Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 1920–2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century and the third longest-serving pope in history. He was also an important philosopher and theologian of the 20th century, known for his travels, his efforts to improve relations with other faiths, and his role in opposing communist rule in Poland and Europe.