Pope John Paul II. John Paul II - Pope of Roman origin of Polish origin

John Paul II returned political power to the Vatican, actively cooperated with Reagan, restored the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, supported Barcelona and modernized worship.

Slavic Pope

John Paul II became the first pope of non-Italian origin in the last 455 years (before him, Adrian VI, a native of Holland, became a foreign pope). He was the youngest son in the family of a Polish lieutenant. Fate did not give him a happy childhood: when he was 8 years old, his mother died in 1928, followed almost immediately by his older brother, and in 1941 his father died. “At the age of 20, I already lost everyone I loved,” John Paul II himself later recalled this. "Difficult childhood" later played a role in the future political course of the Pope.

After accepting the dignity in 1978, all the activities of the Pope will be aimed at fighting the "communists", returning Poland to the fold of the Catholic Church, and spreading the influence of the Holy See to Ukraine and Belarus. The Vatican, represented by John Paul II, set itself the task of restoring its international political weight by strengthening its positions in the countries of Eastern Europe. In 1985, in his article in the Trielog magazine, Zbigniew Brzezinski pointed out in this regard: “I believe that everything that Pope John Paul II does is of paramount historical significance. It is necessary to put an end to the split of Europe and return the great and immortal Russia to the bosom of the Christian community and market economy.”

Assassination of the Gray Wolves

The life of John Paul II was threatened more than once. Just a few years after his accession to the throne, on May 13, 1981, he was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt in St. Peter's Square. Mehmet Ali Agca, a member of the Turkish far-right group Gray Wolves, who ended up in Italy after escaping from a Turkish prison, wounded the pontiff in the stomach and was arrested on the spot.

The mystery of the assassination attempt on the Pope has not yet been solved, since the culprit each time gives new, incredible testimony. According to the first official version, only the Gray Wolves were behind the assassination attempt, and the reason was the third prophecy of Fatima, made public only in 2000. The Italian magazine IL Folgio cites excerpts from another "confession" of Ali: "Your Holiness, I know the third secret of Fatima ... I was told about it in Iran ...". According to Agji, the Iranians interpreted the third secret of Fatima in the sense that the death of the Pope would lead to the fall of the Vatican, after which Islam would triumph throughout the world.
This was not the only version of the assassination, according to Ali. In 1984, he testified that Italian prosecutors had charged three Bulgarian citizens and three Turkish citizens. There were rumors about involvement in the assassination of the KGB of the USSR, which was not beneficial to the anti-communist policy of the Pope. Today this version is especially widespread in Poland.

Local historians, referring to the diaries of the head of the KGB station in Warsaw, General Vitaly Pavlov, name Yury Andropov as the culprit. Researcher George Weigel in his biography of John Paul II cites a dialogue between these two generals: “Andropov asked Pavlov a direct question: “How could you allow a citizen of a socialist country to be elected Pope”? And he replied: “Comrade Chairman should ask about this, rather in Rome than in Warsaw.” Vitaly himself wrote that he knew and handed over to the KGB central office all the operational materials of the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service on the Pope. The Italian prosecutor Ferdinando Imposimato, who was in charge of the assassination case, commented on these investigations as follows: “The assassination was the result of the activities of the Soviet special services with the participation of functionaries from Bulgaria, the Gray Wolves group, and also, unfortunately, in cooperation with someone from Poland.
However, the perpetrator of the crime has not yet been identified. Ali Agci, meanwhile, gives out more and more amazing versions of events. After his release, he stated that the assassination was ordered by the head of the Vatican government, Cardinal Augustino Caseroli.

Geopolitician

John Paul II has gone down in history as the man who politicized the Vatican. He is assigned an alliance with Washington, especially with Ronald Reagan against the countries of the socialist bloc. According to researcher E. Lebec: "In the early years of the Reagan administration, one could observe the emergence of staunch Catholics in the highest positions, which had never happened before in the history of the United States." Another researcher, Olga Chetverikova, argues that the Pope used the aggravation of the Cold War for his own purposes - the restoration of political influence at the expense of Eastern Europe. The geopolitical interests of the Vatican and Washington coincided. Both forces represented a cohesive counterbalance to communism: the Vatican was ideological, and Washington was military-political.

On June 7, 1982, at a meeting between John Paul and Reagan, an agreement was reached to conduct a secret joint campaign in Poland to destroy the "Communist Empire", called the "Holy Alliance". It was published by journalist Carl Burnstein in The Times magazine. Shortly thereafter, Reagan announced a "crusade" against the "evil empire". With regard to Poland, the Slavic pope and the American president also reached an agreement. The independent trade union "Solidarity" was launched, distinguished by its anti-communist activities and propaganda. The battle for Poland was fought for 8 years. In April 1989, activist Lech Walesa and representatives of the Polish government finally signed the Agreement on Political and Economic Reforms, and the Polish Catholic Church received a status that has no analogue in other Eastern European countries: confiscated property was returned to it, permission was given to create its own educational institutions.

In June of the same year, representatives of Solidarity won the parliamentary elections, and a year later Lech Walesa became president, heading for the destruction of all signs of the socialist system, even at the level of symbols. The elections in Poland in 1989 won by Solidarity set off a chain reaction that led to the fall of communist regimes in other socialist countries and ultimately to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Prosetilism

The participation of the Vatican in the Solidarity revolution was intended to "spiritually" legitimize the change of power taking place in Eastern European countries. However, the Pope had his own motives. According to the Serbian historian Dragos Kalajic, the Pope was driven to this by the state of the general decline of Catholicism in the West. He believed that: "the last hearths that keep the flame of the Catholic faith burn with dignity only in the countries of Eastern Europe, primarily in Poland and Croatia." From an alliance with Washington, John Paul expected "enrichment with new flocks from the East." Under him, an active strengthening of Catholic societies in Ukraine begins, which, in the end, came out “from the underground” and revived their legal structure - the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The synod of 1980, when Ukrainian Catholics published a declaration announcing the suffering of the Church "under the atheistic communist regime", coincided in time with the beginning of the oppositional crimes of Solidarity. The ambiguity of the situation was also given by the Polish origin of the Pope. At that time, John Paul made concessions to the Moscow Patriarchate and did not give the green light to the speeches that had begun, but under the conditions of Perestroika, everything changed. Seeing the potential for the revival of the Greek Catholic Church, the pontiff abruptly changed his policy towards the Ukrainian Uniates, preferring the renaissance of Uniates in Galicia to the constructive development of Orthodox-Catholic relations.
In 1993, allegedly in concession to the Orthodox, the Vatican proposes a new agreement: "Uniatism as a method of unification in the past and the search for complete unity in the present." The document, which was called the Blamand Union, reflected the dual policy of the Pope, on the one hand, it was an alliance with Orthodoxy and the spread of "Christian Europe from the Atlantic to the Ural Mountains", on the other hand, according to researchers, the legitimization of the Uniate communities as a Catholic community, which gave them great rights to their activities, making them a new springboard for the promotion of the Vatican to the East.

Revolutionary

John Paul II became a revolutionary in the Vatican. "John Paul II was a great preacher of the Renovation Church and a destroyer of the Catholic Church," said Bishop Richard Williamson in an interview. Why such an opinion about a person who is declared a saint. It's all about the Vatican II Council of 1962-1965, which created the "new order" of Catholicism, the so-called "Catholic modernism", in other words, the secularization of the Church. One of the most famous consequences of the Council, according to Catholics, was the liturgical reform of 1969. From now on, the traditional "prayed" Catholic mass was completely transformed.

