Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII, original name Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (1881-1963). Italian pope. The son of tenant farmers, he was ordained as a. priest in 1900. In 1953 he was made a cardinal and appointed archbishop of Venice. When he was elected pope in 1958, Roncalli was 77 years old and few expected his reign to see major changes. However, within a year he had called the Second Vatican Council, the most important meeting of the Church in modern times. During its sessions (1962-65) the Council approved various measures to modernize and democratize the Church. Despite his age, John XXIII travelled widely and became a popular figure amongst non-Catholics as well as Catholics.
