Saint Pope John XXIII

Saint Pope John XXIII

Born: 25 November 1881 in Sotto il Monte, Kingdom of Italy

Died: 3 June 1963 (aged 81) at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City

Feast day: October 11

Beatified: 3 September 2000 by Pope John Paul II

Canonized: 27 April 2014 by Pope Francis

Attributes: Papal vestments, Papal tiara, Camauro

Patronage: Papal delegates, Patriarchy of Venice, Second Vatican Council, Christian unity, Diocese of Bergamo, Sotto il Monte, Valsamoggia, Italian Army

Pope John XXIII was born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli on November 28, 1881 in Sotto il Monte, in the Kingdom of Italy. 

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was ordained to the priesthood on August 10, 1904 and served in a number of posts as he rose through the ranks of the Church.

He was made the Cardinal of Santa Prisca and Patriarch of Venice by Pope Pius VII on January 12, 1953.

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli became pope at the age of 76 on October 28, 1958 and took the name John XXIII. He served as pontiff for four years, until his death on June 3, 1963.

In his relatively short time as prelate, Pope John XXIII accomplished many things. His goals were to modernize the Church by emphasizing its pastoral role increasing its activity in international affairs of with foreign states.

He called the Second Vatican Council, which opened on October 11, 1962 and ended in 1965, one year after his death. The Council made dramatic changes to the role of the Catholic Church.

He spoke fervently of basic rights like equality and promoting inter-faith evangelical movements.

He fostered cooperation in Italian politics by facilitating cooperation between the Christian Democrat party and the Socialist party and prevented bishops from interfering with local elections.

In a time of détente, he reached out to Eastern Bloc Communist countries and the Eastern Orthodox churches in those nations.

He increased the number of cardinals from 70 to 85 and appointed the first cardinals from the Philippines, Japan and Africa.

Pope John XXIII died in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on June 3, 1963. He was beatified on September 3, 2000 by Pope John Paul II and was canonized a saint by Pope Francis on the same day as Pope John Paul II, April 27, 2014.

Source: Wikipedia