Saint John Paul II - The Pope from Wadowice, wanderer of the Bieszczady Mountains, shepherd of the world
Born
Death
Pontificate
Canonisation
18 May 1920 - Wadowice
2 April 2005 - Rome
16 October 1978
27 April 2014
A Short Biography
Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on 18 May 1920 in Wadowice, the son of Karol Wojtyła Senior and Emilia née Kaczorowska. From an early age he knew the pain of loss - his mother died when he was nine, his brother Edmund when he was twelve. His father, a man of deep faith, became his first spiritual guide.
1938
He began studies in Polish philology at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. He had a deep passion for literature, theatre and poetry - he wrote verse and performed on stage.
1939-1945
During the German occupation he worked as a manual labourer in a quarry and at the Solvay chemical factory. He studied theology in secret in Kraków. In 1941 he lost his father - the last person close to him from his family.
1946
He was ordained a priest and travelled to Rome to study, where he earned his doctorate in theology.
1958
He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Kraków and participated actively in the Second Vatican Council.
1964-1978
Archbishop of Kraków, and from 1967 a Cardinal. He became known for his defence of human dignity, his courage in the face of communist authority, and his profound spirituality.
1978
On 16 October he was elected Pope - the first Pole ever to sit on the Chair of Saint Peter. He took the name John Paul II. Standing in St Peter's Square, he spoke the now-famous words: "Be not afraid!"
1981
An attempt was made on his life in St Peter's Square. He survived - and forgave his would-be assassin, Ali Agca, visiting him in prison.
2005
He passed to the Lord on 2 April, on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday. His final words were: "Let me go to the Lord."
2014
He was canonised by Pope Francis on 27 April in Rome. His liturgical feast day is celebrated on 22 October.
"Man is great not by what he possesses, but by what he is; not by what he has, but by what he shares with others." - St John Paul II
Karol Wojtyła in the Bieszczady Mountains
The Bieszczady Mountains held a very special place in the heart of Karol Wojtyła. As a priest, bishop and cardinal he returned to these mountains regularly - for hiking and kayaking. For him, contact with nature was a form of prayer, and the Bieszczady were one of his favourite places of spiritual rest and encounter with God.
1950s and 1960s
Kayaking on the San - the Bishop's Secret Expeditions
In communist times it was not fitting for a bishop to take official holidays - the authorities kept a close watch on every move of the clergy. Wojtyła would therefore travel to the mountains incognito, in civilian clothes, often passing himself off as an ordinary tourist. On his kayaking trips down the San River through the Bieszczady, he was accompanied by students and friends from Kraków's intellectual circles. They called him simply "Uncle" - and that name stayed with him.
The Area around Wetlina and the Alpine Meadows
On the Połoniny - Prayer Among the Mountains
Wojtyła would wander across the Bieszczady's high open meadows, stopping to pray. The image is well known: he kneels alone on a summit, in the silence of a vast open space. He would say that the mountains teach humility and open the soul to God. The area around Wetlina, Smerek and Tarnica was particularly dear to him. Local people remember a priest in a jumper and with a rucksack who would stop at farmhouses and talk with ordinary people.
Mass Under the Open Sky
An Altar of Stones - Liturgy on the Trail
During his mountain expeditions Wojtyła never gave up his daily Mass. He would celebrate it in the open air - on a stone, on a fallen tree trunk, on a mountain meadow. Those who took part in these trips recall that the liturgy in the mountains had an extraordinary dimension. The silence of nature, the sound of the wind and the song of birds formed a natural cathedral. One of his companions wrote afterwards: "I never felt the presence of God so powerfully as during those Masses in the Bieszczady."
After His Election as Pope - 1978
A Final Farewell to the Mountains
When Wojtyła left for Rome in October 1978 to attend the conclave, no one - including himself - knew that he would never return to the Bieszczady as a free man. It is said that before his departure he gazed at the Tatra Mountains and said quietly: "Farewell, beloved land." As Pope he recalled the Polish mountains and rivers many times. In one of his addresses he said: "The Bieszczady taught me that God speaks in silence."
"In the mountains I felt closer to God - their majesty taught me what humility is, and their silence - what prayer is." - Karol Wojtyła, on his wanderings in the Polish mountains
Prayers to Saint John Paul II
A Prayer for His Intercession
Saint John Paul II,
who throughout your entire life bore witness to faith,
hope and love - look down upon us from heaven
and surround us with your prayer.
Obtain for us from God the grace of perseverance in faith,
strength in times of trial, and peace of heart in difficult days.
Teach us to say with you: "Be not afraid!" -
and to trust in Him who is love.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Family
Saint John Paul II,
defender of the family and guardian of love,
we implore you - surround our family with your care.
Protect our homes from discord and sorrow,
strengthen the love between us,
and lead our children along the path of wisdom and faith.
Obtain for us the grace to see in every person
the face of Christ.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Wanderer and Pilgrim
Saint John Paul II - wanderer of mountains and rivers,
who in the silence of the Bieszczady sought God
and found Him in the majesty of nature -
bless our roads and our journeys.
Watch over us on mountain paths and forest trails.
Give us eyes open to the beauty of creation
and a heart grateful for every sunrise.
Amen.
Litany to Saint John Paul II
Litany to Saint John Paul II
Approved for private use
Lord, have mercy. - Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. - Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven - have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world - have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit - have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God - have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, beloved son of the Church,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, man of total trust in God,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, shepherd of the universal Church,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, herald of the Good News,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, defender of human dignity,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, apostle of Divine Mercy,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, devoted servant of the Blessed Virgin Mary,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, model of priest and bishop,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, defender of the family and of life,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, friend of the young,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, proclaimer of peace among nations,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, man of prayer and contemplation,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, wanderer of Poland's mountains and rivers,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, lover of the silence of the Bieszczady,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, who sought God in the beauty of nature,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, witness to the Gospel in difficult times,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, who forgave the man who sought to kill you,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, patron of our homeland,pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, our intercessor in heaven,pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Pray for us, Saint John Paul II,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O God, who gave us Saint John Paul II as a model of Christian life and shepherd of the Church - grant that, following his example and through his intercession, we may remain united with You and not be afraid to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Saint John Paul II - pray for us,
for our parish, for the Bieszczady Mountains, and for all of Poland.