A very big part of Poland’s culture is the religion and more specifically, Christianity. Therefore, I find it interesting to talk about one of the most famous Catholic Polish figures but also in the world, John-Paul II. From his real name, Karol Józef Wojtyła, John-Paul II, born in 1920 in Wadowice and dead in 2005 in the Vatican, is generally considered as one of the most influential political leaders of the 20th century and one of the most famous popes because of his vision of religion.
Karol Wojtyła lost his mother when he was nine years old, and his brother three years later. He passed his baccalaureate in 1938, then went on to study Polish philosophy and he also took courses in anti-Nazi theater. However, with the occupation of the Germans, the University of Krakow was forced to close down, and Karol Wojtyla went to work in a chemical factory, which taught him a lot about the factory world. In 1942, the University of Krakow reopened its doors clandestinely and Karol Wojtyła resumed his studies and enrolled in the seminary that same year. In October 1944, Cardinal Sapieha welcomed him and other seminarians into his Palace, protecting them from the death camps (Kraków was liberated from the Nazis in January 1945). Karol Wojtyla was ordained a priest on November 1st, 1946. He was sent to Rome to complete his training and on January 13, 1964, he became Archbishop of Krakow. He met the faithful throughout Poland and gave vigorous homilies. He launched a fight against Marxist ideology and for human rights. For him, nothing was more dangerous than a socio-political system, apparently free and tolerant, but whose materialism and hedonism continually undermine Christian values. In 1967, Paul VI named him a cardinal. On October 16, 1978, Cardinal Wojtyla was elected Pope by the Vatican Cardinals, and was the first non-Italian pope as well as the first Polish and Slav pope in the history of Catholicism.
John Paul II multiplied his trips around the world, and made each of them a media event. He attracted crowds and in total, he made 104 trips abroad (in countries where no pope had ever been). As pope, he opposed the communist ideology and by his action, especially in Poland, favored the fall of the Eastern bloc. His desire to defend human dignity led him to promote human rights, as far as the communist countries were concerned. He significantly improved the relations of Catholicism with the Jews, the Orthodox, the Anglicans and the Muslims.
As a very religious country, John Paul II was a major figure for the Polish people, probably one of the most important of the 20th century. They were proud to be represented by such a pope, engaged and inspiring, and nowadays, John-Paul is still in the mind of every Polish.
- Mathilde Palanque - Poland