S3·E25 Pope John Paul II: Statesman of Faith

Pope John Paul II stood as the most popular pontiff in history, a spiritual compass to almost a billion Catholics worldwide, and a powerful symbol of peace to countless others.

Considered an outsider choice for the papacy in 1978, Karol Jozef Wojtyla led over 16.7 million people in worship, met nearly 700 heads of state, survived an assassination attempt, and helped facilitate the end of Communism in the Soviet Union. With interviews of childhood friends, colleagues, and Vatican officials, this is the complete story of Pope John Paul II’s remarkable life. From his carefree youth in Poland to his human rights activism, to his late struggles with Parkinson’s Disease, the compassion and inspiration of the most traveled Pope in history is portrayed in its entirety.

Join Biography in a touching memorial to one of the world’s great icons of peace, His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.