什么是若望.保禄二世

John Paul II，原名沃伊蒂瓦（Karol Wojtyla）。

波兰籍教宗（1978年起），为456年间第一位非义大利籍教宗。第二次世界大战期间，为了献身神职，在克拉科夫一所隐密的神学院学习；1946年受祝圣，成为司铎。他在罗马取得哲学博士学位（1948），回到家乡後在教区工作，後又在公教大学获得神学博士学位（也是1948年）。1964年成为克拉科夫大主教，1967年成为枢机主教。在若望.保禄一世（1912～1978）去世不久便被选为教宗，他精力旺盛、领导能力强、有智慧，同时持保守的神学观点和强烈反对共产主义。1981年若望.保禄在圣彼得大教堂遭到土耳其恐怖分子的暗杀，康复後继续他的工作，并宽恕了自称是刺客的人。有时他出国访问吸引许多民众。他的非暴力行动主义，助长了1989年苏联和平解体。他为开发中国家争取经济和政治上的公平对待。他任命五大洲四十四位枢机主教（2001年2月），若望.保禄接触到世界各地的文化。他还追封多位圣人，他们来自世界各地。他为全基督教会所作的努力包括了与犹太教、伊斯兰教和东正教的领袖们会面。

1920年～

John Paul II

Pope (from 1978), the bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic church, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years and the first ever from a Slavic country. Born in Kraków, Poland, he studied for the priesthood at an underground seminary in Kraków during World War II and was ordained in 1946. He earned a doctorate in philosophy in Rome (1948) and returned home to serve in a parish, earning a second doctorate (also 1948), in sacred theology, from the Jagellonian University. He became archbishop of Kraków in 1964 and cardinal in 1967. Elected pope after the brief term of John Paul I (1912-1978), he became known for his energy, charisma, and intellect as well as for his conservative theological views and fervent anticommunism. In 1981 John Paul was shot in St. Peter's Square by a Turkish terrorist, but he recovered, resumed his work, and forgave his would-be assassin. Some of his trips abroad attracted some of the largest crowds ever assembled. His nonviolent activism spurred movements that contributed to the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1989. He championed economic and political justice in developing nations. In naming 44 cardinals from five continents (February 2001), John Paul reached out to cultures around the world. He also canonized more saints, from more parts of the world, than had any other pope. His ecumenical efforts included meetings with Jewish, Muslim, and Orthodox religious leaders.