Behind the closed doors of the Vatican Library, two of the most consequential leaders of the 20th century met face to face for the first time.
They came from opposite ends of the world — President Ronald Reagan, raised in the small town of Dixon, Illinois, and Pope John Paul II, forged in the crucible of communist-ruled Poland — yet they shared a singular, almost providential mission: to help bring down the Iron Curtain.
“Reagan need[ed] major allies in his attempt to peaceably win the Cold War…” author and professor Paul Kengor said in Fox Nation’s “Reagan and the Pope.”
“Now, all of a sudden, with a Polish pope… Reagan saw that as providential, a part of the divine plan.”
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The new special traces the paths of two of history’s most transformative leaders, with expert commentators drawing contrasts between the glitz of Old Hollywood and the turbulence of World War II that ended in a consequential malaise as the Iron Curtain descended upon Europe.
Karol Wojtyła became a witness to that turbulence as a young boy in Poland, for whom life was peaceful until it wasn’t.
When Nazi Germany invaded in 1939 and thrust the region into war, Wojtyla witnessed atrocities against the people he knew and loved. Nevertheless, he continued practicing his faith in the face of persecution, praying for an end to the war.
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As time passed, fighting ceased and atheistic communism reared its head, but Wojtyla’s faith remained a bedrock of his resolve. In time, he rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church and became the first Slavic pope, ending a 455-year run of Italian pontiffs.
“It’s impossible to overstate the importance of a Pole becoming a pope,” said podcast host Bill Whittle.
“You now have a Pole in control of the Catholic Church that has been the cultural bedrock of that entire nation.”
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His message — “Be not afraid” — reverberated far beyond St. Peter’s Square and into a Poland yearning for freedom.
Like Reagan, the new pope had embarked on a mission to facilitate change. Both from acting backgrounds, both sidelined by assassination attempts with miraculous outcomes, and both inspired by a profound belief in God’s will, they became enemies of the Soviet Union and the leaders of the communist regime knew it.
“[They knew] this guy was dangerous,” Jonathan Morris, theologian and Fox News contributor said of the pontiff.
Through historic trips behind the Iron Curtain, through Radio Free Europe broadcasts and private diplomacy, through prayer and policy alike, Reagan and John Paul II forged an unlikely alliance — one that would help reshape the world.
To learn more about the providential partnership that helped change the course of history, stream “Reagan and the Pope” on Fox Nation today.
