Saint John Paul II (1920–2005), born Karol Józef Wojtyła, served as Pope of the Catholic Church from October 1978 until his death in April 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in 1523 and the first Polish pope.
His pontificate was one of the most consequential of the modern era. He played a significant role in the collapse of communist regimes in Poland and Eastern Europe. He canonized more saints than any of his predecessors combined — 482 in total — and beatified 1,340 people.
Among his greatest contributions was the development of the Theology of the Body, a comprehensive theological reflection on human sexuality, marriage, and the human person. He also instituted World Youth Day, which has drawn millions of young Catholics together across the globe since 1985.
He was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 and canonized by Pope Francis on April 27, 2014 — Divine Mercy Sunday.
