The Pope is the highest position in the Catholic world, the visible head of the church, the theological and canonical creed. Given the high sacred status of the pontiff and at the same time the head of the sovereign state of the Vatican, everyone who bore this high title can be called truly outstanding personalities. But even among the church patriarchs there were especially outstanding people who will forever be remembered by history.
Pope John XXIII can definitely be attributed to them. His election to the throne was fateful, historians still divide the history of the Catholic Church into the period before the Second Vatican Council, convened by John XXIII, and the period after.
The wise and measured policy of the patriarch contributed to the revival of human faith in the Higher powers, in good and justice. It was this true faith that was almost buried under endless religious dogmas, dead laws of righteousness and obsolete doctrines.
Biography of the saint before his election to the papacy
Pope John XXIII, in the world Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, comes from a poor, large peasant family. He was born in northern Italy in the picturesque province of Bergamo in 1881year.
Already in the first years of study at the provincial elementary school, the young peasant was preparing to enter the seminary. With the help of a local priest, the boy learned Latin. He successfully graduated from the Seminary of Bergamo in 1900, and four years later the theological faculty of the Pontifical Seminary in Rome. In 1904 he took the priesthood and became the secretary of Bishop D. M. Radini Tedeschi. He also taught the history of religion at the same seminary in Bergamo.
During the First World War, he served in the army as an orderly in a hospital, and then as a military chaplain. In 1921, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was one of the members of the Sacred Congregation for the Faith.
Pope John XXIII: diplomatic career, nunciature, peacekeeping
Roncalli's success as papal ambassador (nuncio) also deserves special attention. The high tolerance, intelligence and education of the diplomat helped him successfully communicate with representatives of different faiths, religious views and traditions. He argued that one should speak with people not in the language of dogma, good advice and taboo, but in the language of mutual respect, listen to different opinions, allow the existence of several truths in the name of goodness and peace.
During his bishopric from 1925 to 1953 he was nuncio in Sofia, Ankara, Athens, Paris. His diplomatic activities unfolded in difficult years, which were accompanied by military operations, coups, changes of power, etc. He helped to peacefully resolve conflicts of various levels - from inter-religious marriages to political intrigues.
And in 1953 Roncalli was elected Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal.
John XXIII: Beginning of Ministry
The election of the pope in 1958 was not easy and was accompanied by an administrative crisis in the Roman Curia. The struggle for the highest patriarchal office was fought mainly between two camps: conservative cardinals and "progressives". Each had their own candidate, but none received enough votes.
In the end, on the 11th round of the conclave, Roncalli, the "dark horse" among the cardinal candidates, was elected pope. He became the oldest pope at the time of his election (he was 77 years old.) Roncalli chose the papal name John XXIII. This name, once popular among popes, was a kind of "cursed". Prior to this, for 550 years, none of the pontiffs chose the church name John, since the odious B althasar Cossa John XXIII - the antipope - called himself that. But Roncalli emphasized that he chooses this name in honor of St. John the Baptist and the Apostle John the Theologian and in memory of his father. He maintained a close relationship with his parents and brothers and sisters at all stages of his church career. The patriarch also noted that John XXIII (antipope) was not a legitimate pope, as he "ruled" during the Great Western Schism, was an immoral sinner and had no right to bear this holy name.
The election of Pope John XXIII was a kind of forced step, when none of the main contenders could get enough votes among the cardinals. John XXIII Baden was"transitional pope", who was supposed to rule until the Catholic Church finally decided on the ideological course (conservative or progressive). Probably, the fact that John's reign could not last long, because he was already 77 years old, also played a certain role in the decision of the cardinals. But in fact, this "passing pope" became a cult figure in the Christian world, the most enterprising figure of his time. In the short period of his pontificate, he managed to introduce many life-changing changes.
