Pope John Case

Pope John XXIII also known as Angelo Guiseppe Roncalli was born on the 25th November 1881 into a poor family of peasant farmers in a small town in Italy. He encountered a very religious and humble upbringing, which provided the foundation for his values and thus, was a strong influence upon the Christian adherents and community. Roncalli sought to live a prayerful and spiritual life from an early age, keeping a detailed journal in which he recorded his spiritual development, including teachings on how to practice his Christian beliefs through activities such as reading, meditation, fasting, prayer and personal devotion. In 1904, he was ordained a priest in Rome and in 1925, Roncalli was ordained Bishop, travelling through Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and France, becoming friendly with Orthodox Church leaders. During this time in World War I, Roncalli taught history in a seminary, became a chaplain in the Italian army and headed the Sacred Congregation for the Propogation of the Faith. Roncalli was also very active during World War II, representing and supporting the Church by saving several thousands of Jews from transportation to concentration camps. After returning to Rome in 1953, he was made Archbishop and on October 28, 1958, following the death of Pope Pius XII, Roncalli was elected Pope. Through the various religious representations and positions in which Pope John XXIII has been involved with, he has made a significant impact on Christian society by promoting and exposing his understanding of human kind through his several acts of religious consideration to others.