Karol Józef Wojtyła
About the Name of Bari Airport
Bari Airport opened for civilian air travel since the 1960s, this airport is situated close to the destination of Bari in southern Italy.
The airport did not launch with the name Karol Wojtyła in its title, as it was originally referred to as just Bari Airport or Bari Palese Airport. When Pope John Paul II died on April 2, 2005, the airport’s operators made the decision to rename the airport and include his birth name as a tribute to him.
Other Airports that are named after Pope John Paul II
Here you can discover the three airports that are named after Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla), and also the key moments in the late pope’s life that explain why the airports use his name.
- Kraków John Paul II International Airport
Located near Poland’s Royal Capital City of Kraków, this airport first started handling civilian flights in 1967 and has seen significant expansion since that time. More than 11 million travelers used this airport in 2024, and it is Poland’s second busiest airport behind Warsaw Chopin Airport.
Pope John Paul II was born in Wadowice, Poland, and spent a considerable amount of time in Kraków, both of which are near the airport. In 1995, the airport was formally renamed John Paul II International Airport from Kraków Balice Airport.
- John Paul II Ponta Delgada Airport
This international airport is situated on the island of São Miguel, which is part of the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The terminal opened to civilian air flights in 1995 and in 2024 the airport processed almost 3.3 million passengers, with direct and connecting flights to many countries.
Although the airport didn’t open with John Paul II in its title, this changed following the pope’s visit to the Azores on May 11, 1991. This trip included the pope celebrating mass for more than 25,000 attendees in the São Francisco Square of Ponta Delgada, near to where the airport is located. After the pope’s visit, the airport added John Paul II to its name to commemorate the moment.
A mini biography of Pope John Paul II
As shown from the information above, the naming of airports after Pope John II happened because of trips that he took during his lifetime and also in tribute to his work as a leading religious figure. It’s a major mark of recognition for someone whose life started relatively humbly in Poland.
Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, soon after the end of World War I. When he was just 8 years his mother died, followed by his older brother a few years later. Early in life, he developed an interest in theater, exercise and literature, along with religious devotion.
When his father died in 1941, this made him think about pursuing a priesthood. He went to Rome to get a doctorate in theology and in 1946 he was ordained as a priest. After this, he quickly rose up through the ranks of the Catholic Church, being named as the bishop of the Diocese of Oświęcim in 1958, then the archbishop of Kraków in 1964, and in 1967 he was named as a cardinal. In that year he also joined the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, also known as the Second Vatican Council.
His election to become the next pope took place on October 16, 1978, making him the first pope in 455 years to have not been born in Italy, along with being among the youngest popes ever.
As is tradition, he chose a regnal name, which is a symbolic reference to the type of pope he planned to be. He selected John Paul II as a tribute to Pope John Paul I (1912-1978), whose died only 33 days after being elected to the position. The name was also designed to provide some continuity with Popes Paul VI and John XXIII who had also been part of the Second Vatican Council.
Pope John Paul II’s papacy lasted for more than 26 years, during which time he visited 129 different counties, which is believed to make him among the most traveled of all world leaders.
In his speeches and other actions, he would strongly denounce communism, and his efforts helped in part to bring about the Soviet bloc’s eventual collapse. The pope also pursued comprehensive reform within the Catholic Church through issuing a number of new codes and other directions. During his tenure, Pope John Paul II beatified more than 1,300 saints and canonized 483. And he also tried to create better relationships with other religions including Islam and Judaism.
Although he was a widely respected leader, he still had some critics who questioned his strong opposition to contraception, abortion and the idea of ordaining women in the church. He also drew attacks for what is seen as a poor response to allegations of sexual abuse in the church.
John Paul II remained pope until his death on April 2, 2005. He had been in ill health as a result of having Parkinson’s disease, but he still attempted to fulfill some of his public responsibilities. Many thousands of people held a vigil in St. Peter’s Square, in Vatican City, at the time of his death.
After he died, the Catholic Church beatified Pope John Paul II in 2011 and then in 2014 he was canonized, in recognition of the many achievements of his lengthy life.