Pope John Paul II

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Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła [ˈkarɔl ˈjuzɛv vɔjˈtɨwa]; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his death in 2005. He was elected pope by the second papal conclave of 1978, which was called after Pope John Paul I, who had been elected in August to succeed Pope Paul VI, died after 33 days. Cardinal Wojtyła was elected on the third day of the conclave and adopted the name of his predecessor in tribute to him. John Paul II is recognised as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and the rest of Europe. John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He upheld the Church's teachings on such matters as the right to life, artificial contraception, the ordination of women, and a celibate clergy, and although he supported the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, he was seen as generally conservative in their interpretation. He was one of the most travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 and canonised 483 people, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. By the time of his death, he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated many of the world's bishops, and ordained many priests. John Paul II was the second longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the 16th-century Pope Adrian VI. John Paul II's cause for canonisation commenced one month after his death with the traditional five-year waiting period waived. On 19 December 2009, John Paul II was proclaimed venerable by his successor, Benedict XVI, and was beatified on 1 May 2011 (Divine Mercy Sunday) after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed one miracle to his intercession, the healing of a French nun called Marie Simon Pierre from Parkinson's disease. A second miracle was approved on 2 July 2013, and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later. John Paul II was canonised on 27 April 2014 (again Divine Mercy Sunday), together with Pope John XXIII. On 11 September 2014, Pope Francis added these two optional memorials to the worldwide General Roman Calendar of saints. It is traditional to celebrate saints' feast days on the anniversary of their deaths, but that of John Paul II (22 October) is celebrated on the anniversary of his papal inauguration. Posthumously, he has been referred to by some Catholics as "St. John Paul the Great", although the title has no official recognition.

Filmography

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2026
A-Bomb Museum
Movie himself (footage)
2025
A Farewell to Francis
Movie Self (archive footage)
2025
The Polish Pope: Nation's Farewell
Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War
TV show Self (archive footage)
2023
Favela do Papa
Movie Self (archive footage)
2022
Nothing Compares
Movie Self (archive footage)
2021
Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror
TV show Self (archive footage)
2020
Don Stanislao
Movie Himself (archive footage)
2019
1979: Big Bang of the Present
Movie Self (archive footage)
2019
Solidarność: How Solidarity Changed Europe
Movie Self (archive footage)
2019
Tylko nie mów nikomu
Movie Self (archive footage)
2019
Hesburgh
Movie Self (archive footage)
2019
One Step From Holiness
Movie Self (archive footage)
2018
The Mystery of Padre Pio
Movie Himself (archive footage)
2018
John Paul II in Ireland: A Plea for Peace
Movie Self
2017
Road to 9/11
TV show Self (archive footage)

More credits

2017
Vedete, sono uno di voi
Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2016
Hostage to the Devil
Movie Self (archive footage)
2016
I Trust in You
Movie Self (archive footage)
2016
Panorama - The Secret Letters of Pope John Paul II
Movie Himself (Archival Footage)
2015
Geheimauftrag Pontifex – Der Vatikan im Kalten Krieg
Movie Self (archive footage)
2015
Apartament
Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2013
Chile, las imágenes prohibidas
TV show Self (archive footage)
2012
Catholicism
TV show
2011
Mentiras verdaderas
TV show Self (archive footage)
2011
The Pink Wall
Movie Self
2011
Jan Paweł II: Szukałem Was...
Movie Self (archive footage)
2010
Nine Days That Changed The World
Movie Himself
2008
TV o no TV
TV show Self (archive footage)
2008
Banal
Movie Himself (archive footage)
2006
Being Jacques Chirac
Movie Self (archive footage)
2004
The Papal Chase
Movie Self
2004
Zero Hour
TV show Self (Archival Footage)
2004
From Europe Into Europe
Movie Self (archive footage)
2004
Ut Unum Sint - 40 Years of Ecumenism
Movie (Archive Footage)
2002
Expectation
Movie Pope John-Paul II
2002
Naqoyqatsi
Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2002
Testigo ocular
TV show Self (archive footage)
2000
Padre Pio: Between Heaven and Earth
TV show Se stesso
1999
The Mighty Spirit
Movie Self