On this Day, in 1978: Pope John Paul II became
the first Polish pope in history
. On October 16, 1978, Polish Cardinal Karol Józef Wojtyła became the first non-Italian pontiff since 1523 as Pope John Paul II. The youngest of three children, Karol Józef Wojtyła was born in the Polish town of Wadowice in 1920.
What did Pope John Paul II do in Poland?
He was
ordained a priest
in 1946 and named archbishop of Krakow in 1964. In the postwar Communist years, party apparatchiks in Poland tried to control the church, and the pope’s opposition to Communism would be one signature of his papacy.
Which pope came from Poland?
Pope Paul VI
consecrating Karol Józef Wojtyła a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, Kraków, Poland, June 28, 1967.
How many Polish Popes have there been?
There have been
217
popes from Italy, 17 from France, 13 Greeks, 8 from Germany, 3 from Spain, 3 from Africa, and one each from Galilee (Palestine) (Saint Peter), England (Pope Adrian IV), Portugal (John XXI), the Netherlands (Adrian VI), Switzerland and Poland (John Paul II).
Who was first pope?
Peter
, traditionally considered the first pope. Among these, 82 have been proclaimed saints, as have some antipopes (rival claimants to the papal throne who were appointed or elected in opposition to the legitimate pope).
Who was the youngest Pope?
- John XI (931–935, who was 20 at the beginning of his papacy)
- John XII (955–964, became pope at either 18 or 25 years old)
- Gregory V (996–999, who was 24 at the beginning of his papacy)
- Benedict IX (pope from 1032–1044, 1045, 1047–1048, first elected pope at about 20 years of age)
Who was the last Pope to be assassinated?
| Pope John Paul II assassination attempt | Perpetrator Mehmet Ali Ağca (Grey Wolves) |
|---|
Did Pope John Paul II say Be not afraid?
John Paul II laid out the central message of his pontificate: “
Do not be afraid. Open, I say open wide the doors for Christ. To His saving power open the boundaries of states, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization, and development
.”
How long did Pope John Paul I serve?
John Paul I, Latin Johannes Paulus, original name Albino Luciani, (born October 17, 1912, Forno di Canale, Italy—died September 28, 1978, Rome), pope whose
33-day
pontificate in 1978 was the shortest in modern times.
How many popes have been married?
There have been
at least four Popes
who were legally married before taking Holy Orders: St Hormisdas (514–523), Adrian II (867–872), John XVII (1003) and Clement IV (1265–68) – though Hormisdas was already a widower by the time of his election.
Which Pope served the longest?
- Bl. …
- St. …
- Leo XIII (1878–1903): 25 years, 5 months and 1 day (9,281 days).
- Pius VI (1775–1799): 24 years, 6 months and 15 days (8,962 days).
- Adrian I (772–795): 23 years, 10 months and 25 days (8,729 days).
- Pius VII (1800–1823): 23 years, 5 months and 7 days (8,560 days).
How many popes have been black?
Hidden in the archives of world history is the fact that there have been
three African popes
of the Catholic Church. The history of African popes is hidden from common knowledge because over the years artists created images of them with European features. St. Victor I became the 14th pope after St.
Has the pope ever been assassinated?
Though
no pope has been killed in recent times
, there was an assassination attempt on Pope (now Saint) John Paul II in 1981. The attack was orchestrated by Mehmet Ali Ağca, who was aided by three accomplices.
Was Peter really the first pope?
Peter was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. Roman Catholic tradition holds that
Jesus established St. Peter as the first pope
(Matthew 16:18). … After Jesus’ death, he served as the head of the Apostles and was the first to perform a miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3:1–11).
How many popes are alive today?
There are currently
no less than 4 reigning popes
: Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of the State of the Vatican City. Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