Latin was forbidden, worship was translated into local languages. The priest now stood facing the audience, and not to the altar, as was customary earlier, when the priest, as it were, became the head of his flock. Minimalism was announced in church vestments. Icons were removed from churches. In a word, Catholicism began to resemble Protestantism. But the prestige of Catholic services was especially hit by "new trends", for example, masses with a guitar in the rhythms of rock and roll. As a result, most of the clergy began to complain about the loss of the sacred prayerful nature of worship. Instead of attracting new people, churches across Europe began to empty.

In addition to changing the order of worship, John Paul became famous for his apologies "for all the sins of the Catholic Church", including the cruelty of the Inquisition, the trial of Galileo, and much more. Under him, the church adopted Darwin's theory, and even appointed the patron of the Internet - Isidore of Seville.
With all his innovations, John Paul II was known as a great conservative. He strongly condemned the “liberation theology” popular among Catholics in Latin America, opposed abortion and contraception, and most importantly against sexual minorities and homosexual marriages. Despite this, during his reign, the Vatican began to be shaken by constant sodomy scandals.

Football fan

The fashion for football has penetrated even into the Vatican. So, John Paul II became famous as a Pope-fan. Before taking the rank, he himself often played, after that he preferred not to publicly cheer for his beloved Barcelona and Lazio, which did not stop him from blessing Real Madrid to win the Champions League. However, he preferred to avoid the matches themselves, and only once lit up at the stadium during the game between the national team of Italy and the national team of legionnaires who played for Italian clubs.

Pope Opus Dei

"Pope Opus Dei" is another of the "names" of John Paul II in Catholic history. Some researchers, including Olga Chetverikova, believe that it was this order that helped Karol come to power, which, in turn, removed him from the jurisdiction of the diocesan leadership and allowed him to play a dominant role in the Vatican. Today, like the Jesuits, Opus Dei is called "a church within a church." Officially, Opus Dei (“The Cause of God”), which in the sensational “Da Vinci Code” appears to a wide audience in the best traditions of a religious sect, is a Christian organization that is engaged in missionary activities.

However, they have been firmly entrenched in the reputation of the "new heresy", because of the network structure of the organization, which combines a rigid management structure, a centralized hierarchical structure and iron internal discipline. Often they are accused of Francoism and too rigid repentant discipline up to self-flagellation. The influence of Opus Dei explains the course of John Paul II on the synthesis of spiritual and worldly life, which was proclaimed by the Second Vatican Council. In particular, Opus Dei is accused of the aggressive policy of John Paul II in relation to Eastern Europe, because after the order began to actively spread in Poland, Ukraine and even Russia.

- Karol Jozef Wojtyla, Polish Karol Jozef Wojtyla Polish pronunciation(info); May 18 ( 19200518 ) , Wadowice, Poland - April 2, Vatican) - Pope, Primate of the Roman Catholic Church from October 16 to April 2, 2005.

In 1978, Pope John Paul II, 264, became the first non-Italian pope on the Holy See to have been elected in the last 455 years (Adrian VI, who became pope in 1523, was Dutch by birth), one of the youngest pontiffs in history, and the first Pope of Slavic origin.

In terms of the duration of his pontificate, he is second only to Pope Pius IX (-).

Anti-communist and conservative

An entire era is associated with the name of John Paul II - the era of the collapse of communism in Europe - and for many in the world it was he who became its symbol along with Mikhail Gorbachev.

In his post, John Paul II proved to be a tireless fighter both against communist ideas and against the negative aspects of the modern capitalist system - the political and social oppression of the masses. His public speeches in support of human rights and freedoms have made him a symbol of the struggle against authoritarianism throughout the world.

Being a staunch conservative, the pope resolutely defended the foundations of the dogma and social doctrine of the Catholic Church, inherited from the past. In particular, John Paul II strongly condemned the “Liberation Theology”, a mixture of Christianity and Marxism, which was fashionable among some Latin American Catholics, and excommunicated the priest Ernesto Cardenal, who became part of the Sandinista government of Nicaragua.

The Catholic Church under John Paul II took a hard line on abortion and contraceptives. In 1994, the Vatican thwarted the UN's adoption of a US-suggested resolution to support family planning. John Paul II spoke out strongly against homosexual marriage and euthanasia, against the ordination of women as priests, and also supported celibacy.

At the same time, while maintaining the fundamental canons of faith, he proved the ability of the Catholic Church to develop along with civilization, recognizing the achievements of scientific and technological progress and even appointing Saint Isidore of Seville as the patron of the Internet.

Repentance of the Catholic Church

John Paul II, among his predecessors, is distinguished only by repentance for the mistakes committed by some Catholics in the course of history. Even during the Second Vatican Council in 1962, the Polish bishops, together with Karol Wojtyla, published a letter to the German bishops about reconciliation with the words: "We forgive and ask for forgiveness." And already as a pope, John Paul II brought repentance on behalf of the Western Christian Church for the crimes of the Crusades and the Inquisition.

In October 1986, the first interreligious meeting took place in Assisi, when 47 delegations from various Christian denominations, as well as representatives of 13 other religions, responded to the invitation of the pontiff to discuss the problems of interfaith relations.

Biography

Childhood and youth

Karol Jozef Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, in southern Poland, the son of a former Austrian army officer. He was the youngest of two children of Karol Wojtyla Sr. and Emilia Kaczorowska, who died when the future pope was only nine years old. Before reaching the age of 20, Karol Wojtyla Jr. was left an orphan.

Karol successfully studied. After graduating from the lyceum in 1938, on the eve of World War II, he entered the Faculty of Philosophy at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Then he became a member of "Studio 38" - a theater group. During the German occupation, in order to avoid deportation to Germany, he left his studies and worked in a quarry near Krakow, and then moved to a chemical plant.

Church ministry

Another conclave took place in October. The participants in the conclave were split into supporters of two Italian pretenders - Giuseppe Siri, Archbishop of Genoa, known for his conservative views, and the more liberal Giovanni Benelli, Archbishop of Florence. Ultimately, Wojtyła emerged as a compromise candidate and was elected pope. Upon accession to the throne, Wojtyla took the name of his predecessor and became John Paul II.

Pope John Paul II

1970s

Like his predecessor, John Paul II tried to simplify his position, depriving her of many of the royal attributes. In particular, when speaking about himself, he used the pronoun I instead of We as is customary among royalty. The pope abandoned the coronation ceremony, holding a simple inauguration instead. He did not wear the papal tiara and always sought to emphasize the role that is indicated in the title of the pope, Servus Servorum Dei (servant of the servants of God).

• January 24 - Pope John Paul II received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR Andrei Gromyko at his request, which was an unprecedented event, since there were no diplomatic relations between the USSR and the Vatican at that time, and everyone knew the pope's attitude towards communist ideology and the obvious hostility of the Soviet power to Catholicism.

• January 25 - The Pope's pastoral trip to Mexico begins - the first of the pontiff's 104 trips abroad.

• March 4 - The first papal encyclical, Redemptor Hominis ("Jesus Christ, the Redeemer"), is published.

• March 6 - Pope John Paul II made a will, which he constantly reread, and which, with the exception of a few additions, remained unchanged.

