Pope St. John Paul II

The Latest

Pope Benedict XVI visits the tomb of the late Pope John Paul II in the grotto beneath St. Peter's Basilica after a meeting with young Catholics, in preparation of the XXI World Youth Day at the Vatican April 6, 2006.

Benedict XVI to be buried in first tomb of Pope John Paul II

Jan 2, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Benedict XVI’s coffin will be carried to the crypt under the central part of St. Peter’s Basilica for interment after... Read more

Pope Benedict XVI wearing brilliant red shoes arrives to attend an interreligious gathering at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on April 17, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

The story behind Pope Benedict XVI’s red shoes

Jan 1, 2023

By Katie Yoder

Benedict’s choice of shoes stands out because his predecessor and successor — St. John Paul II and Pope Francis —... Read more

The Holy House of Our Lady in the Shrine of Loreto.

How could the Holy House of Mary in Nazareth have ended up in Loreto, Italy?

Dec 10, 2022

By Courtney Mares

Catholic pilgrims have flocked to the Holy House of Loreto since the 14th century to stand inside the walls where... Read more

St. John Paul II, circa 1992.

Journalists contradict allegations of ‘cover up’ against John Paul II before he was pope

Dec 7, 2022

By CNA Staff

Journalists investigating secular and Catholic Church sources in Poland have called into question allegations by a Dutch writer. Read more

Lech Walesa on Nov. 19, 2022, at the Conservative Action Political Conference (CPAC) in Mexico.

Lech Walesa, friend of St. John Paul II, exposes the lies of communism

Nov 22, 2022

By Ana Paula Morales

The former president of Poland was in Mexico to participate in the first Conservative Political Action Conference in the country. Read more

Image of St. John Paul II in his chapel in the Cathedral of Madrid

Archdiocese of Madrid pays ‘debt’ to John Paul II, dedicates cathedral chapel in his honor

Nov 16, 2022

By CNA Staff

The cathedral of the Archdiocese of Madrid dedicated Nov. 13 a new chapel in honor of St. John Paul II,... Read more

Michelangelo's The Creation of Eve, from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, c. 1510.

What Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel teaches us about God’s creation, woman and man

Nov 15, 2022

By Kevin J. Jones

Michelangelo’s artistic masterpiece broke new ground in portraying the dynamic creative acts of God, art historian Elizabeth Lev said. Read more

"Prophet," a film about Polish cardinal, Blessed Stefan Wyszyński, is airing in the United States on Nov. 15 and 17, 2022.

New film about Polish cardinal’s fight against communism coming in November

Oct 20, 2022

By Joe Bukuras

In U.S. theaters Nov. 15 and 17, “Prophet” relates the important events in the life of Blessed Stefan Wyszyński, who... Read more

Dr. José María Simón Castellví

Catholic doctor criticizes Pontifical Academy for Life’s appointing of abortion advocates

Oct 19, 2022

By CNA Staff

In an article published Oct. 19, Spanish doctor José María Simón Castellví warned that these appointments are “just the opposite... Read more

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The reasons St. John Paul II gave for adding the Luminous Mysteries to the rosary

Oct 18, 2022

By CNA Staff

Twenty years ago, St. John Paul II published “Rosarium Virginis Mariae,” adding five Luminous Mysteries to the traditional 15 meditated... Read more

CNA

Priests reject controversial synod poster: it’s ‘out of bounds and confusing’

Sep 29, 2022

By CNA Staff

Two Spanish priests recently posted their analyses on social media of a controversial drawing posted to the Synod on Synodality... Read more

Archbishop Tomasz Peta

Pope Francis in Kazakhstan: Archbishop explains the pastoral and political impact of visit

Sep 13, 2022

By Justyna Galant

The archbishop of Kazakhstan’s only Catholic archdiocese said the visit of Pope Francis is of unique significance to the country’s... Read more

Queen Elizabeth ll exchanges gifts with Pope John Paul ll during her first visit to the Vatican on Oct. 17, 1980.

A look back at Queen Elizabeth II’s encounters with five popes

Sep 8, 2022

By Courtney Mares

England’s longest-serving monarch had her first meeting with a pope in 1951 while still a princess. Read more

Pope John Paul II prays in Managua's cathedral before ending his visit to Nicaragua on Feb. 7, 1996.

St. John Paul II’s ‘dark night’ in Nicaragua

Aug 27, 2022

By CNA Staff

When then Pope John Paul II’s plane landed in Nicaragua on March 4, 1983, the authorities were waiting, including Daniel... Read more

Sen. Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, California, 2019.

VP Kamala Harris repeats claim that religious Americans can support abortion

Jul 19, 2022

By Katie Yoder

The vice president's recent statement flies in the face of the Catholic Church's clear condemnation of abortion. Read more

Archbishop Zbigņevs Stankevičs of Riga, Latvia (left), speaking during a Catholic conference in Warsaw in May 2022 on the natural law legacy of John Paul II (right.)

How Latvia’s Christian churches use JPII’s natural law teaching to defend life and family

Jun 9, 2022

By Kelsey Wicks

The archbishop of Riga, Latvia, spoke about the critical need for ecumenical cooperation. Read more

St. John Paul II (1920-2005).

George Weigel on what the Vatican can learn from JPII’s diplomacy with Russia

May 19, 2022

By Courtney Mares

The papal biographer said the Vatican ought to realize that ‘appeasement of communist regimes never works.’ Read more

Karol Wojtyla with his parents. Photo courtesy of the Dicoese of Krakow.

John Paul II’s mom chose life after her doctor advised an abortion

May 18, 2022

By Courtney Mares

Over one hundred years ago on May 18, Emilia Wojtyla gave birth to her second son, Karol, after a difficult... Read more

St. John Paul II in 1978.

St. John Paul II and Blessed Carlo Acutis named among patrons of World Youth Day 2023

May 18, 2022

By CNA Staff

The Virgin Mary will be the “patroness par excellence” of the youth gathering. Read more

Pope John Paul II in 1996.

Church leaders and scholars to explore St. John Paul II’s ‘natural law legacy’

May 13, 2022

By CNA Staff

Speakers will include papal biographer George Weigel and Dutch Cardinal Willem Eijk. Read more