Pope Paul VI

head of the Catholic Church from 1963 to 1978

Pope Paul VI (Latin: Paulus PP. VI; Italian: Paolo VI), born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 263rd Pope from 1963 until his death in 1978.[1] Paul was a spiritual leader and the head of the church bureaucracy.[2] Pope Benedict XVI declared in 2012 that Paul had lived “a life of heroic virtue.” Two years later he was beatified by Pope Francis. He was canonized by the same pope in October 2018.[3]

Saint Pope

Paul VI
Papacy beganJune 21, 1963
Papacy endedAugust 6, 1978
PredecessorPope John XXIII
SuccessorPope John Paul I
Personal details
Birth nameGiovanni Battista
Enrico Antonio
Maria Montini
BornSeptember 26, 1897
Concesio, Italy
DiedAugust 6, 1978
Castel Gandolfo, Italy
MottoCum Ipso in Monte (With Him on the mount)
In Nomine Domini (In the name of the Lord)
Sainthood
Feast daySeptember, 26
BeatifiedOctober 19, 2014
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
by Pope Francis
CanonizedOctober 14, 2018
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City
by Pope Francis
Other popes named Paul

Early life

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Montini was born in Concesio. That is near Brescia in northern Italy. His father was editor of a Roman Catholic newspaper.[4] He received degrees in civil and canon law, theology and philosophy.[5]

Before the papacy

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Montini was ordained and celebrated his first mass in 1920.[4] He worked in the Vatican diplomatic corps.[5] During World War II, he was in charge of the Vatican's work for refugees and prisoners of war.[5] He was made Archbishop of Milan in 1954.[5] Pope John XXIII made Montini a cardinal in 1958.[4]

Cardinal Montini was elected Pope in 1963.[4] Pope Paul continued the Second Vatican Council which was begun by Pope John XXIII.[6] His first encyclical is the only one in the Vatican archives which is in the handwriting of the pope who delivered it.[7] Paul VI was known as the "pilgrim" pope for his numerous travels.[8] He was the first pope to fly in an airplane.[9]

In 1964, Paul was the first pope to travel from Rome to the Holy Land.[5] He flew first to Amman in Jordan. Then he traveled by car to Jerusalem.[10] In 1970, the pope visited Australia, the Phillipines,[11] and Indonesia.[12] In 1975, Paul declared 1975 to be a "jubilee" year with themes of renewal and reconciliation.[13]

In 1978, Prime Minister Aldo Moro was kidnapped in Rome. Pope Paul VI made an offer to exchange his life for Moro's.[14] The offer was not accepted. Moro was killed 55 days later.[15]

At the age of 80, Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, from a heart attack.[16]

Legacy

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The Pope Paul VI Hall is the modern building in which mass papal audiences are held.[17]

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References

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The Coat of Arms of Paul VI
  1. "List of Popes," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-02.
  2. Briggs, Kenneth A. "Pope Paul VI Is Dead of a Heart Attack at 80; Guided the Church Through Era of Change," New York Times. August 7, 1978; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  3. "Saint Paul VI | Biography, Second Vatican Council, & Legacy | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Cortesi, Arnaldo. "Cardinal Montini Elected Pope," The New York Times. June 22, 1963; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Faces of the Milennium: Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)," New York Times. 1999; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  6. Cortesi, Arnaldo. "Pope Says in Talk He Will Continue Vatican Council," New York Times. June 23, 1963; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  7. Doty, Robert C. "Pope Paul VI Completes Second Year of Reign," New York Times. June 21, 1965; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  8. "Roman Catholics: Pope as Pilgrim," Archived 2011-12-13 at the Wayback Machine Time. December 11, 1964; "Pope visited Ephesus and Virgin Mary House in Turkey" Archived 2011-08-27 at the Wayback Machine; excerpt, "Pope Benedict XVI is the third pope who became a 'pilgrim'.... Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II were the other two popes who visited the House of Virgin Mary and became 'pilgrims'."
  9. "Pilgrim Popes," Archived 2011-10-03 at the Wayback Machine Vatican Radio; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  10. Hoffmann, Paul. "Paul VI Starts Trip To the Holy Land," New York Times. January 4, 1964; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  11. Hoffman, Paul. "Pope Will Visit Philippines and Australia," New York Times. May 30, 1970; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  12. Kamm, Henry. "Moslems, Hindus and Buddhists Join Pope at Mass in Jakarta," New York Times. December 4, 1970; retrieved 2011-10-30.
  13. "The Jubilee in Church History," Archived 2011-11-23 at the Wayback Machine Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN); retrieved 2011-10-30.
  14. "Pope OKs miracle for Paul VI in sainthood process". The Japan Times.com. Retrieved September 19, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  15. Holmes, J. Derek, and Bernard W. Bickers. A Short History of the Catholic Church. London: Burns and Oates, 1983. 291.
  16. Hebblethwaite 1993, p. 707.
  17. Hofmann, Paul. "When in Rome, How to Attend a Papal Audience," New York Times. February 11, 1979; retrieved 2011-10-30.

More reading

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Serafian, Michael. (1964). The Pilgrim. New York: Farrar, Straus. OCLC 386084?

Other websites

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  Media related to Paulus VI at Wikimedia Commons


Preceded by
John XXIII
Pope
1963–1978
Succeeded by
John Paul I