Church Initiatives of the Pope
Being a military doctor, then a nuncio, John XXIII saw, felt and experienced many contradictory truths, got acquainted with threatening social problems, communicated with people of different faiths, saw many deaths, conflicts, destruction. He, as a person, understood how much humanity is going through in the difficult war and post-war devastating years: poverty, disease, poverty. And he knew that empathy, charity, the glorification of understandable truths, such as goodness, justice and faith in the best - this is what people expect from the church, and not the next canons, dogmas, worship before the patriarchs.
The Pope was a very charismatic individual, he walked around the Vatican without an entourage, he did not use his position to promote relatives or friends in political or church circles. He did not refuse to meet with craftsmen or workers and have a drink right on the street. But despite such eccentricity, he was faithful to the Laws of God.
He understood thattruth, the commandments of God can be conveyed to people only by communicating with Christians in their language, listening to the sober opinion of others, respecting brothers in faith.
He abolished kneeling, the traditional kissing of the ring, ordered to remove from the lexicon ornate words like "revered lips" and "most reverend steps".
The Pope opened the church to the world. If in all centuries and even in the first half of the 20th century Catholicism was associated with authoritarianism, then after his reign the situation moved forward. The church continued to play a key political, ideological function, but the authority of the clergy ceased to be inviolable.
In addition to close interfaith dialogue, John XXIII - the pope of the world - initiated a new political course towards representatives of all non-Christian religions. He proclaimed the principles of respect for their spiritual values, cultural customs, traditions, social principles.
For the first time, a visit was made to Jerusalem, an apology was made to the Jews for many years of persecution, cruelty, anti-Semitism. The new papal government has admitted that the accusations of the Jews in the death of Jesus Christ are unfounded, and the new Catholic leadership does not join them.
Pope John XXIII declared that all people should be united by peace, goodness, faith in the best, mutual respect, the desire to save human lives, and not loy alty to the canons. He, perhaps, was the first of all the heads of the Vatican to admit that it is not so important in what language the church service is conducted, whether the parishioners are standing or sitting. Padre sotimely and honestly drew attention to the fact that the church, instead of reconciling people, making them kinder and more harmonious, disorients and splits them even more, emphasizing the need to follow an exact list of church traditions that differ in each denomination: to be baptized correctly, to bow correctly and behave in the cathedral.
He said: "The old stale air reigns in the cathedral of church traditions, you need to open the windows wider."
Second Vatican Council
Pope John XXIII completely crushed the hopes of the cardinals and the curia for his unpretentious neutral rule, already 90 days after taking the papacy, the pontiff expressed his intention to convene an ecumenical council. The reaction of the cardinals was hardly approving. They said that before 1963 it would be very difficult to prepare and convene the Council, to which the pope replied: excellent, then we will prepare until 1962.
Even before the start of the cathedral, Giovanni found out that he had cancer, but he refused a risky operation, because he wanted to live until the day when, at the opening of the cathedral, he would turn to honest people with a request for peace, kindness and compassion.
The task of the council was to adapt the church to the modern world, to make friends, establish a dialogue, and possibly reunite with separated Christians. Representatives of Orthodox communities from Greece, Russia, Poland, and Jerusalem were also invited to the Council.
The result of the Second Vatican, which ended after the death of Pope John XXIII, was the adoption of a new pastoral constitution"Joy and Hope", where new views on religious education, freedom of belief, and attitudes towards non-Christian churches were considered.
Results and performance evaluations
The true good results of the activities of the great pontiff could only be appreciated by his followers a few years later. But everyone who is going to sum up some results of his reign will certainly find a wonderful mixture of feelings: something on the verge of delight and surprise. After all, the results of the dad's activities are simply amazing.
You could even say that he continued to influence the Catholic world for many years after his death. Upon learning of his incurable illness, Pope John XXIII veiledly prepared his follower, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, who became the new Pope after John, completed the Second Council and continued the great good deeds of his teacher.
Well-known European political scientists, including S. Huntington, also focused on the role of the church in the development of society in the twentieth century. Especially on the function played in this process by Pope John XXIII, the results of the activities of this great pontiff were also reflected in the development of democracy throughout the world.
