Pope John XXIII (born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963) was the 261st pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1958 to 1963. He is best known for convening the Second Vatican Council, which modernized the Church and promoted dialogue with the modern world. Born into a peasant family in Bergamo, Italy, he served as a papal diplomat in Bulgaria, Turkey, and France before becoming Patriarch of Venice. Elected pope at age 77, he was seen as a transitional figure but initiated profound reforms. His encyclical Pacem in Terris addressed peace and nuclear disarmament. Known for his humility and humor, he was beatified in 2000 and canonized in 2014.
