Saint John Paul the Great Wore a Rolex Datejust

Pope John Paul II was canonized by Pope Francis on April 27, 2014, making him a Catholic saint. Though much can be said about his accomplishments as a spiritual leader - including the two miracles that were verified by the Church during the canonization process, it may also be noted that the Pontiff chose to wear a Rolex wristwatch. 

I'm not sure how many other watch brands have graced the wrists of Catholic saints, but this does seem like an interesting endorsement for the watchmaker. How many companies can say that their watches were worn by saints - aside from Saint West, who is probably already sporting a luxury watch in his crib.

President Ronald Reagen and Pope John Paul II, who shows off his Rolex in an OG pose

In the above photograph, the Pope was wearing his Rolex Datejust during his meeting with President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. The two leaders worked together with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to end the cold war, a conflict of both personal and spiritual importance to the Polish Pope.

It may seem odd to see a spiritual leader wearing a luxury watch - some would say hypocritical. However, anyone who has been inside the walls of the Vatican knows that this Datejust would only make up a tiny fraction of the riches of the Catholic Church. Some speculate that Rolex likely gifted the Pope with the watch for publicity, but that doesn't really detract from the fact that it's still an interesting legacy for the brand. He chose to wear it and not re-gift it, after all.

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