SAINT JOHN PAUL II, POPE
Saint John Paul II By Edward Matulanya Here are feast day, early life, priesthood, papacy, Canonization and Legacy, Spiritual Emphasis of Saint John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyła) Feast Day of Saint John Paul II October 22 (Catholic Church) Born: May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland Died: April 2, 2005, Vatican City Canonized: April 27, 2014, by Pope Francis Life and Early Years Karol Wojtyła was born in southern Poland into a devout Catholic family. He lost his mother, brother, and father at an early age, leaving him essentially orphaned by his early 20s (Weigel, 1999). He was an avid student of literature, philosophy, and theology and expressed himself through poetry and drama. During World War II, he worked in a quarry and a chemical factory to avoid deportation while secretly studying for the priesthood in underground seminaries (Weigel, 1999). Priesthood Ordained a priest in 1946, Wojtyła became a professor of ethics and philosophy at Kraków’s seminary. Known for his intellec...