Karol Józef Wojtyla , known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy,

was born in Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometres from Cracow, on May 18, 1920. He was the

second of two sons born to Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929.

His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army

officer died in 1941.

He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from

Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Cracow's Jagiellonian University in

1938 and in a school for drama.

The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a

quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being

deported to Germany.

In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of

Cracow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Cracow. At the same time, Karol

Wojtyla was one of the pioneers of the "Rhapsodic Theatre," also clandestine.

After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Cracow, once it

had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University, until his priestly

ordination in Cracow on November 1, 1946.

Soon after, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the guidance of the

French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his doctorate in theology in 1948 with a

thesis on the topic of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross. At that time, during his

vacations, he exercised his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France, Belgium

and Holland.

In 1948 he returned to Poland and was vicar of various parishes in Cracow as well as chaplain

for the university students until 1951, when he took up again his studies on philosophy and

theology. In 1953 he defended a thesis on "evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic

ethic on the ethical system of Max Scheler" at Lublin Catholic University. Later he became

professor of moral theology and social ethics in the major seminary of Cracow and in the

Faculty of Theology of Lublin.

On July 4, 1958, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cracow by Pope Pius XII, and was

consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Cracow, by Archbishop Baziak.

On January 13, 1964, he was nominated Archbishop of Cracow by Pope Paul VI, who made

him a cardinal June 26, 1967.

Besides taking part in Vatican Council II with an important contribution to the elaboration of

the Constitution Gaudium et spes, Cardinal Wojtyla participated in all the assemblies of the

Synod of Bishops.

Since the start of his Pontificate on October 16, 1978, Pope John Paul II has completed 104

pastoral visits outside of Italy and 146 within Italy . As Bishop of Rome he has visited 317 of

the 333 parishes .

His principal documents include 14 encyclicals , 15 apostolic exhortations , 11 apostolic

constitutions and 45 apostolic letters. The Pope has also published five books : "Crossing the

Threshold of Hope" (October 1994); "Gift and Mystery: On the 50th Anniversary of My

Priestly Ordination" (November 1996); "Roman Triptych - Meditations", a book of poems

(March 2003); "Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way" (May 2004) and "Memory and Identity"

(pubblication spring 2005).

John Paul II has presided at 147 beatification ceremonies ( 1,338 Blesseds proclaimed ) and

51 canonization ceremonies ( 482 Saints ) during his pontificate. He has held 9 consistories in

which he created 231 (+ 1 in pectore) cardinals . He has also convened six plenary meetings

of the College of Cardinals .

From 1978 to today the Holy Father has presided at 15 Synods of Bishops : six ordinary (1980,

1983, 1987, 1990, 1994, 2001), one extraordinary (1985) and eight special (1980, 1991, 1994,

1995, 1997, 1998[2] and 1999).

No other Pope has encountered so many individuals like John Paul II: to date, more than

17,600,000 pilgrims have participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more

than 1,160). Such figure is without counting all other special audiences and religious

ceremonies held [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone]

and the millions of faithful met during pastoral visits made in Italy and throughout the world. It

must also be remembered the numerous government personalities encountered during 38

official visits and in the 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State , and even the