Saint John Paul II
Born on May 18, 1920, Karol Wojtyła become Pope in 1978. John Paul II was a Pope of great historical importance and with the third longest pontificate in history (1978-2005). His figure has marked the history of the last quarter of a century in an extraordinary way. The first non-Italian Pope after over four centuries of history, he had an enormous media presence and a great communicative capacity. A man of incredible energy, he visited every corner of the world during his apostolic journeys, carried out numerous beatifications and canonizations, in St. Peter's Square and elsewhere. His pontificate was also marked by tragic moments, such as the attack he suffered in 1981 in St. Peter's Square. He was never afraid to show his humanity and sometimes fragility, as in his last appearance from the window on St. Peter's square, when at that time too tired and suffering he was unable to pronounce the few words necessary for the blessing of the faithful. At his funeral, the crowd's cry of “Saint immediately” preludes what was the fastest canonization in history, which took place in 2014.
