Saint John XXIII
Feast day: October 11
Saint John XXIII, “the Good Pope,” who called the Second Vatican Council (11/10)
Who is he?
Saint John XXIII was Pope from 1958 to 1963. He called the Second Vatican Council, a great meeting of bishops from all over the world, to help the Church announce the Gospel to people of our time. On 27 April 2014, Pope Francis canonized him, on the same day as Saint John Paul II.
Life story
His name was Angelo Roncalli, and he was born on 25 November 1881 in the village of Sotto il Monte, in northern Italy. His family were tenant farmers with 13 children; he was the fourth. The home was poor but warm and devout. From childhood, Angelo wanted to be a priest. On 10 August 1904, he was ordained a priest.
During World War I, he served in the army as a medical orderly and then as a chaplain, caring for wounded soldiers. After that, the Holy See sent him to represent the Pope in several countries: Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and then France. During World War II, he helped many Jewish people escape danger. In 1953, he became Patriarch of Venice.
On 28 October 1958, at 76 years old, he was elected Pope and chose the name John. Many people thought an elderly Pope would not do much. Yet that very Christmas, he visited the children in a children’s hospital and the prisoners in a Roman prison.
In 1959, he announced that he would open a Council. On 11 October 1962, the Second Vatican Council began. That evening, a huge crowd of people carrying torches gathered in Saint Peter’s Square. The Pope came to the window and told them that even the moon had come out to watch that evening, and then said: when you go home, give your children a hug and tell them it is a hug from the Pope.
He also wrote the encyclical “Peace on Earth” (Pacem in terris), calling everyone to live in peace. On 3 June 1963, he died before the Council had finished.
Why is he a saint?
Saint John XXIII lived humbly and obediently, trusting himself completely to God. He loved everyone, including people of other beliefs, and bravely opened a new path to help the Church bring the Gospel to the world.
A lesson for you
- Smile and say kind words to everyone, like “the Good Pope.”
- Visit the sick and lonely people in your family and your parish community.
- Pray for the Pope and for peace in the world.
Identifying marks
- A white cassock and a small white cap (zucchetto): the clothes worn only by the Pope.
- A red shoulder cape (mozzetta) and a white lace surplice: what the Pope wears for audiences.
- A gold cross on his chest: the sign of a bishop, a shepherd of the flock.
- A hand giving a blessing, a round smiling face: the familiar picture of “the Good Pope” in photos of him.
- The dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica: where he opened the Second Vatican Council.
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