The John Paul II Pontificate’s Center for Documentation and Research takes care of the collection of archival documents through its preservation, preparation of catalogues and methodological elaboration. The collection is subdivided into the following sections:

  • The Karol Wojtyla documents, concerning his activities and teachings during the period of time when he was the Archbishop of Kracow (1958-1978). The documents come from The Archives of the Metropolitan Curia in Kracow. There are: typescripts of homilies, speeches, articles, lectures and memorials to authorities of the People’s Republic of Poland (PRL).
  • The audiovisual collections: John Paul II registered speeches, CDs, commercial audiotapes, and a wealth of photographical collections.
  • The documentation of honors conferred upon John Paul II: academic titles, honorary citizenship of towns, institutions that bear his name, streets, places and monuments in honor of the Pope.
  • The collection of numismatic silver coins and stamp-collections, which commemorate pontificate events and have authentic archival value.

“The Centre for Documentation of the Pontificate is becoming a real center of information regarding not only the activity and teaching of the Pope, but also the life of the Church in the complex reality of today's world”.

(John Paul II, October 23, 2001)