Pope John XXIII (right) is to be canonized alongside Pope John Paul II (left) by Pope Francis (center) on April 27, 2014.
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
Pope John XXIII (right) is to be canonized alongside Pope John Paul II (left) by Pope Francis (center) on April 27, 2014.
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Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in November 1881, the man who would become Pope John XXIII came from a poor family of tenant farmers in a tiny village near Bergamo, northern Italy.
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in November 1881, the man who would become Pope John XXIII came from a poor family of tenant farmers in a tiny village near Bergamo, northern Italy.
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He left home at 11 to begin training as a priest, and after a break serving as a hospital orderly and chaplain during World War I, he became an archbishop, and later a Vatican diplomat. While serving in this capacity in Turkey and Greece during World War II, he is credited with saving the lives of many Jews.
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
He left home at 11 to begin training as a priest, and after a break serving as a hospital orderly and chaplain during World War I, he became an archbishop, and later a Vatican diplomat. While serving in this capacity in Turkey and Greece during World War II, he is credited with saving the lives of many Jews.
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Appointed Pope in 1958, following the death of Pius XII, he had been expected to serve as an "interim" pontiff, but quickly proved very popular around the world.
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
Appointed Pope in 1958, following the death of Pius XII, he had been expected to serve as an "interim" pontiff, but quickly proved very popular around the world.
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He eschewed many of the trappings and traditions of the papacy, and opted to visit "ordinary" citizens in hospitals and prisons rather than shutting himself away in the Vatican.
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
He eschewed many of the trappings and traditions of the papacy, and opted to visit "ordinary" citizens in hospitals and prisons rather than shutting himself away in the Vatican.
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He was widely seen as simple, unaffected and likeable -- he himself wrote that "the sense of my littleness and worthlessness has always kept me good company, making me humble and tranquil."
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
He was widely seen as simple, unaffected and likeable -- he himself wrote that "the sense of my littleness and worthlessness has always kept me good company, making me humble and tranquil."
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He believed the Roman Catholic church needed to be brought up-to-date, and summoned its leaders to the Second Ecumenical Council, or Vatican II, with the aim of modernizing it and fostering unity.
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
He believed the Roman Catholic church needed to be brought up-to-date, and summoned its leaders to the Second Ecumenical Council, or Vatican II, with the aim of modernizing it and fostering unity.
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But he died in June 1963, before the council's aims could be seen through to their conclusion. On his death, he was hailed as the "Pope of Unity and Peace." Thousands filled St Peter's Square to mourn "Il Papa Buono" ("the good Pope").
Pope John XXIII: From poverty to the papacy —
But he died in June 1963, before the council's aims could be seen through to their conclusion. On his death, he was hailed as the "Pope of Unity and Peace." Thousands filled St Peter's Square to mourn "Il Papa Buono" ("the good Pope").
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