October 22

Saint John Paul II

Optional memorial

Polish pope who travelled the world urging people not to be afraid

Karol Wojtyła was born in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. By the age of 20 he had lost his mother, his only brother and his father. During the Nazi occupation he worked in a stone quarry, acted in an underground theatre and studied for the priesthood in secret. Ordained in 1946, he later became archbishop of Kraków.

In October 1978 he was elected pope, the first non-Italian in over 450 years. His ministry began on 22 October, now his feast day. His 1979 visit to communist Poland gave courage to the movement that became Solidarity. In 1981 he was shot and badly wounded in St Peter's Square, and later he visited his attacker in prison. He travelled to more than 120 countries and started World Youth Day.

Later, Parkinson's disease slowed his body and speech, yet he kept appearing in public. He died in 2005 and was canonised in 2014. Many remember him for faith that faced fear without hiding weakness.

“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:15–16 · BSB

A prayer

God of courage, you called your servant John Paul from a land under occupation and oppression to proclaim Christ to the whole world, even through suffering and weakness. Free us from fear, open our hearts to your Son, and help us to forgive and to serve faithfully to the end. Amen.