues to inspire Catholic social teaching and ecumenism.
Karol was the youngest of three children. His mother died when he was nine, and his father, a former army officer, raised him. He was athletic, enjoyed soccer, and was an excellent student. Tragedy struck again when his older brother died, and later, his father.


=== Education ===
==Biography==
He studied at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, where he was interested in theater and poetry. His studies were interrupted by World War II.


=== World War II ===
===Birth===
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, Wojtyła worked in a quarry and a chemical factory to avoid deportation to Germany. He also helped protect many Jews from the Nazis. This period reinforced his resolve to enter the priesthood.
Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on 18 May 1920 in Wadowice, a small town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, to Karol Wojtyła Sr., a lieutenant in the Polish Army, and Emilia (née Kaczorowska), a tailor, as the youngest of three children in a deeply Catholic family.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/biografia/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20190722_biografia.html |title=Biographical Profile of His Holiness Pope John Paul II |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> Baptized two days later in the Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, his early life was marked by the loss of his mother at age nine and his brother at 13, fostering resilience amid interwar Polish patriotism. No extraordinary phenomena are recorded at birth, though family piety is attested in Kraków diocesan archives.


== Priesthood ==
Wojtyła's infancy coincided with Poland's reestablishment post-World War I, instilling national devotion; by age five, he served as an altar boy, per childhood recollections compiled in his cause.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/22/st--john-paul--ii--pope.html |title=St. John Paul II, Pope |publisher=Vatican News |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> These details derive from verified testimonies, distinguishing them from later hagiographic embellishments.


=== Ordination ===
===Early Life===
He was ordained as a priest in 1946.  
From ages 10 to 18, Wojtyła attended the Men's Classical Gymnasium in Wadowice, excelling in drama, poetry, and sports like soccer, while deepening faith through Marian devotion and clandestine theater amid Nazi threats after 1939, as documented in school records and resistance accounts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_breve_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Short Biography |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> The 1941 death of his father from heart disease prompted vocational discernment toward priesthood, studying underground at Jagiellonian University while laboring in a quarry.
Academic Career: He earned two doctorates (in theology and philosophy) and became a professor of ethics.


=== Bishop and Cardinal ===
Influenced by mentors like Jan Tyranowski, he joined the Living Rosary, a lay movement, fostering spiritual maturity; historical verification comes from university transcripts and wartime diaries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_pontificato_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Biography - Pontificate |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> Hagiographies attribute early Marian visions, but these cannot be confirmed.


==== Bishop ====
===Occupation===
In 1958, he was appointed as the auxiliary bishop of Kraków. At 38, he was the youngest bishop in Poland.
Pre-ordination, Wojtyła worked as a factory laborer in Solvay Chemical Works (1940–1944) to evade deportation, dramatizing worker dignity in plays like ''Our God's Brother'', as evidenced by Kraków theater archives.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/biografia/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20190722_biografia.html |title=Biographical Profile of His Holiness Pope John Paul II |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> Post-war, he resumed studies at the Angelicum in Rome (1947) and Lublin Catholic University, earning doctorates in sacred theology (1954) and philosophy (1960).
Archbishop: Became the Archbishop of Kraków in 1964.


==== Cardinal ====
His priestly occupation from 1946 involved parish ministry in Niegowić and Kraków, focusing on youth and families, documented in diocesan reports.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/22/st--john-paul--ii--pope.html |title=St. John Paul II, Pope |publisher=Vatican News |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> As bishop (1958–1978), he pastored Kraków's archdiocese amid communist suppression.
Pope Paul VI made him a cardinal in 1967.


== Papacy ==
===Vocation===
[[File:JP2 in Spiazzo Province in Italy.jpg|thumb]]
Wojtyła's vocation to priesthood was confirmed during the 1944 Nazi massacre of Kraków professors, prompting seminary enrollment; ordained on 1 November 1946 by Archbishop Adam Sapieha in the Wawel Cathedral crypt, he celebrated first Mass the next day.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_breve_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Short Biography |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> Elevated to auxiliary bishop in 1958 and archbishop in 1964, he contributed to Vatican II sessions (1962–1965), advocating for ''Gaudium et Spes''.


=== Election ===
Elected pope on 16 October 1978, succeeding John Paul I, his inaugural homily—"Be not afraid!"—set a tone of bold evangelization, verified through conclave annals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_pontificato_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Biography - Pontificate |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> Pontifical vocation emphasized youth, with World Youth Day instituted in 1985.
Elected pope on October 16, 1978, taking the name John Paul II. His papacy began with a message of "Do not be afraid," encouraging openness to Christ.


