Pope John Paul was a cultural icon in short. He was good looking, the spiritual leader of billions, came from a troubled youth with Nazis and Soviets, lost his parents young, educated, and a leading cause in the fall of communism. In a sense many considered him to be like Reagan. He also was like Queen Elizabeth in that his reign was so long and influential. He was also well known for building bridges across faiths and his three failed assassination attempts (including one by Ramzi Yousef and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the architects of 9/11). He was comparable to a literary hero (literally Marvel made a comic on him)

To add a bit more on him he grew up in Nazi Poland and lost his family at a young age. He was sent to a rock quarry where he worked. He spent most of his time in studies hiding with the Archbishop and held anti-nazi plays. He also got ran over by a nazi truck. His hometown was one fourth Jewish so much of his friends were killed. He actually would save Edith Zierer, a a Jewish girl, who had escaped a labor camp.

He was a young leader in Vatican II, the youngest Bishop in part due to Russia’s attempt to add an impressionable young man. He was a well known philosopher, and a little known role as a playwright. He would eventually rise to the papacy and speak at Poland. While there his countrymen chanted “We want God. We want God.” Soon after the Polish people revolted against the Communists leading to their fall.

He was also well known for Jewish-Catholic relations so much in fact that he only mentioned his secretary and the chief rabbi of Rome in his will. He would be the first pope to visit Auschwitz (where many of his friends had died) and visited the Western Wall. He also added full diplomatic ties to Jerusalem and was known for his apologies on behalf of the Church.