He was born in Wadowice as Karol Wojtyła in 1920.                                                            

                                         The Wojtyła family lived modestly. The only source of income was the salary  father.                                         In Karol's childhood, they were most often called the diminutive of their first name - Lolek.

            He was considered a talented and athletic boy.  On April 13, 1929, Karol's mother died,

and three years later,  in 1932, at the age of 26, Brother Edmund died of scarlet fever. In September 1930, Karol began studying at the 8-year State Male Gymnasium. Marcin Jadowita in Wadowice. He had no problems with learning. On May 14, 1938, Karol graduated from high school, receiving his secondary school-leaving certificate with an excellent grade, and then chose Polish studies at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Jagiellonian University. On February 18, 1941, Wojtyła's father died after a long illness. It was a serious blow to the young boy who, at the age of 21, was left without a family and without a livelihood. The war took away from Karol

the possibility of continuing his studies, so he started working as a manual worker in Krakow

quarries, then entered a secret seminary. The first parish of the later Pope John Paul II

was Niegowić. Then he worked with young people in the parish of St. Florian in Krakow. In 1962, he became the national chaplain of creative circles and intelligentsia. During the period of Charles' bishopric, he also took part in the sessions of the Second Vatican Council, in which he actively participated. December 30, 1963 Karol Wojtyła was appointed

Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow, and on June 26, 1967. nominated cardinal.             

The Pope brought faith in young people to Rome, as John Paul II initiated the World Youth Day. He was a valued scientist, lecturer, expert in philosophy and theology, and a poet.   John Paul II changed his face

papacy. After being elected to the throne, Peter united people of different faiths. Karol Wojtyła was loved not only by them

Poles, but Catholics all over the world. The Polish Pope was respected by the leaders of other countries, and even by non-believers. This is Wojtyła  began a great reform of the Church, a discussion about the new evangelization

and ecumenism.

The pontificate of John Paul II lasted over 26 years and was the second longest in the history of the Church. He was marked

but suffering. On May 13, an attack on the Pope took place. The Holy Father was shot in the Square

Saint Peter  in Rome. As he emphasized many times, he owes his salvation to the intercession of his Mother

Divine Fatima.                 

John Paul II was raised to the altars on April 27, 2014. Since then, the Church     encourages us to pray through the intercession of the Polish Pope. Numerous sanctuaries and churches are built  dedicated to John Paul II.                                                                                                                              THE MOST KNOWN QUOTES OF JOHN PAUL II:                                                        

"Do not be afraid. Open, open wide the doors to Christ!" (Inauguration of the pontificate, 1978)

"Let us defend ourselves against the appearance of love, let us not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth." (Homily, Rome, 1979)

"You must demand of yourself, even if others did not expect of you."  (Meeting with young people, Jasna Góra, 1983)

"Work can never be treated - never and nowhere - as a commodity, because man cannot be a commodity for man." (Homily for the world of work, Gdańsk, 1987)

"To be a man of conscience means demanding from yourself, getting up from your own failures and converting again and again." (Homily, Skoczów, 1995)

"After graduation we went to cream cakes". (Wadowice, 1999)