• June 2 - Wojtyła came to his native Poland for the first time as head of the Roman Catholic Church. For the Poles, who were under the rule of an atheistic pro-Soviet regime, the election of their compatriot as pope was a spiritual impetus to the struggle and the emergence of the Solidarity movement. “Without him, communism would not have ended, or at least it would have happened much later and with more bloodshed,” the British newspaper Financial Times reported the words of the former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa. During the entire period of the pontificate, John Paul II visited his homeland eight times. Perhaps the most important was the visit in 1983, when the country was still reeling from the shock caused by the imposition of martial law in December 1981. The communist authorities feared that the pope's visit would be used by the opposition. But the Pope did not give rise to accusations either then or on his next visit in 1987. With opposition leader Lech Walesa, for example, he met exclusively in private. In Soviet times, the Polish leadership agreed to the arrival of the pope with the obligatory consideration of the reaction of the USSR. The then leader of Poland, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, agreeing to the pope's visit, wanted to show that he was first of all a Pole and a patriot, and only then a communist. Later, the pope played a big role in the fact that in the late 1980s the change of power in Poland took place without firing a shot. As a result of his dialogue with General Wojciech Jaruzelski, he peacefully transferred power to Lech Walesa, who received papal blessing for democratic reforms.

• June 28 - The first consistory of the pontificate was held, during which the pope presented red cardinal caps to 14 new "princes of the church".

• April 12 - John Paul II travels to Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), where he speaks of the civil war in that former Yugoslav republic as a tragedy and a challenge for all of Europe. Mines were found along the path of the papal cortege.

• On August 24, the pope takes part in the World Catholic Youth Day in Paris, which brought together more than a million boys and girls.

• On September 27, the pontiff is present as a listener at a concert of rock stars in Bologna.

• June 29 - The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I made an official visit to the Vatican.

• August 27 - The Pope sends as a gift to the Russian Orthodox Church a copy of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, which was kept in his personal chapel.

• February 1 - John Paul II was hastily taken to the Gemelli clinic in Rome due to acute laryngotracheitiscomplicated by spasmodic phenomena.

• February 23 - The last book written by the pope, "Memory and Identity", appeared on the shelves of bookstores in Italy.

• 24 February – The pontiff was re-hospitalized, during which he underwent a tracheotomy.

• March 13 - The pope was discharged from the hospital and returned to the Vatican, but for the first time he was unable to take a direct part in the services of Holy Week.

• March 27 - The pontiff tried to address the faithful after Easter Mass from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square, but could not utter a word.

• March 30 - John Paul II made his last public appearance, but failed to greet the faithful who had gathered in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.

• April 2 - John Paul II, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, arthritis and a number of other diseases, died at the age of 84 at 21:37 local time (GMT +2). In his last hours, a huge crowd of people gathered outside his Vatican residence, praying for relief from his suffering. According to the conclusion of the Vatican doctors, John Paul II died "from septic shock and cardiovascular collapse."

• April 8 - the funeral took place.

• April 14 - The Vatican hosted the premiere of the TV series Karol. The man who became the Pope." The premiere was planned for early April, but was postponed due to the death of the pontiff.

• April 17 - mourning for the deceased pope ended and the earthly term of government allotted to him officially ended. According to ancient custom, the personal seal of John Paul II and the ring, the so-called Pescatore ("Ring of the fisherman"), with the image of the first pope, the Apostle Peter, were broken and destroyed. John Paul II certified official letters with a seal, personal correspondence with an imprint of a ring.

• April 18 - On the first day of the 2005 Papal Conclave, the Italian television channel Canale 5 began showing the TV series Karol. The man who became the Pope."

Responses to the Death of John Paul II

In Italy, Poland, Latin America, Egypt and many others, a three-day mourning was declared in connection with the death of John Paul II. Brazil - the world's largest Catholic country (120 million Catholics) - announced seven days of mourning, Venezuela - five days.

Political and spiritual leaders around the world responded to the death of John Paul II.

US President George W. Bush called him "a knight of freedom."

“I am sure that the role of John Paul II in history, his spiritual and political legacy is appreciated by mankind,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telegram of condolences.

“The deceased primate of the ancient Roman see was distinguished by devotion to the path chosen in his youth, an ardent will for Christian service and witness,” said Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'.

“We will never forget that he supported the oppressed peoples, including the Palestinians,” said Arab League spokesman Amra Musa, its general secretary.

The funeral ceremony of Pope John Paul II, held on April 8, 2005 in the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica, was based on liturgical texts and provisions of the apostolic constitution approved by John Paul II in 1996.

On the night of April 8, the access of believers to St. Peter's Cathedral was terminated, and the body of John Paul II was placed in a cypress coffin (according to legend, the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified was made from this tree) - the first of three due to the pontiff during the burial of coffins ( the other two are zinc and pine). Before closing the lid of the coffin, the face of John Paul II was covered with a special piece of white silk. According to tradition, a leather bag with coins issued during the years of the pontificate of John Paul II, and a metal pencil case with a scroll containing the life of John Paul II were placed in the coffin.

After the prayer, the coffin was transferred to the porch in front of the facade of St. Peter's, where at 10 am the cardinals celebrated the funeral mass. The funeral service was led by Joseph Ratzinger, Dean of the College of Cardinals, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The liturgy was in Latin, but some parts were read in Spanish, English, French, as well as Swahili, Polish, German and Portuguese. Eastern patriarchs performed the funeral service for the pope in Greek.

At the end of the farewell ceremony, the body of John Paul II was transferred to the grotto of the basilica (cathedral) of St. Peter. John Paul II is buried next to the relics of the Holy Apostle Peter, in the Polish chapel (chapel) of the Mother of God of Czestochowa, the patron saint of Poland, not far from the chapel of the creators of the Slavic alphabet, Saints Cyril and Methodius, in the former grave of Pope John XXIII, whose ashes in connection with his canonization in 2000 it was moved from the crypt of St. Peter's to the cathedral itself. Chapel of the Mother of God of Czestochowa in 1982, at the insistence of John Paul II, was restored, decorated with the icon of the Holy Virgin Mary and images of Polish saints.

Beatification of John Paul II

In the Latin tradition, starting with the establishment of Pope Urban VIII of 1642, it is customary to distinguish between the process of being beatified (beatified) and saints (canonized). Later, under Pope Benedict XIV, requirements were established that the candidate must meet: his writings must comply with the teachings of the Church, the virtues he showed must be exceptional, and the facts of the miracle performed through his intercession must be documented or evidenced by witnesses.

For canonization, four documented miracles are required, which occurred through the prayer of believers to the deceased righteous man, for beatification - two. In the beatification of martyrs, the fact of a miracle is not required.

The issues of glorification are dealt with by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, which studies the submitted materials and sends them, in case of a positive preliminary conclusion, for approval to the pope, after which the icon of the newly glorified is opened in St. Peter's Basilica.

John Paul II himself canonized more people as saints and blessed than all his predecessors combined. From 1594 (after the adoption by Sixtus V in 1588 of the apostolic constitution Immensa aeterni, concerning, in particular, issues of canonization) to 2004, 784 canonizations were made, of which 475 were during the pontificate of John Paul II. John Paul II ranked 1338 people as blessed.

Filmography

"Karol. The Man Who Became Pope

Multi-part television film (2005) produced in Italy and Poland, directed by Giacomo Battiato, composer Ennio Morricone (the title “Karol is the man who became Pope” is found in the press). The film is based on the book by Gianfranco Sviderkoski "The History of Karol: The Unknown Life of John Paul II".

