The pope who convened the Second Vatican Council, known worldwide as ‘Good Pope John’ for his warmth and pastoral simplicity.

Saint John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in Italy, served as pope from 1958 until his death in 1963, a brief but historically decisive pontificate best known for his decision to convene the Second Vatican Council. Elected at age seventy-six, in part as a presumed transitional figure, he surprised the Church with major reforms and a pastoral warmth that earned him the popular title ‘Good Pope John.’ He died in 1963 while the Council he had called was still in session.

Quick Facts

• Born: November 25, 1881, Sotto il Monte, Italy
• Died: June 3, 1963, Vatican City
• Lifespan: approximately 81 years
• Pope: 1958-1963
• Beatified: 2000
• Canonized: 2014

Who Was Saint John XXIII?

Angelo Roncalli served for decades as a Vatican diplomat in Bulgaria, Turkey, and France before becoming Patriarch of Venice and, in 1958, pope. Rather than serving as the caretaker figure many expected, he announced within months of his election that he would convene an ecumenical council — the Second Vatican Council — to renew the Church’s engagement with the modern world. His encyclicals, including Pacem in Terris on world peace, and his personal warmth toward people of all backgrounds became hallmarks of his papacy.

Historical Setting

John XXIII’s pontificate came at the height of the Cold War, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, during which his personal diplomatic interventions were credited with helping ease tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. His decision to open the Church more directly to dialogue with the modern world, other Christians, and other religions reflected both his own diplomatic experience and a broader sense that the Church needed to address rapid social change.

Why the Church Remembers Saint John XXIII

The Church remembers John XXIII chiefly for calling the Second Vatican Council, one of the most consequential events in modern Catholic history, and for the personal humility and joy that made him beloved well beyond Catholic circles. His readiness to set major changes in motion late in life, rather than settling into a quiet transitional papacy, left a lasting mark on how the Church relates to the modern world.

Canonization and Feast Day

John XXIII was beatified in 2000 by Pope John Paul II and canonized in 2014 by Pope Francis in a joint ceremony with Pope John Paul II. His feast is kept on October 11, the anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council.

What Catholics Can Learn Today

John XXIII’s willingness, in what seemed the twilight of his career, to initiate the largest renewal effort in modern Church history is a reminder that age and low expectations need not limit the scope of what a person can undertake in faith. His warmth toward all people models an approach to ministry rooted in joy rather than anxiety.

A Prayer to Saint John XXIII

Saint John XXIII, good and joyful shepherd who opened the windows of the Church to a new springtime, pray for us that we might have your courage to begin great works even late in life, and your warmth toward every person we meet. Amen.

Sources

• Vatican.va biography and canonization records
• Encyclopaedia Britannica
• EWTN