7 things you probably didn’t know about Pope John Paul II

John Paul II was one of the longest-serving Popes and he led a remarkable life

John Paul II – born Karol Józef Wojtyła – was pope for a whopping 28 years. Both before and after his appointment as head of the Roman Catholic Church, John Paul II led an exceptional life. We’ve summed up a few special facts about this Pope, from his hobbies to the world record he has set.

1. He had an insanely good memory

John Paul II regularly surprised others with his exceptionally good memory. This talent had already manifested itself in his early teenage years. The young Karol loved theater. Knowing the entire script of a play by heart allowed him to take over the role when one of the actors dropped out. Later, the pope’s good memory proved useful as well. For example, he knew all the bishops in the world by name, even though there are more than two thousand of them. Even about people he had only briefly talked with, John Paul II could still recall the smallest details years later.

2. He was an avid skier

Until the age of 73, John Paul II liked to put on his skis. Once, an 8-year-old boy recognized him on the piste. When the boy told his mom that he had been out skiing with the Pope, she did not believe him initially. Until John Paul II himself stood right in front of her, that is. Well, snowy mountain peaks are just not the first place where you would expect to meet the Pope.

3. He has traveled more than 1 million kilometers

This Pope certainly did not sit idle in the Vatican. John Paul II is estimated to have traveled more than 1.2 million kilometers in his life. That is over three times the distance from here to the moon! As Pope of the entire world, John Paul II deemed it important to meet people all over the globe.

Curious to learn more facts about John Paul II? Then continue reading on the next page.

4. He was a star at multitasking

If anyone had the discipline and focus to work hard, it was John Paul II. According to his secretaries, he was a true “volcano of energy” and worked 12 to 16 hours a day on the regular. By his own admission, the Pope could also concentrate well on several tasks simultaneously. It was not uncommon for him to write a book or piece of poetry during meetings.

5. He was a real writer

The writing he did during meetings resulted in Pope John Paul II having many texts to his name. During his pontificate alone, he wrote an average of over 3,000 pages a year.

6. He was the first pope to visit a mosque and the White House

In 2001 the Pope paid a visit to a mosque in the center of Damascus. This made him the very first Pope to do so. Pope John Paul II also had another first to his name. In 1979, he was the first Pope to visit inside the White House. There he met then President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Lady Rosalynn Carter.

7. He is the “most seen” person in history

Thanks to his countless travels, many people have seen Pope John Paul II in real life. Approximately, as many as half a billion people have seen this Pope with their own eyes. Nobody else has achieved that so far, so this Pope has an actual world record to his name.

Source: Life Teen | Image: Pope John Paul II holding a koala, Brisbane, November 25, 1986 by Queensland State Archive under Public Domain license