The Catholic Church celebrates today the liturgical memorial of Saint John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojtyła, the Supreme Pontiff whose spiritual guidance profoundly marked the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. The first Polish Pope in history, his pontificate lasted nearly twenty-seven years, characterized by epochal geopolitical changes, including the collapse of communist regimes in Europe, a process to which his magisterium offered a fundamental moral contribution. A tireless global evangelizer, John Paul II crossed the borders of the Vatican, making over one hundred historic apostolic journeys, engaging in dialogue with young people through the unforgettable World Youth Days, and gifting the Church with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Having miraculously survived a dramatic assassination attempt in 1981, he embodied the Gospel of forgiveness by going to forgive his attacker in prison and becoming a tireless apostle of Divine Mercy. His spiritual legacy continues to live in the hearts of the faithful all over the world.