"Karol. The Pope Who Remained Human

Multi-part television film (2006) produced in Italy, Poland, Canada, directed by Giacomo Battiato, composer Ennio Morricone (there is a title in the press "Karol - the Pope who remained a man").

"Certificate"

A feature film based on the book of memoirs of John Paul II "Life with Karol", which was written by the Pope's personal secretary - Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the current Archbishop of Krakow.

Encyclicals

Main article: List of encyclicals of Pope John Paul II

During his pontificate, John Paul II wrote 14

It can be said without exaggeration that the atmosphere of anticipation from that day on embraced the whole world. A man from a communist country became a Pontiff, and his words - they, moreover, cannot be censored! - heard the inhabitants of all continents.
The words shook the world. The call "do not be afraid!" sounded like a challenge, they contained a stronger potential than military parades on Red Square. The broadcast from St. Peter's Cathedral was watched by a billion viewers! Even then, every witness of the inauguration - no matter who and where he was from and no matter what he believed - had no doubt that the world would no longer be the same.
From the vantage point of past years, the significance of the papal call is more clearly seen. It was “do not be afraid” that became the famous “brand name” of the pontificate of John Paul II today. And this is because, over time, the world became more and more convinced that such an unusual and “atypical Pope” achieved so much, so impressed the world. Obviously, he himself was not afraid ...

In a document published five months after his election to the Throne of St. Peter, John Paul II sets out to the world the main ideas he intends to serve as Pontiff. The encyclical is an assessment of the spiritual state of the modern world, seen through the eyes of the "young". And he makes a sad diagnosis. The Pope speaks of the 20th century as a century in which "people have prepared for people many delusions and sufferings." He makes it clear that this process has not been decisively stalled and expresses the hope that the creation of the UN will serve to the benefit of the definition and establishment of objective and inviolable human rights.
This theme - one of the foundations of the first Encyclical - has become a vivid characteristic of the entire pontificate of the Holy Father, who is often called the "Pope of Human Rights". It also contains many other important points that were developed in the subsequent years of the pontificate: the call to “have no more”, but “be more”; concern about the prevailing social injustice in the world; an indication of the gap between the progress of civilization and the development of morality and ethics.

"Redemptor hominis" is the quintessence of Christian humanism. As the Pope himself admitted, "he brought this theme with him to Rome." This is a colorful and beautiful presentation. Nothing surprising: the author relatively recently (and with great regret) left literary activity, although, as subsequent events showed, not forever. The Pope writes: “Deep amazement at the value and dignity of man is called the Gospel, that is, the Good News. It is also called Christianity."

Reluctantly, the authorities agreed to "let" the Pole Pope into his homeland. It was like a dream. The Poles felt that they were no longer disenfranchised witnesses of history, but also participants in it. The pilgrimage aroused enthusiasm among millions of Poles and touched the Pope himself, who was well aware that fellow countrymen see him as a harbinger of freedom. During the visit, John Paul II recalls the rich Christian heritage of Poland and that without Christianity there is no Poland and its culture.
In Gniezno, the Slav Pope recalled the right of the historical contribution to Europe of the countries of the eastern part of the continent; on the territory of the former Auschwitz concentration camp, he reflected on the evil of the 20th century and totalitarianism.
The Pope's pilgrimage in 1979 was not only a reminder to the communist authorities of the political freedom of the people. It is also, and perhaps above all, a great call to the conscience of one and all, not to say "no" to Christ and to remain faithful to the riches of Christianity.

Society expected this event with understandable interest. A pope from the East, the son of a country in which party functionaries have defined the framework of official culture for decades, arrives at the headquarters of a world organization responsible for preserving and developing the cultural wealth of mankind. What will be shared with the world by someone who, through his work, is in a special way connected with the world of culture? What will the former actor, poet and playwright, outstanding thinker and friend of cultural figures say?
The papal speech is a "deep and wide appreciation" for all the cultural traditions of mankind; it is an expression of admiration for "the creative wealth of the human spirit, tireless work, the purpose of which is to preserve and strengthen the identity of man." Expressing confidence in the connection of religion - especially Christianity - with culture, as eloquently evidenced by the example of Europe, he reverently recalls the heritage of "other sources of religious, humanistic and ethical inspiration." The subsequent years of the pontificate will be characterized by an open and full recognition of all cultures.

The popemobile moves freely past sectors filled with pilgrims from all over the world. Dad managed to return the child to the parents, whom he hugged a moment before. Loud, dry crackling. The sound is repeated. Pigeons take off from the square. Pope's Secretary Fr. Stanisław Dziwisz was completely numb. He does not immediately understand what happened. He looks at the Pontiff: “He staggered, but no blood or wounds are visible. I asked him: "Where?" “In the stomach,” he replied. I also asked, “Does it hurt a lot?” - "Yes…""

Assassination attempt. An unexpected event. Not a document, not an undertaking, not a meeting or a pilgrimage - and yet one of the most important events of the Pontificate, surrounded by mysterious circumstances. Starting with the fact that John Paul II survived. The bullet passed by a few millimeters the organs, the damage of which is incompatible with life. She did, according to Andre Frossard, “a completely improbable path in the body.”
Miracle? For the Pope, the attempt was a new proof of the patronage of the Mother of God, to whom he devoted his ministry, and it was not by chance that he inscribed the words "Totus Tuus" - "Entirely Yours" on his coat of arms. He was not afraid of death: "... at the hour when I fell on St. Peter's Square, I knew for sure that I would survive." To the astonished Frossard, he confessed: "... one hand shot, the other directed the bullet." The assassination attempt took place on May 13, the anniversary of the first apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima in 1917.

While still in the hospital, he asked for a description of the Third Fatima Mystery. In the documents, he will read about a suffering man in a white robe... Thanks to the assassination attempt, he became even closer to millions of sick, suffering, persecuted people. From this moment on, meetings with them acquire special expressiveness. Since then he has become one of them.

The Pope arrives in Portugal on the first anniversary of the assassination. As he said in a sermon, May 13th is "mysteriously related to the date of the first apparition at Fatima" in 1917. "These dates meet each other so that I must admit that I have been miraculously called here." The Pope thanks Mary for saving his life.
He does the same during the evening vigil in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima, confessing that when he came to his senses after the assassination attempt, he was mentally transported to the sanctuary in Fatima to thank the Mother of God for the healing.

In everything that happened to him, he saw Her special intercession. Divine Providence does not know what a simple coincidence is, the Holy Father continued, and therefore he accepted the assassination attempt as a call to reread the message given 65 years ago to the three shepherdesses.
Seeing the sad spiritual state of the world, he insists that "the gospel call to repentance and conversion, which the Mother reminded of, still remains relevant."
With pain, he stressed that “too many people and societies, many Christians went against the message of the Blessed Virgin in Fatima. Sin has won the right to exist, and the denial of God has spread in the worldview and plans of man!” Therefore, thanks for his healing, John Paul II, following in the footsteps of Pope Pius XII, dedicated the fate of the world to Mary.

What seemed impossible has happened. Fifty thousand young Muslims gathered in the stadium listen to the Pope, who arrived in Morocco at the invitation of King Hassan II.
Not a single Pontifex dared to take such a step, to, according to Luigi Accatoli, "Gospel excitement." But was the Pope really taking risks? It's just that he thus implemented the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which respectfully speaks of other religions. 20 years after the end of the Council, its active participant, now the Pontifex, actively brings ideas to life.
“We, Christians and Muslims, have completely misunderstood each other and have sometimes acted against each other in the past. In a world that yearns for unity and peace, and at the same time is experiencing thousands of conflicts, should not believers maintain friendship and unity between people and peoples who on earth form a single community?

