Why is pope Pius ii famous?

Answer 1

As of August 30, 2013, he has not yet been canonized but may be declared a saint later this year or in 2014.

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Pope John Paul II is widely admired for helping to bring about the fall of communism in Europe, at the end of the 1980's. The papcy often seems to be a purely ceremonial office, so it is impressive when a Pope accomplishes actual social change.

Answer 2

John Paul II was canonized on April 27, 2014, by Pope Francis along with Pope John Paul XXIII.

After nearly 10 years of intense scrutiny by the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints it was determined that John Paul II had lead a life of heroic virtue and was most likely in heaven. On April 27 of 2014 that fact was officially recognized by the Church.

Answer 3

John Paul II needed to have been recognised for a life of Christian virtue and have at least two posthumous miracles attributed to him. Pope Benedict waived the customary five year waiting period and allowed the investigation into John Paul's life and virtues to begin immediately.

He has been recognised for a life of virtue and had one miracle attributed to him, allowing the first stage, beatification, to proceed. This miracle was the cure of a young French nun from Parkinson's disease, which had initially seemed like the perfect case for a miracle as the Vatican fast-tracked John Paul's beatification. The nun, who suffered from the same disease that ravaged John Paul for years, had prayed to him for relief and one morning two months after John Paul died, woke up completely, inexplicably cured. This has been criticised as not a proven cure:

1. Parkinson's disease takes years and could return;
2. only an autopsy can prove whether Sister Marie Simon-Pierre really suffered from Parkinson's or from another neurological disease which has similar symptoms as Parkinson's but which can be cured. It is also reported that Sister Marie Simon-Pierre subsequently had a relapse.

On the evidence, it appears that this miracle can not really be attributed to Pope John Paul II. Nevertheless his beatification will stand and, with the requirement now reduced from three to two miracles for canonisation, only one further miracle needed to be recognised by the Church for John Paul's canonisation as a saint.

A woman in Costa Rica came forward with evidence of an apparently miraculous cure of a brain aneurism, and John Paul's canonisation therefore proceeded.

Answer 4

Pope John Paul II was the first ever Polish pope and the first pope that wasn't Italian in over 500 years. Pope John Paul II was also the longest Pope ever.

Answer 5

His longest and most enduring work is the story of his life, the Commentaries, which is the only autobiography ever written by a reigning Pope.