Papal Cross

Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła on May 18, 1920, held the position of head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his death on April 2, 2005. He was later canonized as Pope Saint John Paul II.

Wojtyła graduated with outstanding grades from an all-boys high school in Wadowice shortly before the outbreak of World War II in 1939. He was highly respected among his peers. However, the war brought immense challenges, and tragically, one in every four of his schoolmates did not survive. Wojtyła himself faced personal struggles during this time. To avoid being captured and sent to a German slave labor camp, he signed up for work in a quarry under harsh conditions. Additionally, he survived being struck by a German army truck and a tram, both incidents leaving him severely injured. During this period, Wojtyła also pursued his love for acting and actively participated in a local theater. Despite his linguistic abilities and initial desire to study Polish at the university level, a conversation with Prince Adam Stefan Sapieha convinced him to study theology and pursue the path of becoming a priest. Eventually, Karol Wojtyła ascended to the positions of Archbishop of Kraków and later Cardinal, both positions formerly held by his mentor.

Cardinal Wojtyła's election as pope took place on the third day of the second papal conclave of 1978. He became one of the youngest popes in history, succeeding Pope John Paul I, who had been elected earlier in August but passed away after only 33 days. In honor of his predecessor, Wojtyła chose the name John Paul II. Born in Poland, he became the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century. Throughout his papacy, which ranks as the third longest-serving in history after Pius IX and Saint Peter, John Paul II worked to improve the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, promoting ecumenism and identifying atheism as a significant threat. The Pope placed great emphasis on family values, individual identity, and questioned the excessive pursuit of consumerism, hedonism, and wealth. His papacy was marked by extensive travel, with visits to 129 countries. He beatified 1,344 individuals and canonized 483 people, surpassing the combined number of his predecessors over the previous five centuries. By the time of his death, he had appointed most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated numerous bishops worldwide, and ordained many priests. He is credited with supporting democracy and contributing to the end of Communist rule in Poland and other parts of Europe. Under his leadership, the Catholic Church significantly expanded its influence in Africa and Latin America while maintaining its presence in Europe and the rest of the world.

The cause for John Paul II's canonization began shortly after his death, with the traditional five-year waiting period waived. On December 19, 2009, his successor Pope Benedict XVI declared him venerable, and he was beatified on May 1, 2011, after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints recognized a miracle attributed to his intercession—the healing of a French nun named Marie Simon Pierre from Parkinson's disease. A second miracle, also about healing, was approved on July 2, 2013, and confirmed by Pope Francis shortly thereafter. John Paul II was ultimately canonized on April 27, 2014, together with John XXIII. John Paul II's has also faced criticism regarding allegations of condoning the sexual abuse of children by priests during his time as Archbishop of Kraków, although these allegations themselves have been scrutinized.

During John Paul II's papacy, two pivotal constitutions were drafted and implemented in the contemporary Catholic Church. These are the Code of Canon Law, which introduced measures to address sexual abuse within the Church, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which provides explanations and clarifications on various aspects, including the Church's stance on homosexuality.

On June 6, 2009, a colossal cross made of white granite measuring nine meters in height was revealed at Piłsudski Square. This significant location marks the return of Pope John Paul II to Warsaw, his first visit after assuming the papacy.

It was also the site where a candlelit vigil took place upon the initial news of his passing. The inscription on the cross is a quote from his sermon, which states, "Let your spirit come down and renew the face of the earth, this earth". The unveiling ceremony was conducted by Warsaw Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz Waltz and Archbishop Kazimierz Nycz, while the design of the imposing monument was the collaborative effort of Jerzy Mierzwiaka, Marek Kuciński, and Natalia Wilczak.