Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (; ; ; born Karol Józef Wojtyła; ; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) served as Pope and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 to 2005. He was elected by the second Papal conclave of 1978, which was called after Pope John Paul I, who had been elected in August to succeed Pope Paul VI, died after 33 days. Cardinal Wojtyła was elected on the third day of the conclave and adopted his predecessor's name in tribute to him. John Paul II is recognised as helping to end Communist
Pope John XIX IX was found as a successor, although he was still young; according to some sources, he was only 12, but he was more likely to have been about 18 or 20. The next Pope named John was Pope John XXI (1276–77); there is no Pope John XX (see article on John XX for an explanation). Pope John XIX Pope John XIX (; died October 1032) was Pope from May 1024 to his death in 1032. Born Romanus in Rome was the third son of Gregory I, Count of Tusculum and his wife Mary. While his brother Theophylactus held the papacy