The meeting in Casablanca expressively showed the world that John Paul II is a disinterested and, perhaps, the only universally recognized "voice of conscience" of the world. The events of recent years have clearly shown that his concern for the reconciliation of Christians and Muslims and the development of dialogue was prophetic.

For the first time in history, a Pope crossed the threshold of a synagogue. In itself, this fact could become historical. However, this was only the beginning. John Paul II called the Jews brothers four times. He utters a phrase that, along with the famous "do not be afraid!", will become the most quoted saying of Pope Wojtyla: "You are our beloved brothers and, one might say, our elder brothers." The Pontiff and the Chief Rabbi of Rome are sitting next to each other, talking, reading psalms…

With a visit to the synagogue, John Paul II introduced a new, fraternal tone into the painful relationship, full of mutual hostility and accusations.
The Holy Father repeatedly visited the territory of the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz - it is located on the territory of the Krakow Archdiocese. Visiting this place as the Successor of St. Peter, he reminded: “The people who received the commandment “do not kill” from God-Yahweh experienced the burden of murder in a special way” ...
The visit to the Roman synagogue turned out to be not an artistic gesture, but an overture to the great cause of reconciliation between Catholics and Jews, culminating in an important visit of the Pontiff to Jerusalem for both sides.

47 delegations from various Christian denominations, as well as representatives of 13 religions, responded to the invitation of John Paul II to Assisi. It is no secret that not everyone in the Vatican was captivated by the idea of ​​the Pope, which seemed to jeopardize the authority of the Church and her status in the world.
The world was surprised by the humility of the Pope, standing shoulder to shoulder with Jews, Hindus, Muslims and exotically dressed representatives of other religions, praying in their presence for peace and reflecting with them on the common responsibility for the fate of mankind.
The Pope's call had a huge response. On September 11, 2001, the world became convinced of the enormous potential for hatred directed in the name of religion! Therefore, in January 2002 the city of St. Francis again witnessed the meeting of the Pontiff with representatives of various religions.

An unforgettable sign of the liberation of Europe from communism. Everything that happened looked like a beautiful dream, but it was reality. Hundreds of thousands of young people from countries where atheism and anti-church politics dominated until recently came to the Polish sanctuary. The youth hurried to meet with the Pope, who brought closer the onset of freedom, thanks to which the meeting at Yasnaya Gora became possible.
And more “miracles”: among the million participants of the VI World Youth Day there were 100 thousand young men and women from the USSR, which in four months will go down in history. A special, free train runs from the border to Czestochowa; The USSR authorities agreed that those who do not have a foreign passport could cross the cordon using letters issued in parishes. Pilgrims arrived from Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries. Czestochowa received Hungarians, Romanians, Bulgarians and citizens of other states of "victorious socialism".

The Pope took advantage of the unprecedented meeting to remind the youth that the roots of European unity are both in the West and in the East: "The Church in Europe can finally breathe freely with two lungs."

Is a thick theological book a worldwide bestseller? Yes! The Catechism of the Catholic Church has so far been published in 50 languages; its circulation has long exceeded 10 million copies; in the first year after publication alone, 3 million were sold. Publishing houses - and not only religious ones! – competed with each other for the publishing rights. Not only Catholics became interested in the Catechism, but the entire Christian world - it was received with great attention by the Orthodox Churches.
Thus, the ardent desire of the Pope himself was fulfilled, who called the Catechism "one of the most significant events in the recent history of the Church" and "the ripe and true fruit" of the Second Vatican Council.
This work was edited by a commission convened by the Pontiff for about 10 years, and bishops from all over the world expressed their proposals. Thus, the quintessence of the Catholic doctrine was obtained, stated in a simple, understandable language.

For John Paul II, the anniversary of the 2000th anniversary of Christianity was to be the preparation for a "new spring of Christian life." This short document offers a list of the challenges that the Church faces in our time. For John Paul II, the most important of these was the embodiment of the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. Therefore, he invites the Church to make a test of conscience and reflect: to what extent "the great gift of the Spirit offered to the Church" was received by believers.
The meaning of the Apostolic Epistle is based on reading from the perspective of the Gospel the "signs of the times" introduced in the 20th century. The Pope also writes about specific historical events, viewing them through the prism of the Gospel, trying to discover their significance in the perspective of the mission of Christ.
The Pope expounds in it innovative ideas that inspired not only Catholics, such as: the purification of memory and repentance for the crimes of the children of the Church, the ecumenism of the martyrs, which testifies more eloquently than divisions.

The largest forum in the history of mankind. It is believed that from 5 to 7 million people participated in the Mass, which John Paul II celebrated in the capital of the Philippines! The crowd was so dense that the Pope could not get to the altar by car - the situation was saved by a helicopter. It was the first World Youth Day to be held on the Asian continent, the most densely populated, and yet Catholics are an absolute minority.
The participation in Mass with the Pope of a delegation of Catholic youth from communist China was unprecedented. Although she represented the so-called. The “Patriotic Church”, which is not in communion with the Holy See, this very fact was considered a sign of a “thaw” and changes in relations with Beijing.

The dying John XXIII whispered the words of Christ's prayer: "Ut unum sint" - "Let all be one." It is said that this circumstance had a great influence on John Paul II and that is why the Encyclical on the unity of Christians has such an eloquent title. This document convincingly testifies to the enormous, fundamental importance that John Paul II ascribes to the ecumenical movement. This is not an internal affair of the Church, as some would like to believe, and not the subject of abstract hermeneutic discussions.
The Pope calls the dialogue a test of conscience, emphasizing that the unity of Christians is possible, its condition is a humble recognition that we have sinned against unity and must repent of this. In addition - and this is why the Encyclical is considered an important milestone in the history of Christianity - John Paul II simply and humbly addresses Christians of other faiths with a proposal to jointly discuss the nature of the supreme power of the Pontiff. His call has not yet received such a courageous answer, but the grain was thrown ...

This is a great call for a "true civilization of freedom" and an encouragement to the world to make sure that "an age of coercion gives way to an age of negotiation." Addressing representatives of about 200 states, the Pope called on the peoples of the world to respect human rights and condemn violence and manifestations of nationalism and intolerance. He focused on the moral dimension of the universal problem of freedom and emphasized that the turning point events that took place in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989 stemmed from a deep conviction in the inestimable importance and dignity of man.

“Each culture seeks to comprehend the mystery of the world and the life of a single person. The heart of every culture is an approach to the greatest of all mysteries, the mystery of God,” he said.
Recalling the events in the Balkans and Central Africa, the Pope lamented that the world had not yet learned to live in conditions of cultural and racial differentiation. Recalling the existence of the universal nature of man and the natural moral law, John Paul II called on the world to discuss the future. In the face of a clear UN crisis, the Pontifex wished this organization to become a moral center and a true "family of peoples" capable of resolving specific problems.

