Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul 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. "List of Popes,"  Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-02. Paul was a spiritual leader and the head of the church bureaucracy.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. 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.

Early life
Montini was born in Concesio. That is near Brescia in northern Italy.  His father was editor of a Roman Catholic newspaper.Cortesi, Arnaldo.  "Cardinal Montini Elected Pope," The New York Times. June 22, 1963; retrieved 2011-10-30.  He received degrees in civil and canon law, theology and philosophy. "Faces of the Milennium: Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)," New York Times. 1999; retrieved 2011-10-30.

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

Pope
Cardinal Montini was elected Pope in 1963. Pope Paul continued the Second Vatican Council which was begun by Pope John XXIII.Cortesi, Arnaldo.  "Pope Says in Talk He Will Continue Vatican Council," New York Times. June 23, 1963; retrieved 2011-10-30. His first encyclical is the only one in the Vatican archives which is in the handwriting of the pope who delivered it.Doty, Robert C.  "Pope Paul VI Completes Second Year of Reign," New York Times. June 21, 1965; retrieved 2011-10-30. Paul VI was known as the "pilgrim" pope for his numerous travels. "Roman Catholics: Pope as Pilgrim,"  Time. December 11, 1964;  "Pope visited Ephesus and Virgin Mary House in Turkey" ; 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'."  He was the first pope to fly in an airplane. "Pilgrim Popes,"  Vatican Radio; retrieved 2011-10-30.  

In 1964, Paul was the first pope to travel from Rome to the Holy Land. He flew first to Amman in Jordan. Then he traveled by car to Jerusalem.Hoffmann, Paul.  "Paul VI Starts Trip To the Holy Land," New York Times. January 4, 1964; retrieved 2011-10-30. In 1970, the pope visited Australia, the Phillipines,Hoffman, Paul.  "Pope Will Visit Philippines and Australia," New York Times. May 30, 1970; retrieved 2011-10-30. and Indonesia.Kamm, Henry.  "Moslems, Hindus and Buddhists Join Pope at Mass in Jakarta,"  New York Times. December 4, 1970; retrieved 2011-10-30. In 1975, Paul declared 1975 to be a "jubilee" year with themes of renewal and reconciliation. "The Jubilee in Church History,"  Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN); retrieved 2011-10-30.

In 1978, Prime Minister Aldo Moro was kidnapped in Rome. Pope Paul VI made an offer to exchange his life for Moro's. The offer was not accepted. Moro was killed 55 days later.Holmes, J. Derek, and Bernard W. Bickers. A Short History of the Catholic Church. London: Burns and Oates, 1983. 291.

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

Legacy
The Pope Paul VI Hall is the modern building in which mass papal audiences are held.Hofmann, Paul.  "When in Rome, How to Attend a Papal Audience," New York Times. February 11, 1979; retrieved 2011-10-30.

Related pages
 List of popes

References

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

Other websites

  Vatican webpage,  Paul VI biography
  Catholic Hierarchy, Pope Paul VI
  Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church ,  Cardinal Montini 

Category:1897 births
Category:1978 deaths

Paul 06
Category:Christian saints
Category:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Category:People from Lombardy