Pope from 1978 to his death in 2005, a total of 26 years.
Biography:
Real name Karol Józef Wojtyła, he implemented the Vatican II Council and reformed Catholic Church law. He was deeply committed to ecumenical endeavors and fostered closer ties with other religions by initiating interreligious dialogues, notably by inviting them to a joint prayer for peace in Assisi in 1986 and 2002.
All these actions demonstrated Pope John Paul II's conviction that developing the conciliar legacy was the right way to bring the Catholic Church into the 3rd millennium.
