October 16, 1978 - The first time as Pope for Karol Wojtyla.

OCTOBER 16, 2003
His Holiness John Paul II - The 25 Anniversary

Karol Joseph Wojtyla was born in Poland on May 18, 1920; His father was an administrative officer in the Polish army and His mother was a former teacher who suffered from frequent illness. As a young man, Karol was athletic. He enjoyed playing soccer and loved to swim in a river. He also was an excellent student and he served as president of his school sodality.

Karol developed a love of theater and for a time it was his ambition to study literature and become a professional actor. During the Nazi occupation Karol clandestinely pursued both his studies and his acting while working as a stonecutter in a quarry in Krakow and later works at a chemical plant to support himself and to hold the work permit he needed to avoid deportation or imprisonment. Karol Wojtyla was active in a Christian democratic underground organization. Wojtyla's name appears on Nazi blacklist for His activities. Many authorities have testified that he helped Jews find refuge from the Nazis. 

While convalescing from an accident, Karol considered a religious vocation and by October 1942 He begun clandestine study for the priesthood in Krakow. 

Karol Wojtyla was ordained a priest on November 1, 1946. 

In 1958 Father Wojtyla was named auxiliary bishop of Krakow and four years later he assumed leadership of the diocese with the title of vicar capitular. He was a visible leader, often taking a public stand against communism and government officials. 

In 1967 Pope Paul VI elevated him to cardinal. By this time several of his poems and writings had been published including "Easter Vigils and Other Poems".

On August 6 1978 Pope Paul VI dies. Cardinal Wojtyla takes part in the conclave that chooses John Paul I

On September 29, 1978 Pope John Paul I dies after only 32 days of Pontificate.

On October 16, 1978, at age 58, he was elected to succeed Pope John Paul I. He was the first Polish pope and also the first non-Italian pope since Pope Adrian VI in 1522. The new pope continued his travels and in 1981 he visited the United States. 

That same year Pope John Paul II was shot in the abdomen as he entered St. Peter's Square to address a general audience. The assailant was Ali Agca, a TUrk, immediatly arrested. The pope spent two and half months hospitalized but he fully recovered from his wounds. Two days after Christmas in 1983, Pope John Paul went to the prison and met with his would-be assassin. John Paul has kept their conversation confidential. The bullet that hit His Holiness is now in the crown of the Lourdes Virgin Mary's Statue as a sign of gratitude and devotion.

In one of His many trips all around the world on May 13 2000, during His third trip to Fatima, John Paul II beatifies two of the sheperd children who reported visions of the Virgin Mary. The Vatican reveals that the third secret of Fatima foretold the 1981 attempt on the Pope's life.
The Pope has enjoyed hiking, skiing, backpacking, and kayaking. Young people have an even more special place in his heart. 

In 1985 he called young people to join him for the first World Youth Day celebration in Rome. Since that time he has continued to speak with young people, encouraging them to live the Gospels and reach out in a spirit of evangelization to their peers. Pope John Paul II continues to celebrate World Youth Day every other year.
Some numbers could explain how much John Paul II has made during His Pontificate:

Pope John Paul II has completed 102 pastoral visits outside of Italy, many more than any other Pope (Pope Paul VI was the previous record-holder with 5 foreign travels)

John Paul II has presided at 143 beatification ceremonies proclaiming 1,320 new Blesseds (beatification is the last step before Sainthood); the last one on Oct. 19 was the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta just six years after her death. 

In 50 canonization ceremonies He has proclaimed 476 new Saints (more than all the Saints declared in the last 500 years).
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, who heads the Vatican office responsible for saints' causes, says John Paul will be known as the Pope of sainthood. 


During his pontificate He has held 9 consistories in which he created 232 (1 in pectore) cardinals.
No other Pope has encountered so many individuals like John Paul II: to date, more than 17,350,000 pilgrims have participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1,000). Such figure is without counting all other special audiences and religious ceremonies held [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone] and the millions of faithful met during pastoral visits made in Italy and throughout the world. It must also be remembered the numerous government personalities encountered during 38 official visits and in the 700 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State , and even the 231 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers .

So our loved Pope has canonized more saints than all his predecessors combined. He's traveled to every corner of the globe. He survived four bullet wounds during an attempt on His life. And many say he played a key role in the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe. 

Today the pope suffers from Parkinson's disease and has hip and knee ailments that make it nearly impossible for him to walk. He has appeared weaker in recent months and often has been unable to complete his speeches; but His strong will make possible for us to see Him celebrating the 25th anniversary of his Oct. 16, 1978, election.

"I must recognize that the response of the young has been truly encouraging," the pope said Sunday "Today, I want to thank them for having always been close to me during these years, and I want them to know that I continue to count on them."