โ Biography
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Jรณzef Wojtyลa; 18 May 1920 โ 2 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the third-longest-serving pope in history, after St.