Beatification of John Paul II

Beatification of John Paul II

Pope's beatification Today in Rome, John Paul II receives one of the highest honors in Catholicism — beatification. His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, will oversee proceedings that are expected to draw pilgrims from all over the world. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims will attend a special mass in St Peter's Square in Rome this morning to mark the formal beatification of Pope John Paul II.

 Find out more about the former pontiff and the deeds that helped him earn his reverent nickname.

Background of John Paul II

Birth: John Paul II (what was his given name?) was born in 1920 in Central Europe.

School: He studied philosophy in college until 1939 

Priesthood: The future pontiff was ordained as a priest in 1946 and became the youngest bishop in his homeland.

Death: At the time of his death in 2005, he’d held the second longest papal reign in history 

Solidarity Movement in Poland

Many believe Pope John Paul II helped create Poland’s Solidarity Movement in 1980. That movement also sparked a landmark political change

His pastoral visits

Pope John Paul II made more official visits to foreign countries than any other pope. He notably visited both Muslim and Jewish places of worship.

His act of forgiveness

In 1981, John Paul II survived an assassination attempt. Though he was critically wounded , he quickly forgave his shooter and later paid him a visit.

World Youth Day

In 1984, the Pope founded an event to bring Catholic youth from around the world to celebrate together. His mobilization of younger members of the faith earned him this nickname.

Apologizes for the Catholic Church

During his pontificate, John Paul II made a series of formal apologies for past acts of the Catholic Church. He asked the forgiveness of a wide range of groups, including Africans, Jews and women.

Divine Mercy Sunday

in 2000, John Paul II officially instituted The Feast of the Divine Mercy. The day acknowledges the Catholic devotion attributed to a famous nun he canonized.

The pope’s miracle

To be considered for beatification, one miracle must be attributed to an individual after death. John Paul II has been credited with the miraculous cure of a French nun  who suffered from a degenerative disorder.  Find out how she said she was healed.

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