John Trigilio Brighenti, Kenneth PhdToborowsky, Jonathan John Paul II, the first Polish pope, was a religious leader whose convictions transformed the Catholic Church and changed the course of history. Published just in time for Easter and the first anniversary of John Paul II's death, this accessible guide explores the late pontiff's role in the overthrow of Communism in Eastern Europe, his outreach to third-world countries, his travels throughout the world, his efforts to build bridges to Judaism and the Eastern Orthodox Church, and his views on secular ideologies, gender issues, the role of women, and the future of the Church. John Wiley & Sons Inc.