Pope St. John Paul II

The Latest

St. John Paul II, circa 1991.

This man was 9 years-old when he saw John Paul II get shot

Dec 21, 2016

By Adelaide Mena

Thirty-five years after Saint John Paul II was shot in St. Peter’s Square, a witness on the from the front... Read more

Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski.

Pope Francis names new archbishop of Krakow, Poland

Dec 8, 2016

Archbishop Marek Jedraszweski has been named the new shepherd of Poland's Krakow archdiocese by Pope Francis, following the retirement of... Read more

Schaack, Lothar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE / Public Domain, Wikipedia

That time JPII changed Fidel Castro's mind about Christmas

Dec 3, 2016

After Fidel Castro gained power in Cuba in 1959, he spent the next decade slowly imposing socialism on the country,... Read more

Pope Francis prays before the tombs of his predecessors in the grotto of St. Peter's Basilica, Nov. 2, 2015.

Pope Francis to pray at John Paul II's tomb with kids who have cancer

Jul 26, 2016

Before taking off for WYD in Krakow, Pope Francis will pray at the tomb of St. John Paul II alongside... Read more

St. John Paul II, circa 1995.

Cardinal Dziwisz talks Krakow, Saint John Paul II

Jul 26, 2016

As World Youth Day approaches, the Archbishop of Krakow recently spoke with EWTN Deutschland about the “city of saints” hosting... Read more

Benedict XVI at the Vatican in June 2005.

Vatican: recent stories about Benedict XVI and Fatima secrets are 'absolutely untrue'

May 21, 2016

The Vatican announced today that recent articles claiming that Pope emeritus Benedict XVI said that the Third Secret of Fatima... Read more

Spaghetti and sword featured in the Vatican Cookbook.

How Swiss Guards are bringing the Vatican to your kitchen

Apr 28, 2016

A native of Zurich, Switzerland, David Geisser was a chef prodigy.  Read more

Pope John Paul II, circa 1991

Those letters between John Paul II and a woman? Not so secret, actually.

Feb 15, 2016

Experts and friends of Pope St. John Paul II responded quickly to a BBC promotion of a documentary about his... Read more

What challenges do women face at work? The Vatican takes a look

Dec 8, 2015

By Ann Schneible

A two-day Vatican workshop over the weekend explored the unique challenges faced by women as they balance work with family... Read more

St. Mary's Basilica on Krakow's Main Square.

A tour of Saint John Paul II's Poland

Oct 28, 2015

By Kate Veik

St. John Paul II had just celebrated the closing Mass of his historic trip to his home country of Poland... Read more

Pope John Paul II circa 1991.

The saint and the synod – John Paul II’s legacy still seen in Church teaching

Oct 22, 2015

Though it has been more than 10 years since the death of Pope John Paul II, the saint’s impact can... Read more

Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square circa 1978.

What was JPII's secret to inspiring the youth? His mere presence, secretary says

Oct 7, 2015

By Matt Hadro

Ahead of next year’s World Youth Day in Krakow, the long-time secretary for Pope John Paul II explained how the... Read more

A childhood friendship that shaped JPII's love for the Jewish community

Aug 2, 2015

By Andrea Gagliarducci

Saint John Paul II's historic embrace of former chief rabbi of Rome Elio Toaff welcomes visitors to a new Vatican... Read more

Benedict XVI receives honorary doctorate from the Pontifical University of John Paul II and the Academy of Music in Krakow. Pool photo.

Receiving awards, Benedict XVI credits witness of John Paul II

Jul 4, 2015

By Elise Harris

After receiving an honorary doctorate from both the Pontifical John Paul II University of Krakow and the Krakow Academy of... Read more

Death with dignity: A friend recalls last minutes of John Paul II's life

Apr 27, 2015

By Ann Schneible

A once avid outdoors-man whose final years were marked by disability and suffering, Saint John Paul II witnessed to what... Read more

Elio Toaff on Feb. 12, 2007.

Rabbi Toaff: Nazi-fighter, inter-religious giant, and one of the few people remembered in JPII's will

Apr 21, 2015

By Andrea Gagliarducci

Rabbi Elio Toaff, the first rabbi to welcome a Pope to a Roman synagogue, died Sunday at the age of... Read more

Pope John Paul II Visits United Nations.

Relic of Saint John Paul II makes pilgrimage to Cuba

Apr 14, 2015

Seventeen years after the historic visit of Saint John Paul II to Cuba, the Polish pope is returning to the... Read more

A West German man uses a hammer and chisel to chip off a piece of the Berlin Wall as a souvenir in November 1989 (Credi: U.S. Department of Defense).

Ruins of the Berlin Wall: what they whisper 25 years later

Nov 9, 2014

By Ann Schneible

What remains of the Berlin Wall discloses a subtle yet stark reminder for civilization to not “look to walls as... Read more

Icon of St. John Paul II in Santa Maria Church (Sant'Egidio community) in Rome.

John Paul II 'taught me how to be a person,' secretary recounts

Oct 28, 2014

By Adelaide Mena

Saint John Paul II’s deep love for the world and for God continues to inspire people today to draw near... Read more

Mass is said at the St. John Paul II Shrine in Washington, D.C., for the late Pope's optional memorial, Oct. 22, 2014.

Hundreds flock to US shrine to celebrate first feast of St John Paul II

Oct 22, 2014

By Adelaide Mena

Hundreds of pilgrims and faithful from all states of life flocked to Washington, D.C.'s St. John Paul II Shrine on... Read more