Saint of Peace!
Two doctorates in Philosophy and in Sacred Theology, fluency in Latin and Polish besides knowledge of Slovak, Russian, Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Ukrainian, and English, the first Pope ever to visit the White House, to visit 129 countries during his pontificate, the first non-Italian Pope in more than 400 years, and the only human being in the recorded history who was able to gather the most humans together in one spot: At the 1995 World Youth Day in the Philippines, an estimated 5 million people attended a Holy Mass that His Holiness celebrated; he is Saint John Paul II, the pride of Poland.
May the 18th, marks the pontiff’s birthday in 1920. He was born Karol Józef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland.
After losing his mother when he was 9 and his brother when he was 12, he captured a dear moment, which later changed his life seeing his father kneeling and praying in the night. As a promising athletic, he had a chance to proceed in sport, but God’s will had its word: after the Nazis closed the Jagiellonian University in Krakow where he showed interest in literature, aspiring to become a priest, he secretly studied theology at a seminary headed by the archbishop of Krakow. He was ordained in 1946 after Poland was freed. After being promoted in many positions where the last was a cardinal in 1967, the great soul made history in 1978 being the first non-Italian Pope in more than four centuries! His numerous visits around the world held a priority: to spread the message of peace.
Hence, what do you with someone who tried to kill you? Saint John Paul the Second paid a famous prison visit to the Turkish assassin Mehmet Ali Agca, who tried to assassinate the Pope in 13 May, 1981 shooting him twice. The infamous killer paid a surprise visit to the saint’s tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica after his release from prison in 2014.
Some of the Saint’s achievements were to be the first modern pope to visit a synagogue, the first pope to visit Cuba, he canonized more saints than any other pope, created 232 cardinals,reestablished diplomatic relations with Great Britain after a 450-year break. In January 1984, re-established diplomatic relations with the United States, which had been broken since 1867. The pontiff passed away in the second of April, 2005.
Rest in peace our beloved Saint!
By: Assef Salloom