Horoscope of Pope John Paul 2 nd

An interpretation

By Zachary Casper  

Karol J. Wojtyla, better known in his official position as Pope John Paul 2 nd , was born on May 18, 1920, in a small Polish village near the city of Crakow. I have used esoteric techniques to determine the precise time of his birth, which is important to any astrologer trying to determine the Rising Sign or Ascendant and house cusps.

A brief life history

Wojtyla’s father was a retired army sergeant, and his mother was from the neighbouring country of Lithuania. His early life was, unfortunately, very much influenced by the chaos and destruction of World War 2. Poland suffered especially from the Nazi invasion of 1939 and the ensuing chaos. By 1942, all of his immediate family had died. This was also the year that he began his secret studies for the priesthood in the Catholic Church. In November, 1946, he was ordained in Crakow. By 1964, he had risen to the position of Archbishop of Crakow. In 1967 he was made a cardinal in the Catholic Church. On October 16, 1978, he made Vatican history by being elected as the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. The following June, he made his first visit as Pope to his homeland of Poland. This trip is seen by most Poles and most historians as an important factor in the rise of the Solidarity union movement, a movement which later became politicized and was responsible for the overthrow of Communism in Poland. Millions of citizens who were opposed to the Moscow-subservient Polish Communist government, used their Catholic Faith and the example of their Pope as a rallying point to stand up to the Communists and demand change. This was one of the highlights in the career of Pope John Paul, and demonstrates that a man of deep spiritual belief and vision can inspire humanity, and thus have a profound influence on outer, material events. John Paul demonstrated a real and abiding love for his fellow human beings, especially those in the Catholic Church, during his long tenure as pope. He displayed warmth, sincerity, and compassion to all those whom he met. He also demonstrated a love of mother earth itself, which was wonderful to witness. I remember from the film clips during the early years, that upon disembarking from his plane in some foreign destination, his first act would often be to kneel and kiss the ground. This became something of a trademark gesture for him, and later on, children in the welcoming committee of whatever country would often bring him a bowl filled with earth, so that he could kiss the ground of the country he was visiting, without having to kneel. In so doing, he demonstrated two very important spiritual qualities: humility, and a love of mother earth. Cynics may dismiss such qualities as unimportant, but they stand in stark contrast to what we see most often manifesting in the world (especially national leaders) today: unbridled egotism and extreme self-inflation, often coupled with complete disdain for the earth and the environment, which is viewed as a material possession to be exploited and raped at will. Thank you, Pope John Paul, for trying to teach us the lessons of humility and love of mother earth!!

The year 1981 proved challenging and even traumatic for the Pope, as the Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca, in an assassination attempt, shot him in St. Peter’s Square in May of that year. Surgery saved the Pope, and a few years later, he even visited the gunman and gave him forgiveness. In my opinion, this was probably his most shining hour as an emissary of spiritual qualities, and truly qualifies the man for greatness. It is believed that Agca was employed by the Bulgarian version of the KGB (secret police) to do the deed, and that the Bulgarians in turn were instructed by the KGB in Moscow to get rid of the man that they – quite rightly – saw as a great threat to their control of their European satellite states. Just a year later, in 1982, a rebel Spanish priest tried to stab the Pope in Fatima, Portugal (site of the famous appearance of the Virgin Mary in the early 1900s), but he wasn’t hurt. The years since then were marked by many more overseas journeys, where he was rapturously welcomed by Catholics in various countries, especially Latin America. But he also became increasingly conservative in his outlook and views on Church matters. For instance, in 1990 at a synod, he ruled out married priesthood. This, in my view, was the beginning of a series of errors and unfortunate judgments that would and are having a detrimental long-term effect on the Catholic Church. In the past 15 years, we have witnessed the ugly specter of priests who sexually exploit their flock, including pedophilia, become revealed all over the world, especially in the U.S. and Europe. The simple answer to such dark deeds and impulses is to have married priests, or at least let married Catholics who are non-priests have more control and authority, but the Pope was dead against this, to his discredit. His other huge mistake was his desire to hang on as Pope to the bitter end. In May 1995, on the eve of his 75th birthday, he ruled out suggestions that he should retire as other bishops to at that age. He said he would remain in the job for as long as God wants (I find in this statement an ironic echo of Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s recent statement that he will remain PM as long as “the Australian people want”). His last years were marked by increasing ill health due to Parkinson’s Disease. In fact, the last year of his life presented the somewhat shameful picture of a pontiff well and truly in physical decline, but holding on to his position and power at all costs. The last few months of his life in particular presented the world with a very shameful and degrading spectacle of a person unable to manage, and appearing more dead than alive much of the time, who did not seem to have the common sense or intelligence to realize that his time on earth was well and truly coming to an end. So from my perspective, while I strongly believe that there was much in his life to admire and attempt to emulate, I also believe that the man made certain mistakes. According to the esoteric teachings of theosophy, until the soul of an individual in incarnation reaches a very high degree of initiation, although the person concerned may be a good, just, decent human being and live a good life, there are still errors that can be made in regard to certain actions and decisions. Although the Pope was a great example of that good, just and decent human being who was inspired by his faith and religion, I do believe that history will judge that his extreme conservatism in Church matters was ultimately a mistake.