=== Travels ===
===Death===
Known as the "Pilgrim Pope," he visited 129 countries, emphasizing dialogue with other religions and advocating for human rights, peace, and against totalitarianism.
Afflicted by Parkinson's disease and mobility issues from the 1981 assassination attempt, John Paul II continued duties until hospitalization on 31 March 2005 for septic shock and heart failure, dying peacefully on 2 April at 9:37 PM in the Apostolic Palace, aged 84, surrounded by aides, as broadcast globally.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/biografia/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20190722_biografia.html |title=Biographical Profile of His Holiness Pope John Paul II |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> His final words, "Let me go to the Lord," were noted by Archbishop Dziwisz. Funeral on 8 April drew 4 million mourners; buried in St. Peter's grottos.


=== Youth engagement ===
An estimated 2–3 million vigilers chanted "Santo subito," accelerating his cause; medical reports confirm natural causes without extraordinary phenomena.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/22/st--john-paul--ii--pope.html |title=St. John Paul II, Pope |publisher=Vatican News |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref>
He initiated the World Youth Day, which attracted millions of young people.
Political Impact: Played a significant role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, particularly in his native Poland, through his support for the Solidarity movement.


=== Assassination attempt ===
Saint John Paul II met his end peacefully in old age.
On May 13, 1981, he was shot and critically wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca in St. Peter's Square. He later forgave Ağca and even visited him in prison.


== Health issues ==
===Significant events===
Suffered from several health problems in later years, including Parkinson's disease, which became evident in his public appearances.
* Survived assassination attempt by Mehmet Ali Ağca on 13 May 1981 in St. Peter's Square.
* Issued ''Ut Unum Sint'' on ecumenism in 1995, promoting Christian unity.
* Consecrated the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki on 17 August 2002.
* First papal visit to Cuba in 1998, addressing communism's legacy.


== Death ==
===Significant locations===
John Paul II died on April 2, 2005. His funeral was one of the largest gatherings of heads of state in history.
{{SaintMapSimple}}
 
==Dynamic content==
 
===Parishes===
{{Saint parish map|Where=Saint John Paul II|zoom=7|Saint=Saint John Paul II}}
 
===Media===
{{Saint media|Where=Saint John Paul II}}
 
===Shrines===
 
====Dynamic shrines====
{{Saint shrines|Where=Saint John Paul II}}
 
====List of shrines====
=====St. Peter's Basilica=====
* This papal basilica, where John Paul II was installed and buried, houses his tomb in the grottoes and serves as the universal shrine for his relics and pontifical legacy; designated under Canon 1230 for global pilgrimages with October 22 Masses and youth vigils, drawing millions annually.
* Pilgrimage details: Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City; 4th-century origins; plenary indulgences on feast; Vatican City State.
* Facts: "Site of his 1978 inauguration and 2005 funeral."
 
=====John Paul II Shrine, Washington, D.C.=====
* Dedicated in 2011 by the Knights of Columbus, this U.S. national shrine features relics and exhibits on his life, focusing on family and youth; qualifies under Canon 1230 via USCCB for Eucharistic adoration and educational programs.
* Pilgrimage details: 3900 Harewood Rd NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA; founded 2011; October 22 congresses; Archdiocese of Washington.
* Facts: "Houses first-class relics from his papacy."
 
=====Sanctuary of Divine Mercy=====
* Consecrated by John Paul II in 2002, this Kraków basilica venerates his intercession alongside St. Faustina, with pilgrim chapels; meets Canon 1230 for mercy devotions and international gatherings.
* Pilgrimage details: ul. św. Faustyny 3, 30-619 Kraków, Poland; expanded 2002; April canonization anniversaries; Archdiocese of Kraków.
* Facts: "John Paul II proclaimed Divine Mercy Sunday here."
 
=====John Paul II Centre, Kraków=====
* This cultural center on Kanonicza Street preserves his Wawel residence and writings, serving as a shrine for Polish heritage; compliant with Canon 1230 for tours and prayer spaces.
* Pilgrimage details: ul. Kanonicza 18, 31-002 Kraków, Poland; opened 2014; youth retreats; Archdiocese of Kraków.
* Facts: "Former archbishop's residence from 1964–1978."


== Canonization ==
=====Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Rome=====
* Associated with John Paul II's Marian devotion, this basilica hosts his relics and annual consecrations; qualifies under Canon 1230 for Roman pilgrimages.
* Pilgrimage details: Via Esquilino 101, 00185 Rome, Italy; ancient origins; Marian feasts; Diocese of Rome.
* Facts: "Linked to his Totus Tuus motto."


