Pope John Paul The Great

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Pope John Paul II died on April 2, 2005, after a long struggle with illness. His death ended a historic papacy lasting more than 26 years. His pontificate brought epoch-making changes to the church. The world's media arrived in unprecedented numbers, surrounding the Vatican with trucks and film crews. The Vatican's web site was overloaded and switchboard jammed.
Karol Wojtyla was born in wadowice, on May 18, 1920. His father, Karol senior, was a non-commissioned officer of the Austro-Hungarian army; his mother's name is Emilia.Karol junior was the third child born in 1919, started his education in 1926. Karol who was fondly called Lolek by his peers lost his mother Emilia in 1929. His elder brother Edmund died while trying to treat a patient with infectious scarlet fever thereby leaving Lolek with his father. he started his life as an actor acting in theatre, he wrote poems, loved dancing and wrote songs just like Francis of Assisi. Karol graduated from High school and the University of Krakow. During the Nazi pogrom of 1939 Karol was forced to find work to avoid deportation, he became a common labourer at the solvay chemical factory, which was run by the German invaders. He was also working underground as an actor with the Rhapsodic theatre company. His father died in 1941 after a heart attack. In 1945 Karol joined the seminary without fear and was ordained in November 1, 1946 and immediately sent to Rome for graduate studies at the Pontifical Angelicum University where he bagged a Doctorate degree in ethics. in spite of atheist communism being practiced in Poland Fr Karol Wojtyla, continued in teaching and promotion of catholic faith that Cardinal Sapieha, enthrusted him the young people of his diocese. It was through this medium that he originated avant garde movement for which he became famous. he mentored these youths such that they became the leaders of revolt known as the solidarnosc movement which eventually toppled the Communist regime in poland. He was an ardent follower of Padre Pio such that he had to sought for his (Pio) intersection in the healing of Dr Poltawska which was granted. In 1947 he was elected the Archbishop of Krakow by Pope John XXIII but owing to tension in Poland he was not installed until 1967 when Pope Paul VI elected him Cardinal. His anti communist teachings and program made him a candidate for elimination by the soviet secret services. on August 6 1978 while on vacation in the polish mountains he heard of the death of Pope Paul VI on radio. He rushed back and travelled to Rome for a conclave were Cardinal Albino Luciano was elected Pope JohnPaul I On september 29 he was informed of the death of Pope John Paul I and wrote apoem Stanislaw a Polish Matrydom and a farewell to Krakow as if he knew he was going to become a Pope. it was reported that the pen broke in his hand while writing the poem. He was elected Pope in October 16 1978 and the formular Habemus Papum was pronounced by Cardinal Pericle Felici while he took the name JohnPaul II. He suffered a lot of opposition from communist countries which necessitated the establishment of International News agency in Rome. In 1981 May 13 he survived an assassination attempt by a Turkish named Ali Agca. He was the first Pontiff to visit Synagogue in Rome in 1986. he established the first diplomatic see between Vatican and Israel in 1993. He traveled to eastern Europe, Cuba, Sarajevo, Beirut. He published 14 encyclicals 15 Apostolic costitutions 44 Apostolic Letters and 5 books. He presided over 147 beatifications in which 1338 persons where beatified and canonised 482 saints. He presided over 9 consistories in which 231 cardinals were created. He made 146 pastorial visits in Italy alone as Bishop of Rome 104 Appostolic journey around the world. He visited 130 different countries and 2400 speeches. He was the longest serving Pope with 25 years of active service. He suffered Parkinson disease and died on April 2 2005 at the Vatican