From eclipse to eclipse

 

One of the interesting things about the Pope’s life was that it was marked at either end by eclipses. There was a solar eclipse on the day of this birth, which occurred about nine hours before he was born. He died on April 1st this year, and on April 8th – the day of his funeral - there occurred a solar eclipse that was not visible in Rome or in Europe, but was visible in the Americas.

Interpretation of the chart

ASCENDANT / MARS. And now let’s take a look at the horoscope itself. Karol Wojtyla was born with a Libra Ascendant, which contained the planet Mars as a “Gauquelin Point”, placed in the 12th house but still close enough to the Ascendant to be very much affecting it. Mars is the planet of energy, enthusiasm, and physical labour in its higher vibrations, but its lower energies are those of irritation, quarrel, conflict and the expression of physical passions. For me, the position of Mars here indicates, first of all, the devastating circumstances of the chaos and violence of WW2, that so influenced the early life of Wojtyla. It also gave him the energy and drive that was his trademark throughout his life. Naturally, he would have had to tame the lower side of Mars, because as a celibate priest, he could not give in to the lower side, the passions and anger, that Mars so often promotes. There are some very interesting factors involving Mars in this chart:
1) It is retrograde, which often presents problems in so far as it creates a psychological tendency to hesitate or be unsure, when action has to be taken.
2) In this overall chart formation, known as the “bucket” because all the planets are on one side of the chart, save for one, Mars is the “handle of the bucket”, the only planet that is placed in the other half of the chart. This makes the influence of Mars even more significant, according to astrological theory.
3) Mars is only forming aspects to the planets Saturn and Uranus, which are themselves in opposition in this chart. This is very interesting because in every chart, Saturn represents conservative tendencies and the desire to cherish old and established values, while Uranus represents the tendency toward reform or rebellion, the tendency to look to the future and be idealistic, and for the advanced souls, the ability to study and integrate esoteric philosophies or new ideas.

SATURN / URANUS. The fact that Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces were in almost exact opposition gives an interesting clue to the inner psychology of the late Pope. In his younger days, even after ordination as Archbishop of Crakow, he was known as an innovative cleric who favoured a fresh approach to matters (Uranus). For the last 20 to 25 years of his life, when he was the Pope, it was the heavy hand of conservatism that he promoted (Saturn). Throw Mars into this Saturn / Uranus opposition, and the result is a very interesting mixture indeed. Mars forms a semi-square aspect, a 45-degree angle, to Saturn. This angle creates some challenges and difficulties, although it is not as challenging as the square or opposition. This Mars / Saturn semi-square would indicate Wojtyla’s problems with the establishment (in his early years this would be with the Nazi occupiers of his homeland, later as bishop and archbishop it would be with the Communist regime in Poland). But Mars is also having problems with Uranus, as the two are forming a sesqui-quadrate aspect, which is an angle of 135 degrees. Like the semi-square, the sesqui quadrate is an aspect of some tension and discord, but once again not as challenging as the square or opposition. Because Uranus is the planet of reform, rebellion, idealism and the future, this aspect explains why the Pope ultimately left a legacy of such conservatism. His very strong Mars wasn’t really happy with either Saturn or Uranus in the chart, because of the challenging angles involved, but ultimately, it was Saturn that won his attention.

