Pope St. John Paul II was known for many things. In his youth, he had a passion for the theater. He eventually became one of the most charismatic and influential bishops in the Roman Catholic College of Cardinals. That a Pole should be elevated to the papacy shocked many within the church and around the world. During his long pontificate, he was one of the most beloved, but also most controversial, people in the world. Still, in order to understand what motivated his life, it is crucial to understand that he was-above all else-a thoroughly devoted and convicted disciple of Jesus Christ.