Pope John XXIII
Pope, 1958-1963, Italian, 1881-1963
Educated at the Seminario Romano, Rome. Ordained as a priest in 1904. Served as Secretary to the bishop of Bergamo from 1904 to 1914 and as chaplain of the medical corps during World War I. Became Archbishop in 1925 and served as the Vatican diplomatic representative to Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece. Named papal nuncio to France in 1944 and Cardinal and patriarch of Venice in 1953. Elected pope on 28 October 1958. Convened the council, known as Vatican II, in October 1962, which led to many reforms in the Catholic Church. Beatified on September 3, 2000 by Pope John Paul II.