Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II, a prominent figure in the Catholic Church, held the esteemed positions of head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State for a remarkable period of 27 years, spanning from 1978 until his passing in 2005. His papacy commenced following the second papal conclave of 1978, which was convened in the aftermath of John Paul I's sudden demise after only 33 days in office, succeeding Pope Paul VI. During this conclave, Cardinal Wojtyla, a renowned Polish cleric, was elected on the third day, subsequently adopting the name John Paul II in tribute to his predecessor. Born in Poland, John Paul II made history as the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century and the second-longest-serving pope in modern history, surpassing Pius IX's tenure.