The Early Years

1920: Born Karol Josef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland, to a lieutenant in the Polish army and the daughter of a saddle maker.

1926-38: Avid athlete and top student at local elementary and secondary schools. His mother dies in 1929 and his only brother dies in 1932.

1938: Confirmed at his parish church. Wojtyla enrolls at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, studying Polish philosophy and drama.

1939: World War II begins. Jagiellonian closes as faculty members are sent to concentration camps.

1940: Works in a quarry to fulfill labor requirements. He is hospitalized after a streetcar accident.

1941: Father dies. Wojtyla joins the Christian Resistance and helps protect Jewish families. He helps found an underground theater group.

1942: Decides to become a priest and begins studies at a secret seminary run by Archbishop Adam Sapieha. He is transferred to work in a chemical plant.

1944: Struck by truck and hospitalized. Sapieha hides seminarians in his home.

The Priesthood

1946: Earns master's degree in theology. He is ordained and sent to Rome to continue his studies.

1948: Earns a doctorate in theology. He returns to Poland to serve as an assistant pastor and university chaplain.

1951-53: Takes leave to pursue studies.

1954: Appointed to the faculty of Catholic University in Lublin, Poland.

1958: Ordained as auxiliary bishop of Krakow.

1960: Publishes ``Love and Responsibility,'' one of his best-known books.

1962-65: Attends the Second Vatican Council. He is appointed archbishop of Krakow in 1964.

1967: Becomes a cardinal.

1969: Makes first trip to the United States.

1971: Named to the Council of the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, which increases his stature.

The Pontificate

1978: Becomes first non-italian pope in more than 400 years. He initially chooses the name Stanislaus I after the 10th century bishop of Krakow, then takes the name John Paul II after his immediate predecessor.

1979: Holds a Mass in Warsaw that many believe signaled the beginning of the end of communism in Poland. He visits the United States and addresses the United Nations.

1981: Hospitalized for 22 days after an assassination attempt. He meets with Polish union leader Lech Walesa and invites the world's prayers for communist Poland.

1983: Visits his would-be assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca, in jail and forgives him.

1984: Diplomatic relations between the United States and the Vatican are established.

1986: Becomes the first pope in modern times to pray in a synagogue. Inaugurates World Youth Day.

1987: Meets with U.S. AIDS patients and embraces a young boy with the disease.

1989: Becomes the first pope to meet with a Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev. The Vatican and Poland restore diplomatic relations.

1992: Apologizes for the church's 17th century condemnation of astronomer Galileo Galilei and his assertion that the Earth revolves around the sun.

1994: Diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Israel are established. The pope publishes ``Crossing The Threshold of Hope.''

1995: Apologizes to women for persistent sexism in the church and appoints the first woman head of a Holy See delegation. He reaffirms the ban on female priests and visits the United States.

1997: Vatican Internet site is unveiled.

1998: Becomes the first pope to visit Cuba.

1999: On a stop in St. Louis, urges Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan to commute the death sentence of murderer Darrell Mease. Carnahan obliges.

2000: Apologizes for the historic sins of the Roman Catholic Church, including those against Jews. He endorses organ donation and condemns cloning human cells for transplants.

2001: Calls for restraint after the terror attacks of Sept. 11.

2002: Issues a strongly worded apology to victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.

2003: Beatifies Mother Teresa of Calcutta. He celebrates the 25th anniversary of his pontificate.

2004: Holds audience with interim Iraqi prime minister Ayad Alawi.

Compiled by Tribune researcher Buddy Jaudon