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John Paul II
pope, cardinal, bishop, priest, author
SaintFull write-upPolandDocumented cause
Feast: 22 October (current Roman calendar, optional memorialc) · not in the 1962 Missal
Born
18 May 1920
verified
Died
2 April 2005
verified
Beatified
1 May 2011
by Benedict XVI
Canonised
27 April 2014
by Francis
The Vatican record
- 5 July 2013 — Miracle through their intercession approved (decree list, 2013)
Who they were
Karol Józef Wojtyła was born in Wadowice, Poland, on 18 May 1920. He was ordained a priest on 1 November 1946, became a bishop in 1958, Archbishop of Kraków in 1964 and a cardinal in 1967.
Elected Pope on 16 October 1978, he survived an assassination attempt in St Peter's Square in May 1981, and died in the Vatican on 2 April 2005 after a long illness with Parkinson's disease.
The miracles
For beatification
Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand — France — June 2005
A French religious sister who worked as a maternity nurse had Parkinson's disease, the same illness John Paul II suffered in his last years. Her community prayed for his intercession after his death. One night in June 2005 she wrote his name on a piece of paper; she woke the next morning healed and went back to her work. Doctors found the cure scientifically unexplainable.
For canonisation
Floribeth Mora Díaz — Costa Rica — 1 May 2011
A Costa Rican woman was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm that doctors judged inoperable, and she was sent home with weeks to live. Confined to bed, she kept a magazine with John Paul II on the cover beside her. On 1 May 2011, the day of his beatification, she said she heard him tell her to get up and not be afraid. Doctors in Costa Rica and Italy found no medical explanation for her recovery.
Why that counted as sanctity
On 19 December 2009 the Church declared that this life showed the Christian virtues to a heroic degree, and gave the title Venerable. The case of Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand was examined by the Church's doctors and theologians and approved as a miracle on 14 January 2011, opening the way to beatification. Beatification followed on 1 May 2011 by Benedict XVI. The case of Floribeth Mora Díaz was examined by the Church's doctors and theologians and approved as a miracle on 5 July 2013, opening the way to canonisation. Canonisation followed on 27 April 2014 by Francis.
Connected on this site
- Achatius of Armenia Saint“This group of martyrs remained in the Roman Martyrology until the edition before the Second Vatican Council, without naming their leader, and was removed in the new edition published by Pope John Paul II.” — this site's research
- Augusto de Calatia Saint“When the Saracens destroyed Calatia in the ninth century, the bishop's seat moved to Caserta Vecchia, which inherited devotion to him as its first bishop; a Lombard parchment of 1020 records a church dedicated to him, and in 1992 Pope John Paul II placed Caserta under his protection.” — this site's research
- Catherine of Siena Saint“In 1999 Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a patron saint of Europe.” — Wikipedia
- George Preca Saint“Pope John Paul II dubbed him "Malta’s second father in faith".” — Wikipedia
- Irmã Dulce Pontes Saint“At the time of her death in 1992, Pontes had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, she had received two personal audiences with Pope John Paul II, and she had played a huge role in creating one of the largest and most respected philanthropic organizations in Brazil.” — Wikipedia
- Isidore of Seville Saint“In St John Paul II's time he was proposed as patron of the internet, though never officially named.” — this site's research
- John Bosco Saint“St John Paul II called him 'father and teacher of youth'.” — this site's research
- Josemaría Escrivá Saint“John Paul II and other Catholic leaders have endorsed Escrivá's teachings on the universal call to holiness, the role of the laity, and the sanctifying effect of ordinary work.” — Wikipedia
- Louis de Montfort Saint“St John Paul II added him to the general calendar in 1996 and took his papal motto, 'Totus tuus', from Montfort's spirituality.” — this site's research
- Mykola Tsehelskyi Saint“On April 24, 2001, Pope John Paul II officially recognised him as a martyr of the faith.” — Wikipedia
- Saint Meinhard Saint“John Paul II honoured him at Riga on 8 September 1993.” — this site's research
- Saints Cyril and Methodius Saint“On 31 December 1980 St John Paul II proclaimed them co-patrons of Europe.” — this site's research
27 more
- Santa Faustina Kowalska Saint“Father Sopoćko celebrated Mass in the presence of this painting on Low Sunday, also known as the Second Sunday of Easter or (as established by Pope John Paul II), Divine Mercy Sunday.” — Wikipedia
- Turibius of Mongrovejo Saint“In 1983 St John Paul II named him patron of the Latin American bishops.” — this site's research
- Vietnamese Martyrs Saint“In 1990 John Paul II named them patrons of Vietnam.” — this site's research
