Catholic identity in Poland during the late Soviet years was extremely important as a vessel of Polish national identity. Due to Soviet opposition of both religious identities and distinct national identities in bloc countries, Soviet leaders attempted to repress the Catholic Church in Poland through influence and manipulation of Polish authorities. While Catholicism faltered in the first decades of the Warsaw Pact because of heightened Soviet influence, the election of Pope John Paul II in 1978 reinvigorated Polish Catholic identity. This topic relates to the course themes of multiculturalism and nationality policy through Soviet attempts to incorporate the Poles into a Soviet identity framework, and also shows the intersection of religion and national identity.