John Paul II，原名沃伊蒂瓦（Karol Wojtyla）。
波蘭籍教宗（1978年起），為456年間第一位非義大利籍教宗。第二次世界大戰期間，為了獻身神職，在克拉科夫一所隱密的神學院學習；1946年受祝聖，成為司鐸。他在羅馬取得哲學博士學位（1948），回到家鄉後在教區工作，後又在公教大學獲得神學博士學位（也是1948年）。1964年成為克拉科夫大主教，1967年成為樞機主教。在若望.保祿一世（1912～1978）去世不久便被選為教宗，他精力旺盛、領導能力強、有智慧，同時持保守的神學觀點和強烈反對共產主義。1981年若望.保祿在聖彼得大教堂遭到土耳其恐怖分子的暗殺，康復後繼續他的工作，並寬恕了自稱是刺客的人。有時他出國訪問吸引許多民眾。他的非暴力行動主義，助長了1989年蘇聯和平解體。他為開發中國家爭取經濟和政治上的公平對待。他任命五大洲四十四位樞機主教（2001年2月），若望.保祿接觸到世界各地的文化。他還追封多位聖人，他們來自世界各地。他為全基督教會所作的努力包括了與猶太教、伊斯蘭教和東正教的領袖們會面。
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.