MOON / PLUTO. The late Pope’s Saturn / Uranus challenges were further exacerbated by the position of his Moon in early Gemini. The Moon was forming a square aspect or 90 degree angle with both planets, and thus forming what astrologers call a T-square pattern. In this pattern, all three planets are challenging each other, or in strife. The Pope’s Moon in Gemini gave him a good intellect (for instance, he was proficient in several languages, a trait that was invaluable to him in his official capacity), but the position of the Moon in square to both Saturn and Uranus meant that for him, the devil was in deciding whether to follow tradition blindly (Saturn), or reject reform and liberal thinking (Uranus)! I believe that secretly, he may have vacillated before making important decisions, or been unsure before he took action. However, there was one planetary influence that did help alleviate the problem of the Saturn / Uranus conjunction, and that was Pluto. Pluto is placed in early Cancer, and forms a sextile to Saturn and a trine to Uranus, known as an “easy opposition” pattern in astrology. Pluto’s good aspects to both Saturn and Uranus would have much improved the struggle between conservatism and forward thinking in his life, that is so clearly indicated in his chart.

JUPITER / NEPTUNE. And now for the real strengths in this chart. Perhaps the best aspect in the entire chart is the conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune in the sign of Leo, strongly placed in the tenth house of the chart, the house governing career, profession, and public image. This conjunction assured his outer success in his chosen career, that of a cleric and spiritual figure. Jupiter of course governs expansion, optimism, and good fortune in every chart, and when you have the good karma to have it in the 10th house, it is pretty well guaranteed that you will rise in life to some position of respect and authority connected with your career. Jupiter’s higher side is that of religion, philosophy, the higher mind, and overseas travel. It is fairly obvious that this planet was the shining light in the life of the late Pope. Neptune is the planet of renunciation, withdrawal from the world, introspection and meditation, universal love and ultimately, the mystic path. Its conjunction with Jupiter is very, very favourable to those working on a spiritual line of development, as it gives a truly spiritual outlook and an inner life dedicated to spiritual growth. Ultimately, this conjunction raised the Archbishop of Crakow to world renown as Pope. It is interesting to know that when he was elected to the papal office in October 1978, that Jupiter was crossing his midheaven at 6 degrees of Leo. From there it was forming a conjunction with Neptune and moving close to its natal position.

SUN, MERCURY, VENUS. These planets were all placed in Taurus, making this sign the most prominent in the entire chart in terms of outlook, attitude, and world view. Taurus is an earth sign, and for average humanity, is usually very practical, down to earth, and even materialistic. Taureans have a well-developed sensuality and usually enjoy matters of the senses and material comfort. They are also known as very kind and nurturing people, and thus make good parents, friends, and farmers. The late Pope would have had to negate the sensual aspects of Taurus in his position as Catholic cleric, but he was able to demonstrate the Taurean love nature in a very practical, down to earth manner, to his eternal credit. His famed love of the earth – demonstrated through kissing the ground when he arrived at a new destination during his early years as Pope – is one of the highest trade marks of the sign Taurus. Because Venus is the ruling planet of Taurus, and placed in its own sign here, it is very strong, in an entirely beneficial way, in this chart. Venus rules both the Libra Ascendant, as well as the Taurus Sun, so its influence cannot be overestimated here. The planet Mercury in Taurus is not as well placed, although not badly positioned either. Mercury governs the intellect, the rational mind and the ability to absorb knowledge and communicate. Mercury in Taurus tends to make the mind slow and deliberate, and also conveys a somewhat materialistic outlook in mental affairs. The conjunction of Mercury and Venus in Taurus here is very good for a blending of the mind (Mercury) with the heart (Venus), and in fact according to the more esoteric side of astrology, is a sign of a relatively advanced soul. Both planets, however, were forming a square aspect (90 degree angle) to the prominent Jupiter, creating challenges. Normally a Mercury / Venus conjunction in Taurus square Jupiter in Leo would produce great challenges and struggles with sensuality and materialism, but to his credit, the late Pope seems to have been able to overcome this. However, because ultimately Taurus is a conservative sign, it did contribute to his extreme conservatism, especially toward the end of his life. It also made him hang on to the bitter end, as Taureans really hate to renounce the fruits of the earth, be they in the form of financial benefits, position and place, or enjoyment of the senses.