During his short "career" on the Catholic throne, the pope issued 8 special papal documents (encyclicals). In them, he expressed a new view of the Catholic Church on the role of a pastor in modern society, on motherhood, peace, and progress. On November 11, 1961, he issued the encyclical "Eternal Divine Wisdom", where he expressed his positive view of ecumenism to us - the ideology of all-Christian unity. He addressedOrthodox and Greek Catholic Christians "brothers".
Pope Giovanni XXIII's attitude towards socialism
Even John XXIII was called the "Pope of Peace" or "Red Pope" because of his tolerant attitude towards the countries of the socialist camp and his desire to introduce a kind of "religious socialism". He emphasized that the good of all peoples should be based on the rights, wills and duties of each person, but regulated by moral and ecclesiastical norms. The pastor pointed out that the principles of mutual assistance and humanism should be the basis for solving the problems of society. He also spoke for freedom of choice of professions, for equal opportunities for self-realization for representatives of all countries.
It should be noted that materialistic and then communist views have always been dismissed by the Catholic Church as heretical. Pope John XXIII showed unprecedented wisdom by maintaining diplomatic relations with Cuba, the Soviet Union, as the legitimate ruler of the Vatican state. At the same time, he emphasized that in no case does he accept atheistic views and remains only a true Catholic and "servant of God." But at the same time respects the national views of all the inhabitants of the world. And emphasizes the role of mutual respect and tolerance in conflict prevention and war.
In his celebratory speeches, John XXIII called peace the greatest and most precious blessing on earth. During his reign, the Vatican ceased to be a totalitarian, cemented, organization faithful to dead traditions, but turned into an authoritative church institution, saturated with the spiritoverneutrality.
On April 11, 1963, the pontiff issued an encyclical "Peace on Earth", where he paid special attention to social issues, called for the need for dialogue between socialists and capitalists and emphasized that there are no ideological contradictions that cannot be resolved if you act in the name of peace and justice.
Opponents of the policy of Pope John XXIII
It was assumed that John XXIII Baden would not be able to make opponents, because when he was elected, the papal office soberly assessed his age and state of he alth. Add to this his political neutrality and total tolerance. He was perceived as such an elderly rural padre from a poor family, an eccentric old man, a picky good-natured man. But, the cardinals at the conclave greatly underestimated his firmness of faith and enthusiasm for doing good deeds.
Initiatives, papal encyclicals were more favorably received by the churches of the Catholic countries of the "third world", but the Roman and Vatican cardinals took many reforms, to put it mildly, unfavorably.
More through the fact that the church institution has always been "tightly reformed." And besides, Pope John XXIII initiated the abolition of many church honors and, as it were, "lowered" the authority of Catholic clergy. Most protests were made by Vatican ministers, the Holy Office.
Death of the pope, canonization, canonization
June 3, 1963, Pope John XXIII died. The body of the pontiff wasimmediately embalmed at the Catholic University of the Heart of Jesus by Gennaro Goglia and buried in the grottoes of St. Peter's Basilica.
Today, the remains of the padre are kept in a crystal coffin in the Basilica of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized his glorious predecessor, and in 2014 they were both canonized. The Catholic Church honors the memory of Pope Giovanni XXIII with a feast day in his honor on October 11.
Film about Pope John XXIII
Everyone can duly thank the legendary Pope Giovanni XXIII for his contribution to the development of faith, peace and goodness, if he listens to his advice, takes a few steps towards self-development and philanthropy. But among the wide-ranging ways to thank the pontiff for his merits, one can name the film "John XXIII. Pope of the World." The 2002 film follows Giuseppe Roncalli, including his childhood in Bergamo, his studies, his ecclesiastical career, and his activities as papacy. This wonderful atmospheric Italian film directed by Giorgio Capitani skillfully reflects the temperament of the pope, his loy alty to the ideals of youth, individual freedom, mutual assistance, tolerance and religious tolerance.
