Biography
Son of a prominent newspaper editor. Ordained in Brescia, Italy on 29 May 1920, he continued his studies in Rome, Italy, and became part of the Vatican secretariat of state in 1922. One of two pro-secretaries to Pope Pius XII. Archbishop of Milan from 1954 to 1963 where he worked on social problems and to improve relations between workers and employers. Created cardinal-priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti on 15 December 1958. Elected 262nd Pope in 1963. As Pope, Paul continued the reforms of John XXIII. He re-convened the Second Vatican Council, and supervised implementations of many of its reforms, such as the vernacularization and reform of the liturgy. He instituted an international synod of bishops; bishops were instructed to set up councils of priests in their own dioceses. Powers of dispensation devolved from the Roman Curia onto the bishops, rules on fasting and abstinence were relaxed, and some restrictions on inter-marriage were lifted. A commission to revise canon law revision was established. In 1964, Paul made a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands, becoming the first pope in over 150 years to leave Italy. That was followed by trips to India in 1964, the United States in 1965, where he addressed the United Nations, Africa in 1969, and Southeast Asia in 1970. Relations between the Vatican and the Communists improved, and Communist leaders visited the Vatican for the first time. Paul met with leaders of other churches, and in 1969 addressed the World Council of Chu Born: 26 September 1897 at Concesio, Lombardy, Italy as Giovanni Battista Montini Died: 6 August 1978 at Castelgandolfo, Rome, Italy of natural causes