- Adolph Kolping Blessed“Moved by the hardship of young workers in the new factories, he founded an association of young journeymen and spread it to many places; Pope John Paul II called him a forerunner of the Church's great social encyclicals.” — this site's research
- Antonio Rosmini Blessed“His best-known work, The Five Wounds of the Holy Church, anticipated themes of the Second Vatican Council, and John Paul II named him in Fides et ratio among thinkers in whom philosophy and the Word of God fruitfully meet.” — this site's research
- Iuliu Hossu Blessed“They died between 1950 and 1970, victims, as John Paul II said, of a regime that, hostile to God, trampled on man made in God's image.” — this site's research
- Jerzy Ciesielski Blessed“Ciesielski was married and was also a close personal friend of Karol Józef Wojtyła – the future Pope John Paul II.” — Wikipedia
- John Paul I Blessed“His two immediate successors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, later recalled the warm qualities of the late pontiff in several addresses.” — Wikipedia
- Josep Samsó i Elias Blessed“Pope John Paul II reactivated all processes later on.” — Wikipedia
- Luigi Beltrame Quattrocchi Blessed“According to Pope John Paul II, they lived "an ordinary life in an extraordinary way".” — Wikipedia
- Maria Corsini Blessed“According to Pope John Paul II, they lived "an ordinary life in an extraordinary way".” — Wikipedia
- Pius IX Blessed“Peter and Pius IX.” — Wikipedia
- Álvaro del Portillo Blessed“Church leaders Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Carlo Caffarra have praised Portillo as a faithful servant of God.” — Wikipedia
- Alexia González-Barros Venerable“González-Barros studied in school in Madrid and in her childhood received a papal blessing from Pope John Paul II during her trip to Rome.” — Wikipedia
- Giuseppe Lazzati Venerable“He was a collaborator of several well-known figures in Italian politics such as Giorgio La Pira and Aldo Moro while he maintained close relationships with Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II.” — Wikipedia
- Jan Tyranowski Venerable“He was an ardent admirer and follower of the Discalced Carmelite charism – but was not of their order – and was a central figure in the spiritual formation of Karol Józef Wojtyła who became Pope John Paul II.” — Wikipedia
- Maria Majone (Maria Nazarena) Venerable“Her diocesan process ran in the Vicariate of Rome from 8 January 1992 to 2 June 1993, and John Paul II recognised her heroic virtues on 20 December 2003.” — this site's research
- Nguyen Van Thuan Venerable“Thuận was made a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.” — Wikipedia
- Salvo D'Acquisto Venerable“He was given the title Servant of God by Pope John Paul II.” — Wikipedia
- Silvio Gallotti Venerable“John Paul II recognised his heroic virtues on 19 April 2004.” — this site's research
- Alfred Simon Diban Ki-Zerbo Servant of God“Captured by slave traders as a teenager, he escaped in 1899, was baptised by the White Fathers in 1901 and worked as a catechist in what is now Burkina Faso, dying at about 105 on 10 May 1980, the day John Paul II celebrated Mass in Ouagadougou.” — this site's research
- Anastasio Ballestrero Servant of God“Ballestrero likewise was known for being reserved when it came to the Shroud of Turin as opposed to the enthusiasm of John Paul II for the relic.” — Wikipedia
- Bernardin Gantin Servant of God“Pope Paul VI made him a cardinal in 1977, Pope John Paul II promoted him to the rank of cardinal-bishop in 1986, and his peers elected him dean, the highest office in the College of Cardinals, in 1993.” — Wikipedia
- Emilia Kaczorowska Wojtyła Servant of God“She was the mother of Karol Wojtyła, later Pope John Paul II.” — this site's research
- Karol Wojtyła (senior) Servant of God“Father of St John Paul II: a tailor, then a non-commissioned officer in the Austrian and later the Polish army, who raised his sons alone after the death of his wife Emilia Kaczorowska in 1929 and died of a heart attack in Kraków in 1941.” — this site's research
- Wanda Błeńska Servant of God“A physician, she spent about forty years treating leprosy patients at Buluba in Uganda and was recognised by John Paul II as a pioneer of lay missionary work.” — this site's research
- Zeno Saltini Servant of God“Future outlooks on Nomadelfia mellowed over time and even earned papal support from Pope John Paul II towards the end of Saltini's life.” — Wikipedia
Sources
- Holy See - biography for the canonisation, 27 Apr 2014
- Holy See - homily of Pope Francis at the canonisation, 27 Apr 2014
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - decree of 5 Jul 2013
- CNA - John Paul II's beatification approved (decree of 14 Jan 2011)
- Religion News Service - the women behind the miracles
- Rome Reports, May 2020 - the two women healed
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints — promulgated decrees (causesanti.va), summarised in our own words
- Wikidata Q989 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Pope John Paul II (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.