the cardinals saw the death of john paul i as a message from god that maybe they needed to think in a little bit more of an unconventional way. why elect a non-italian sclauvic pope and make this change with the past? that election brings forth carol woej tee la who comes to be john paul ii. they didn t know what they were going to get. in october 1978, after a conclave lasting only two days, 58-year-old karol wojtyla takes the name john paul ii to honor his predecessor. he was young. he was vigorous, boundless energy, and his tremendous sense of having survived two totalitarian regimes. john paul ii was a larger than life person.