MOON'S NODES. The Moon’s South Node indicates tendencies and character traits inherited from past lifetimes, in which the person was very much involved in such activities. The North Node, in contrast, indicates those lessons and character traits that have to be developed in this present life, usually through positive, conscious effort. The late Pope’s South Node was in Taurus, and in close conjunction with Venus especially, as well as Mercury. This meant that in a sense, for him this life was a rerun or replay of the Taurean personality, and the energies associated with Venus and Mercury. That’s not so bad, all things considered, but it does make it much more difficult to respond to the call of the North Node, when the South Node is so stacked in any chart. The North Node here is in Scorpio, the opposite sign to Taurus. As mentioned, this sign indicates the lessons and character traits that Wojtyla / John Paul would have to learn, and work for, in this lifetime. Scorpio is the sign of renunciation, of surrender, of the death of the personality. This makes it all the more obvious to me that one of his important lessons was to renounce his position and title, when the time became right (which it obviously was a year or two before his death, due to his physical disabilities). Another very interesting feature of Scorpio is its relation to sexuality. Although of course celibacy is an absolute requirement for anyone in the position of Pope, it is revealed here that serious consideration should have been given to the sexual needs of Catholic clergy, and by extension, some provision should have been made for married priests, or at least some authority given to lay preachers who were married. The fact that this did not happen, in my opinion, indicates a serious failure on the part of the Pope, astrologically speaking. Incidentally, the Pope had his three planets in Taurus placed in the seventh house of his chart, which governs marriage, partnership, and unions, besides fine arts. Despite the position of these planets and their clear message, the Pope failed to provide a position for married couples in his Church; another failure in the light of his chart. Death and esoteric understanding are also part of the Scorpio lessons.

CHIRON. Chiron, the wounded healer, the planetoid orbiting between Saturn and Uranus and indicating the part of the life that is subject to deep and abiding wounds that can be healed through therapy, is placed in the sign Aries in the sixth house of the Pope. The Pope’s health problems – in particular his affliction of Parkinson’s Disease, which so debilitated him during his final years – immediately spring to mind in this regard. Chiron is forming a square aspect to Pluto, the Destroyer / Regenerator, and this aspect makes life even more difficult in regard to health issues.

Prophecy of St. Malachy

 

The bishop of Ireland that today we know as St. Malachy visited Rome and the Vatican in 1139 or 1140. He was known as a healer and a prophet. While there, as a result of a vision, he wrote a prophecy (in Latin) that uses a single line to describe all the future popes from his time forward. The total is 111 (some claim that there is one more for a total of 112, but in my consideration this figure is not correct) Vicars of Rome that will (and now have) occupied the papal throne, until the “end”, which can be interpreted in many ways, but one of the most important ways is the end of the Church itself. The line of prophecy used to describe Pope John Paul 2nd is simple, eloquent, and entirely correct: De Labore Solis. The translation is: from the work of the Sun. Some commentators have tried to interpret this line to refer to a solar eclipse, as apparently in Malachy’s time an eclipse was called a “labore solis”, or sun work. It is true that Karol Wojtyla was born on the day of a solar eclipse, as noted above, about 9 hours after the event. But my interpretation is that the man performed a mighty work for his beloved Church, and left a glowing legacy comparable to the majestic passage of the Sun through the heavens.

Pope John Paul was the 110th predicted in St. Malachy’s vision. Now that his successor, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has succeeded to the papacy and taken the name Pope Benedict 16th, he has become the 111th pope in the prophecy. Because of this fact, I (and many others) predict that he will be THE LAST POPE in the line of St. Peter the Rock. The Catholic Church will not die as a result of attacks from enemies without, or persecution by other religions. It will die – and is already well advanced in the process of dying – as the result of its own internal corruption, and refusal to adapt to changing times. The refusal to allow priests to marry, the refusal to ordain women priests, the refusal to give more power and authority to married couples, the continuing condemnation of homosexuality, and especially the continuing scandal of priests driven by their own natural sexual desire, to commit forbidden sexual acts with young people, will all be the doom of the Catholic Church. We should neither grieve nor rejoice at this prospect, but realize that the Church is now an institution that has served its time and purpose, and is subject to the same law of impermanence and transience that shapes and conditions all things on this material plane.

(c) Zachary Casper 2005