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 Pope John Paul II 25th Anniversary of Papacy Scott 1237 (2003) October 22 marks the celebration of the Feast of Saint Pope John Paul II. This remarkable 20th century pope and saint is one of the most renowned figures in world history, and a man who words and deeds impacted literally the four corners of the world in both a spiritual and historic sense. Pope John Paul II is a figure known to all readers of Vatican Philatelic Society publications as he has been voluminously detailed in many articles and Daily Emails. He is also represented on more stamps issued by Vatican City than any other subject. And, thanks to television and his world-wide travels, he has been seen by countless millions world-wide, and arguably was seen in person by more people than any other subject in human history. Karol Wojtyla was born in 1920, and served as Pope John Paul II from 1978 to 2005, the second-longest verified papacy in history after Pope Pius IX (excluding the 33 years assigned to St. Peter). The first non-Italian pope in 455 years, who can possibly forget his “Be not afraid!” speech at the announcement of his election, reinforced at his installation in October 1978? Or his deep devotion to the faith and to prayer, his steadfast support for Solidarity in Poland (the success of which led to the crumbling of the Soviet Empire in Eastern Europe), or his valiant struggle against illness during his last years? John Paul’s early years were identified in the commentary in the Daily Email for his birthday, May 19 (see reference below). These comments will identify a few of the highlights of this pontificate: • John Paul upheld traditional teachings of the Roman Catholic Church as well as issued the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, calling it “a sure norm for teaching the faith.” • He became the most travelled pope in history, visiting 129 countries. • John Paul beatified 1,340 persons and canonized 483 saints. • He served as an inspiration and provided counsel to the Solidarity Movement in Poland which triggered the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe after 1980. • He encouraged ecumenical relations with Jews and other Christian churches, as well as non-Christians. • A revised Code of Canon Law was promulgated in 1983, updating the 1917 version. • John Paul established and participated in World Youth Days as a means of encouragement to younger Catholics, a tradition continued by his successors. • John Paul instituted Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Easter in the Octave of Easter, based on the devotion to the Divine Mercy associated with St. Faustina Kowalska, a practice which has spread since authorized in 2000. • John Paul established a three-year preparation for the Great Jubilee of 2000. After opening the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on 24 December 1999, he encouraged ecumenical celebration of the event, asked for forgiveness for past sins of the Church, and undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On 13 May 1981 an assassination attempt in St. Peter’s Square critically wounded John Paul. There were other assassination attempts such as in Portugal (1982) and the Philippines (1995, funded by Al-Qaeda), as well as other KGB plots. On a visit to Fatima in 1982, he thanked the Blessed Mother for guiding the bullet and preserving his life. Historian James Hitchcock observed that John Paul was “perhaps the most intellectually formidable man to ascend the papal throne.” Author Russell Shaw writes: “A telegraphic summary of John Paul might go something like this: charismatic contemplative, prophetic voice of orthodoxy, sophisticated intellectual with a deeply held devotion to the Virgin Mary, poet and athlete, foe of Communism and of consumerist ‘super development” of the West, philosopher and activist with an actor’s flair. And finally, in his painful last years of illness and decline, a figure in who many beheld a living icon of the suffering Christ.”A final comment is from John Paul biographer George Weigel: “In an intellectual environment in which the human capacity to know anything with certainty is denied, he has taught that universal truths exist, that we can know them, and that in knowing them certain moral duties are laid upon us. At a time when the “personality” is deemed infinitely plastic, and in which “human nature” (if its reality is admitted at all) is viewed as a cultural construct, he has defended the idea of a universal human nature and insisted on the givenness [indistibutability/acknowledged] of the human condition.” 
 Beatification and Canonization of Saint Pope John Paul II Scott 1471 (2003) and Scott 1558a and 1559 (2014) John Paul was declared venerable in December 2009, beatified on 1 May 2011, and canonized on 27 April 2014 (the latter two dates falling on Divine Mercy Sundays). His feast day is 22 October, the date of his 1978 inauguration as pope. REFERENCES: |