"Gift and Mystery"
November 1996

This book describes in a very simple manner the vocations of Karol Wojtyła, as well as the fundamentals of the life of a priest as seen by a person elected to the Throne of St. Peter. For John Paul II, the life of a priest is a gift received with unfailing gratitude and a mystery that can never be completely unraveled.
Great names appear on the pages of the book: Cardinal Sapieha, Jan Tyranovsky, John Maria Vianney, brother Albert Chmielevsky. Those to whom Karol Wojtyla owed the choice of the priestly path. Here are the impressions caused in the young priest by the meeting with the West, and the reflection on the hope that the Council awakened in the young bishop of Cracow.

But the most valuable is the vision of the Church and the mission of the priest in the modern world. “The Gift and the Mystery” is a book that, against the backdrop of the authority of the shepherd, often discussed today, restores his high dignity in the eyes of the whole world. This is the work of the world's most famous Catholic priest, universally respected by people of all races, cultures, statuses and worldviews.

The Pope is in a city that symbolizes the tragedy of the 20th century: World War I began here, World War II raged here, and here, at the end of the century, local residents, amid destruction and death, experienced the burden of long years of enmity and fear. From a city where different cultures, religions and peoples collided, John Paul II issued a call: no to war!
In the words of the Pontiff one can hear the regret that the religious declarations of the inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not protect them from a cruel war. John Paul II among the ruins, in an atmosphere of hatred and under the threat of assassination, said that enmity and hatred "can find means in religious values ​​not only for sobering and moderation, but also for reflection, meaning constructive cooperation."
The threat hung over John Paul II himself, however, despite the proposals of the UN peacekeeping forces, he overcomes by car a considerable distance separating the airport from the cathedral.
The Pope's visit to Sarajevo also acquired a symbolic meaning in the sense that his spiritual message can be applied to other conflicts that darkened the dramatic age. Hearing the call of John Paul II addressed to the inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina: “You have an Advocate with the Father. His name is: Jesus Christ is just!”, it was hard not to remember Rwanda, the Middle East.

This event fell into the annals of history long before it happened. The news that a man who was apparently involved in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe is being sent to the “den of the communist dinosaur” electrified the world. Many have asked themselves if the Pope will loudly demand justice for the people, freedom for political prisoners, rights for the Catholic Church.
The Holy Father did not hesitate: he handed over to Fidel Castro a list of 302 names of political prisoners,
repeatedly, bluntly, in the presence of the Comandante, he reminded of the people's rights to development, wishing them freedom and reconciliation.

The culmination of the visit was a Mass at the Revolution Square in Havana, where about a million Cubans gathered under the gaze of a huge portrait of Che Guevara, a friend of Fidel's revolutionary youth, who was watching. Has anything changed? The authorities released several prisoners, allowed Christmas to be celebrated, agreed to allow new missionaries to enter the island, and in general, the attitude towards the Church became more liberal.

For the first time in the history of the Church, the Successor of St. Peter arrived in a country where the majority of the population professes Orthodoxy. This happened after several unsuccessful attempts to organize a meeting with Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', whose inflexible position cooled relations between the Orthodox world and the Catholic Church.
Nevertheless, the hierarchy of the Romanian Orthodox Church expressed their consent to the arrival of the Pope. John Paul II himself was still eager to make this trip, for whom the unity of Christians and the fulfillment of the will of Christ “let them all be one” from the very beginning of the Pontificate became one of the priorities.
The atmosphere in which the Pope's visit took place exceeded the expectations of all optimists. The Pontiff and Orthodox hierarchs were hospitably received. “This is an unforgettable visit. I have crossed the threshold of hope here,” the Pope said at the end of his address to Patriarch Theoktist. The meeting participants thanked John Paul II with a standing ovation.

For Christians of various rites who yearn for unity, this visit was a harbinger of hope. He showed that, despite the difficulties in the ecumenical dialogue led by pundits, "simple" believers - although history and human error have divided their churches - are essentially close to each other. Three hundred thousand participants in the Mass unanimously chanted the word "unitate" (unity), and among them were both Catholics of various rites and Orthodox - this is eloquent proof that despite the formal division, many Christians ardently yearn for unity.

This trip was characterized by several important circumstances: a pilgrimage to the origins of Christianity, to the places where its Founder lived and died; meeting with Jews and their tragic history overshadowed by the Holocaust; bleeding wound of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The Pope visited Bethlehem, located on the territory of the Palestinian Authority, and the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, where he kissed the stone slab on which the body of Christ rested 2,000 years ago. In concelebration with 12 cardinals, he celebrated Mass in the Zion Room, where, according to ancient tradition, the Savior ate the Last Supper with the apostles.
At an interreligious meeting in Jerusalem, the holy city for Jews, Christians and Muslims, expressing hope for improved relations between religions, the Pope assured everyone of his prayer for peace in the Middle East. Peace, he emphasized, would be the fruit of the joint efforts of all peoples living in the Holy Land.

During his visit to the Yad Vashem Memorial Institute, the Holy Father honored the memory of 6 million Jews who died during World War II and repented for the sins of the children of the Church committed against the Jews, condemning anti-Semitism and racial hatred. The Prime Minister of Israel noted that the Pope, who in his youth witnessed the tragedy of the occupation, after being elected to the Throne of St. Peter, did more to reconcile Jews and Christians than anyone before him.

It is no secret that the Pope's idea of ​​public repentance for the sins committed by Catholics in the past caused little joy in the Roman Curia. For John Paul II, in turn, it was obvious that "the joy of any Jubilee lies, first of all, in the remission of sins, in the joy of conversion." Fears that this event could undermine the image of the Church turned out to be exaggerated. The world accepted with gratitude and surprise the courageous test of conscience performed by the Pope.

The very course of the liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica was exciting. The heads of the most important departments of the Holy See uttered the words of a prayer in which they listed the sins of the children of the Church and asked for forgiveness for them: sins against the truth, against the unity of the Church, against the Jews, against love, peace, the rights of peoples, the dignity of cultures and religions, women and the human race.
In the sermon, the Pope asked everyone for the forgiveness of the sins of the children of the Church, assuring that the Church, for its part, forgives the offenses caused to it by others. Unusual photographs went around the world: John Paul II approaches the Cross, kisses the feet of the Crucified and looks up to the sky.

“This photograph is worth a good hundred history books and should take its rightful place in the annals, next to the photograph of the Berlin Wall that collapsed in 1989 and the portrait of Boris Yeltsin standing on a tank in the center of Moscow in 1991.” This is how the Avenire newspaper reacted to a photograph published the day before in Osservatore Romano depicting the Holy Father surrounded by bishops and Apostolic administrators who came to Rome from the former Soviet republics as part of the “ad limina”.
A little more than two decades ago, in the vast Soviet empire, the only priest of the Holy Ecumenical Church could officially serve. In the Papal Yearbooks, year after year, episcopal sees were listed that existed before 1917, widowed in the hard times of repression. Over the past decade, many of them have again been appointed bishops.

The Mass with the Holy Father, along with Russian bishops, was attended by the heads of the Catholic structures of eight republics of the former USSR: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, as well as Mongolia.
During the sermon, the Pope urged the audience to "strengthen the unity of the Church."
After Mass, everyone was invited to the library, where Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz greeted the guests on behalf of the bishops and prelates of the Holy Father. Then each of the Russian bishops was invited to a personal audience, which lasted about 15 minutes. The content of these conversations is not customary to disclose.

When everyone had another opportunity to be with the Pope, the Russian bishops invited him to Russia, which was done in such a way - by a national delegation - for the first time.

