Pope John Paul II
Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, in southern Poland and was the youngest of three children of Karol Wojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929 when he was just nine years old, and his father supported him so that he could study. His brother, who worked as a doctor, died when Wojtyła was twelve.
In 1942 he entered the seminary and was ordained in 1946. In 1958 he became a bishop, 1963 Archbishop of Krakow, and in 1967 Pope Paul VI promoted the Archbishop to the status of Cardinal.
In 1978 he was elected Pope and took the name John Paul II. He passed away after one of the longest papal reigns ever in 2005.
