John XXIII

About John XXIII

John XXIII (Angelo Roncalli) was Pope from 1958-1963 who convened the Second Vatican Council. From a poor farming family, Angelo served as papal diplomat before being elected pope at age 76—expected to be a transitional pope. Instead, he called Vatican II to "open the windows" and renew the Church. His encyclicals "Mater et Magistra" and "Pacem in Terris" addressed social justice and peace. John's warmth, humor, and pastoral heart won affection worldwide. He died during the Council in 1963. Canonized 2014 alongside John Paul II.