The solemn accomplishment of the "Act of dedication of the world to the Divine Mercy" caused a resonance in the world. It was universally recognized that the unimpressive diagnosis made by an outstanding witness of the faith to the modern world deserves attention.
It was noted that in a sermon delivered in the sanctuary in Łagiewniki, John Paul II expressed the key message of his pontificate. A world permeated with the "mystery of wickedness" demands mercy, "so that the radiance of truth will put an end to all injustice in the world."

The Pope stressed that along with the new development prospects on the threshold of the new millennium, "new, hitherto unseen threats" are also evident. He also pointed to interference in the secret of human life (through genetic manipulations), arbitrary determination of the beginning or end of life, and the denial of the moral foundations of the family in the modern world.
The Pope did not seek to intimidate, but simply cited as an example that saint (Faustina Kowalska) who taught us all to cry out: “Jesus, I trust in You.” This is the source of hope for the modern world.

On the 24th anniversary of the election to the Throne of St. Peter, the Holy Father, during a general audience, announced the signing of the new Apostolic Letter "Rosarium Virginis Mariae". In addition, the period from October 2002 to October 2003, the Pope declared the Year of the Rosary and established another part of the Mother of God prayer - "bright mysteries".

“Christ, the Redeemer of man, is the center of our faith. Mary does not overshadow Him, nor does she overshadow His works of salvation. Taken to heaven in body and soul, the Blessed Virgin was the first to taste the fruits of the Passion and Resurrection of Her Son, and She reliably leads us to Christ, the final goal of our journey and our entire existence,” he noted. “Inviting the faithful to contemplate the Face of Christ without ceasing, I wanted Mary, His Mother, to be the Mentor in this for all.”

In order to make the synthesis of the Gospel, recalled in the Rosary, more perfect, the Pontifex proposed to add five more mysteries to those that we already contemplate. They are based on the events of the Savior's earthly ministry: His Baptism in the Jordan, the miracle in Cana of Galilee, the preaching of the Kingdom of God and repentance, the Tabor Transfiguration and the Last Supper, which already introduces the theme of His Passion.

Once again, Pope Wojtyła returns to poetry, which, as it seemed, he finally abandoned after his election to the Throne of St. Peter. The news was sensational, because a few years ago the pontiff's entourage claimed that the composition of poetry is a turned page in the life of the Holy Father. However... "And here he remained true to himself," Cardinal Frantisek Macharsky commented on this fact at the presentation of the poem in the house of the Krakow archbishops. The birth of this work was shrouded in extraordinary mystery. There were leaks in the press, the time of publication was delayed all the time, and finally the essay saw the light, published in a dizzying circulation: 300,000 copies! And the circulation was sold out almost instantly.

The Pope's meditations are reflections on the Bible, on the history of creation, on the place of man in the world; there are many personal experiences. The outstanding character of this initiative is emphasized by several circumstances. The primate of the Catholic Church and, at the same time, an outstanding humanist and philosopher, considered it possible to turn to the language of poetry, thereby noting that neither a sermon nor an Encyclical would serve in this case as the best means of conveying his thoughts. In addition, most of the "Triptych" is inspired by Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel - the famous "Last Judgment".

Pope John Paul II reposed in the Lord on April 2, 2005, at the age of 85.

On the evening of October 14, 1978, a white column of smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel. The council of cardinals elected a new pope. Ballot papers were burned in the yard. By tradition, if a candidate did not get the required number of votes - two-thirds plus one, a special black powder is added to the ballots. Black smoke rises from the Vatican. That autumn, the inhabitants of Rome saw black smoke eight times. A couple of hours after the vote, the head of the conclave of cardinals stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica with the words "Habemus papam!" ("A new pope has been elected!"). Archbishop Karol Wojtyla of Krakow, who became Pope John Paul II, took a few timid steps towards applause.

Cat in a bag

For the first time in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, a Slav became a pope. With the exception of six German popes, the head of the Holy See was the cardinals of the Romance countries. The 58-year-old Pole was said to have been elected through a coalition of German-speaking cardinals. His candidacy was proposed to the conclave by Cardinal Franz Koenig of Vienna. It is said that he played a decisive role in the unusual choice.

Wojtyla was known as a provincial and did not have a specific program. It was also known that the circle of his personal interests was very wide. Karol Wojtyla wrote poems and plays, was fond of skiing and swimming. The cardinals did not expect anything definite, and even more so no cardinal changes from him. Perhaps that is why John Paul II managed to get the required number of votes. It soon became apparent how erroneous were the ideas of the cardinals about the provincial archbishop.

John Paul II" >

Dad's private life

At half past six in the morning, when the guards of the Vatican yawn at their posts, and the inhabitants of Rome inspect their last dreams, a table lamp is lit in a small cell on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace. And so every morning. For 22 years. It is difficult for rare guests who have been in this cell to believe that the vicar of God on earth spends the nights here - the atmosphere of his cell and the luxury of other halls of the Vatican palaces are so contrasting. A hard bed, a small rug, two armchairs, a table, and a few antique icons on the whitewashed walls.

The house in the small Polish town of Wadovichi, in one of whose apartments the Wojtyla family once lived, has now been turned into a museum. Six families happily agreed to move from here to another place so that on the first floor there was a bookstore with the writings of the pope, and on the second floor - his personal belongings: the canoe paddle of young Karol, his skis and the three cassocks of the pontiff. About 180,000 visitors visit the yellow stone house every year.

The pontiff himself admits that he has the saddest memories associated with the house in Vadovichi. Karol tried to hide from loneliness by playing in the school theater. He was going to become an actor, or at least a playwright, until the meeting, which is now commonly called a divine blessing, took place. In 1938, the troupe was to perform before Archbishop Adam Sapieha. Wojtyla was entrusted with a welcoming speech. After the performance, the archbishop approached the young man and asked what he was going to do in the future. "Philology or acting," replied Karol. "It's a pity. It's a pity that you don't want to give your talents to the church," said Adam Sapieha.

John Paul II claims that this conversation was the turning point in his life. Months later, he felt an irresistible desire to become a monk and came to the archbishop. He refused the young man three times. Only years later, in 1946, Archbishop Adam ordained Karol.

Thus began his journey to the Vatican.

The pontiff still maintains relations with the friends of his youth. Several times a year he has lunch with classmate Jerzy Kluter, who, just as then, calls him by his school nickname - Lolik. Now, of course, it is impossible for two old men to play football or go skiing.

"He still remains a mystery to me," Jerzy Kluger admits.

Dad's friends say that he is very painfully worried that his health does not allow him, as before, to swim and hike in the Alps. Previously, bodyguards could barely keep up with their ward.

His choice of books to read is eclectic: books on philosophy, history or sociology, the writings of Dostoyevsky and Rilke. The pontiff is fluent in eight languages, so he reads books in the original.

In the evening at 11:00 p.m., the pope descends before the altar in his private chapel. The half hour he spends before the crucifixion is the only time during the day when John Paul II can be left alone. After that, he goes to bed to obey the schedule drawn up by his personal secretaries in the morning.

