Pope John Paul II

Pope (1978–2005) — Karol Józef Wojtyła — Polish cardinal from Kraków — the first non-Italian pope in 455 years — who survived an assassination attempt, galvanized Polish Solidarity, contributed to the Soviet collapse, and produced the most extensive papal theological writing in history.

Uses the papacy as a Cold War political instrument — John Paul II's 1979 Poland visit (heard by 13 million Poles, a third of the country) was arguably the single event that most directly galvanized the Solidarity movement and began the process of Soviet collapse; Gorbachev later said the Pope was the decisive factor.