John Paul II / Jan Paweł II (1920–2005)

(Latin: Ioannes Paulus II), born Karol Józef Wojtyła

Born in 1920 in Wadowice, died in 2005 in the Vatican. The first Polish Pope (1978–2005), and the first Bishop of Rome in 455 years to come from outside Italy; Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal, considered a Servant of God in the Catholic Church; Knight of the Order of the White Eagle. Poet and polyglot, as well as actor, playwright, and teacher. Philosopher of history, phenomenologist, mystic, and a representative of Christian personalism. Karol Wojtyła has always been exceedingly strongly connected to Kraków. For many people, certain places in Kraków became stations on the paths of John Paul II (Route of John Paul II). Kraków is the only city in the world to boast so many places so closely connected with the person of Karol Wojtyła: a student of Polish philology, worker, actor, poet, novice priest, freshly ordained minister celebrating his first holy masses, university lecturer, pastor of students and families, bishop, Metropolitan of Kraków, and, finally, Head of the Catholic Church.



photo by Artur Żyrkowski