Infallible Pope

The years of the papacy of John Paul II became the brightest in the almost two thousand years of the history of the Vatican. The Roman Catholic Church is methodically shaken by scandals, but even they cannot shake the influence of the pope. It is unlikely that anyone will doubt that the return of the Vatican to a leading role in world politics was due to someone other than the pope. John Paul II became the catalyst for the collapse of the socialist camp. At home - in Poland - the pope is considered the spiritual leader of Solidarity. During the years of opposition to the official authorities, Catholic priests, at the request of Solidarity members, transported seditious papers under their cassocks, and the pontiff only welcomed this. The Pope blessed the collapse of Yugoslavia, made an unthinkable number of foreign visits for the head of the church, and achieved representation of the Vatican in the UN. Thanks to the Pope, the Catholic Church revised its attitude towards the Inquisition, the teachings of Darwin, rehabilitated Giordano Bruno, Jan Hus and Galileo Galilei. Martin Luther is said to be next in line.

In internal church affairs, John Paul II remains a conservative. The Pope is against abortion and the abolition of the vow of celibacy for priests, female clergy, same-sex marriages and, of course, the abolition of the dogma of infallibility of the head of the Holy See. This is perhaps the only thing that his opponents can blame the pope for. There is an opinion that in the concept of the cardinals, the "liberal pope", whom they are so looking forward to, is a person who is loyal above all to their own affairs. In other words, able to turn a blind eye to the scams of cardinals, bishops and priests. "Svobodny" - first of all in questions of an estimation of their financial activity.

The pontiff finds it increasingly difficult to manage his subordinates. Even people close to the pope say that his main trouble as a "manager" is that John Paul II is ready to engage in administrative work only in case of emergency. "The pontiff accepts a person in order to solve a problem," says one of his secretaries. "But he forgets about him, and even about the problem, as soon as the visitor closes the door behind him."

At the same time, the Pope's assistants never cease to be amazed at how quickly he gets to the heart of the matter during the annual discussion of financial statements. “But I was a priest and did the bookkeeping myself,” the pontiff explains in such cases.

Not so long ago, the head of the German congregation of bishops, Karl Lehmann, in an interview with the German radio station Deutschlandfunk for the first time publicly called on the pope to resign. Referring to the health and advanced age of the pontiff, he advised the pope to confess that he could not lead the church.

The idea of ​​the pope's voluntary resignation, following Karl Lehmann, was supported by other members of the conclave. The headlines of the Italian newspapers were filled with the words "conspiracy of the cardinals." The next day, thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. Those gathered came to ask John Paul II to stay. Only the pope himself could calm the crowd - only after he went out onto the balcony and promised that "he would remain the head of the church for exactly as long as the Lord God wanted." An hour later, Leman was dismissed.

But even after that, the gossip about the successor to the papal throne during the living pope did not stop. There has already been a precedent in history: Pope Celestine V retired due to "health." True, John Paul II always reminds that it was for this that Dante Alighieri placed Pope Celestine V in the first circle of hell.

On May 18, John Paul II turns 80 years old. In 1992, he had a malignant tumor removed. Although the Vatican still stubbornly denies rumors about the pope's progressing Parkinson's disease and several heart attacks, the pontiff himself does not hide the fact that his health leaves much to be desired. However, there can be no question of any early retirement, the secretary of John Paul II invariably emphasizes. “Do you know how the pontiff has been answering questions about health lately?” the secretary of journalists asks.

Karol Jozef Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, in southern Poland, on May 18, 1920. He was the youngest of three children of Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. In 1978, the 264th pope, John Paul II, became the first non-Italian pope on the Holy See to be elected in the last 455 years, one of the youngest pontiffs in history, and the first pope of Slavic origin.

2. 1932: Karol Wojtyla at the age of twelve (left in the second row) with classmates from the parish school in Wadowice, before moving to Krakow.

3. The photo was taken in the 1930s. Karl Wojtyla with a candle after receiving First Communion in Krakow.

4. July 1939: Nineteen-year-old Karol Wojtyla, second from right. According to biographers, two months before the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Wojtyla attended a military training camp in Western Ukraine, which was then part of the eastern regions of Poland.

5. Young priest Karol Wojtyla. Photo taken in Poland in 1948.

6. June 26, 1967 Karol Wojtyla receives a cardinal's hat. Three years earlier he had become Archbishop of Krakow.

7. October 16, 1978: Pope John Paul II, former Polish cardinal Karol Wojtyla, on the day he was elected head of the Catholic Church in the Vatican. In 1958, Karol Wojtyla became bishop of Krakow, in 1963 he was appointed archbishop, and then became pope under the name of John Paul II.

8. October 22, 1978 Pope John Paul II kisses a priest during his ordination in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Poland became the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI, who was from Holland and ascended the papacy in 1542. The new pope chose the name "John Paul" in honor of his predecessor, who died after only 33 days as pope.

9. June 7, 1979 Pope John Paul II visits the former Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi camp in Auschwitz on his first trip to Poland.

10. June 21, 1980: American President Jimmy Carter and Pope John Paul II during a meeting in the Pontiff's Library in the Vatican.

11. May 13, 1981. A hand with a pistol aimed at the pontiff in St. Peter's Square during the meeting of the Pope with the faithful. Then several bullets hit the pontiff, wounding him in the stomach and damaging the intestines.

12. May 13, 1981. The Pope and his bodyguards after the assassination attempt by Mehmet Ali Agca in St. Peter's Square in Rome.

13. May 19, 1981. Pope John Paul II at the Policlinico Gemelli hospital in Rome after the assassination attempt on May 13.

14. May 28, 1982. Pope John Paul II and Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

15 May 30, 1982: Pope John Paul II addresses Polish repatriates at Crystal Palace, London. This was the first visit of a Pope to the UK.

16. December 27, 1963. Pope John Paul II and Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish assassin who assassinated him, in the Rebibbia Prison in Rome. They talked alone for 20 minutes. After that, the Pope said: “What we talked about will remain our secret. I spoke to him as to a brother whom I have forgiven and who has my full confidence."

17 April 1985 Audience of the Prince and Princess of Wales with Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. Princess Diana, according to the protocol, in a black veil.

18. February 2, 1986. Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama. The Pope is holding a book by the Dalai Lama, which he presented to the Pope during his ten-day visit to India.

19 November 30, 1986 Pope John Paul II and a kangaroo in Adelaide's Victoria Park during a trip to Australia.

20. June 8, 1991. Polish President Lech Walesa kisses the hand of Pope John Paul II at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, holding the first copy of the Polish constitution.

21. August 12, 1993. US President Bill Clinton points to crowds of people cheering Pope John Paul II during his visit to Denver, Colorado.

22. January 15, 1995. Pope John Paul II's helicopter flies over crowds at Manila's Luneta Park, where more than two million people have gathered for outdoor worship during the Tenth World Youth Congress.

24. June 18, 1998. South African President Nelson Mandela speaks with Pope John Paul II during a meeting at the Vatican.

25. January 25, 1998. Pope John Paul II greets Cuban leader Fidel Castro during a Mass at Revolution Square in Havana.

29 April 9, 2004. Pope John Paul II receives Holy Communion from Cardinal Joseph Alois Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, in the Vatican.

30. June 4, 2003. US President George W. Bush meets with Pope John Paul II in the Vatican.

31. February 23, 2003. Pope John Paul II greets pilgrims from his library during a televised address to the crowd in Vatican Square for the traditional general audience. The pontiff, who was recovering from a hospital three weeks earlier with breathing problems, addressed the faithful via video because the Vatican has traditionally banned him from the library window.

32. April 4, 2005. The body of Pope John Paul II, who died two days earlier, is on display at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican for a farewell.

33. April 6, 2005. Those who came to say goodbye to the late Pope John Paul II pass by his coffin, exhibited in St. Peter's Basilica.