The Venerable Pope John Paul II (18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005), reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005. His was the second-longest documented pontificate; only Pope Pius IX served longer. He has been the only Slavic or Polish Pope to date, and was the first non-Italian Pope since Dutch Pope Adrian VI, who reigned 1522 to 1523.