John Paul II – with proper name Karol Wojtyla – was born on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. During World War II he started studying theology secretly and he continued with it after the liberation of Poland at Jagiellonian University. In November 1946 he was ordained a priest, in July 1958 he was appointed  an assistant bishop in Krakow and in December 1963 he became the Krakow archbishop.  Pope Paul VI appointed Karol Wojtyla a cardinal on June 26, 1967. In a conclave on October 16, 1978 the cardinals elected him to be the 264th successor of Apostle Peter – the Pope. He was the first Pope of Slavic origin. His pontificate lasted 26 years, 5 months and 17 days. He died on Saturday in the Easter octave on April 2, 2005.  
The Pontificate of John Paul II was the third longest. During this time he made 104 foreign apostolic trips (three of them to Slovakia – in 1990, 1995, 2003), he issued 14 encyclicals, he beatified and canonized 1,340 people, he made around 3,500 speeches, announced three jubilee years  and approximately 20 million people met him at around 1,200 general audiences. He was a diligent declaimer for keeping peace, human rights and the observance of human dignity. His charisma impressed a new dynamism into the Catholic Church.
Already at his funeral people were carrying banners saying “Santo subito” (sainthood immediately). The beatification process started on May 13, 2005 and on January 14, 2011 Pope Benedict XVI signed a decree of his beatification right after the Congregation for Saints Causes confirmed his first miracle. The Committee confirmed that Pope John Paul II cured a French nun Marie Simon-Pierre from Parkinson’s disease.  Benedict XVI set out the date and place of beatification  – Rome, May 1, 2011 (Sunday in the Easter octave).
The postage stamp contains the Pope’s portrait and printing sheet is supplemented by the Papal crosier in the form of a cross and coat-of-arms of John Paul II. Surcharge on FDC shows the floor plan of the Basilica and St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican and the stamps contain the Pope’s hands folded in prayer, his signature and his slogan TOTUS TUUS – totally yours (Maria).
Mons. Ján Vallo