St. John Paul II, October 22
Karol Wojtyła, archbishop of Kraków, was elected pope in 1978, the first non-Italian in 455 years. He traveled to 129 countries, survived an assassination attempt in 1981 and helped bring down communism in Eastern Europe. He died in 2005 and was canonized in 2014; his feast falls on the anniversary of his inauguration.
On the General Roman Calendar, October 22 is an optional memorial: Saint John Paul II, pope.
Name days on October 22
In countries that keep name days, October 22 is the day for people named Karol.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Karol | October 22 |
October 22 on the calendar
October 22 is the 295th day of the year (the 296th in a leap year), with 70 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday |
| 2027 | Friday |
| 2028 | Sunday |
| 2029 | Monday |
| 2030 | Tuesday |
Keeping October 22
October 22 falls in October, the month of the rosary. As an optional memorial, each parish or priest may choose whether to celebrate it. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Karol, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around October 22
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| October 19 | Sts. John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues and Companions |
| October 20 | St. Paul of the Cross |
| October 21 | St. Ursula |
| October 23 | St. John of Capistrano |
| October 24 | St. Anthony Mary Claret |
| October 25 | Sts. Crispin and Crispinian |
The day before, October 21, is the day of St. Ursula. The day after, October 23, belongs to St. John of Capistrano. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.