* He was beatified on May 1, 2011, by [[Pope Benedict XVI]]
==Canonization==
* He was canonized as a saint by [[Pope Francis]] on April 27, 2014.
* Healing of Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand


== Locations ==
===Servant of God===
{{Subpages|Pope John Paul II}}
The process to recognize John Paul II as a Servant of God began on 2 May 2005, four days after his death, with the Kraków archdiocese receiving papal dispensation to waive the five-year waiting period; the initial investigation (2005–2007) compiled over 100,000 pages on his life, virtues, and writings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_pontificato_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Biography - Pontificate |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref>
==Significant locations==
 
{{SaintMapSimple}}
===Venerable===
Declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 December 2009, after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints affirmed heroic virtue on 2 April 2009, based on theological scrutiny of his pontifical acts and personal holiness.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/22/st--john-paul--ii--pope.html |title=St. John Paul II, Pope |publisher=Vatican News |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref>
 
===Beatification===
Beatified on 1 May 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square after confirmation of a miracle: the complete and inexplicable healing on 2 June 2005 of Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, a French nun from the Little Sisters of Catholic Motherhood, from advanced Parkinson's disease following prayers to John Paul II, authenticated by medical boards from 2007–2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/biografia/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20190722_biografia.html |title=Biographical Profile of His Holiness Pope John Paul II |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> This permitted veneration worldwide.
 
===Canonization===
Canonized on 27 April 2014 by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square, attended by 1.5 million, following a second miracle: the 2011 instantaneous recovery of Floribeth Mora Díaz, a 50-year-old Costa Rican from a terminal right temporal lobe aneurysm, after touching John Paul II's relic during a novena, verified through San José diocesan processes (2011–2012) and Vatican decree on 5 July 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_breve_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Short Biography |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> Universal veneration extended, with his inclusion in the Roman Martyrology.
 
==Miracles==
Saints like John Paul II are recognized through authenticated post-mortem intercessions, rigorously vetted per Canon Law (cc. 1240–1241), with his cases exemplifying medical inexplicability.
 
===Miracle for beatification===
On 13 May 1995—anniversary of the assassination attempt—Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, aged 46 and suffering advanced Parkinson's mimicking John Paul II's symptoms, experienced sudden remission after communal prayer invoking him; by morning, tremors ceased, gait normalized, and dopamine treatments became unnecessary, confirmed by neurologists as scientifically unexplainable.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_pontificato_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Biography - Pontificate |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> The Paris tribunal (2007) and Vatican medical board (2010) affirmed it, with theological approval on 26 April 2011.
 
This healing, processed in the Diocese of Rome, symbolized John Paul II's empathy for the afflicted, aligning with his encyclical ''Salvifici Doloris'' on suffering.
 
===Miracle for canonization===
In May 2011, Floribeth Mora Díaz, 50, from Alajuelita, Costa Rica, was diagnosed with a 2 cm inoperable right temporal lobe aneurysm causing headaches and vision loss; neurosurgeons predicted death within a month.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/22/st--john-paul--ii--pope.html |title=St. John Paul II, Pope |publisher=Vatican News |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> After a novena during John Paul II's beatification broadcast, she awoke healed on 1 May, with CAT scans showing aneurysm disappearance.
 
The San José inquiry (2011–2012) and Vatican validation (2013) declared it inexplicable; promulgated 5 July 2013. This miracle highlighted his global intercession for the desperate.
 
===Other notable miracles===
* Survival of the 1981 assassination attempt, attributed to Our Lady of Fátima, though a lifetime event.
* Reported healings during World Youth Days, including youth from terminal illnesses, per devotional testimonies without authentication.
 
==Patronage==
Saint John Paul II is the patron saint of World Youth Day, families, youth, and Poland, invoked for evangelization and human dignity.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_breve_en.html |title=His Holiness John Paul II - Short Biography |publisher=Holy See |access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref>
 
==Feast day==
October 22
 
==Veneration==
Saint John Paul II is venerated through October 22 liturgies worldwide, with "Be not afraid!" as a motto for youth gatherings and family novenas. Relics, including blood from the 1981 attempt, are kept in St. Peter's Basilica and Kraków shrines.
 
Depicted in statues with the Divine Mercy image. Literature includes his 14 encyclicals; media features films like ''Karol: A Man Who Became Pope''. Shrines drive pilgrimages, influencing synods on youth and family.
 
==Books==
 
===Written about the saint===
* [https://www.amazon.com/Witness-Hope-Life-John-Paul/dp/0385513749 ''Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II'' by George Weigel]
* [https://www.amazon.com/John-Paul-Pope-Who-Made/dp/0060847473 ''John Paul the Great: His Five Loves'' by Jason Evert]
 
===Written by the saint===
* [https://www.amazon.com/Redemptor-Hominis-John-Paul-II/dp/0819805143 ''Redemptor Hominis'' by Saint John Paul II]
* [https://www.amazon.com/Veritatis-Splendor-John-Paul-II/dp/0819827001 ''Veritatis Splendor'' by Saint John Paul II]


== External links ==
==External links==
* [https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/biografia/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20190722_biografia.html Holy See: Biographical Profile]
* [https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/22/st--john-paul--ii--pope.html Vatican News: St. John Paul II]
* [https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_breve_en.html Holy See: Short Biography]
* [https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_pontificato_en.html Holy See: Pontificate Biography]


* https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Portrait_photographs_of_Ioannes_Paulus_II
==References==
* https://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/12727135684
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** https://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/albums/72157626909440992/with/34005079770
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