Although Pope Pius XII wrote many other encyclicals, most of those focused on specific historical events – things like missions in Africa, conflict in Hungary, anniversaries of various events, and some canonizations. As he aged, Pius XII slowed down a little. In 1954 he fell gravely ill and considered abdication. He frequently relied on a few close colleagues to continue the work of the Church, though he did continue to address the public and respond to specific questions. One of the last things he did was appoint Karol Wojtla, who was 35 years old at the time, as auxiliary bishop of Krakow. In 1958 on Oct 6, Pius XII suffered a stroke. A second stroke on Oct 8 worsened his condition and he passed in the early morning on Oct 9, 1958. His doctor reportedly said the pope had really died from exhaustion and could have lived 20 years more if he had spared himself. Spain, Italy, and Cuba all declared the following days as days of mourning in honor of the pope. Because he had been born in Rome and was seen as something of a hero from World War II, Roman citizens turned out in record numbers for his funeral. There is some effort to beatify and canonize Pius XII, but historians are still working to clear his reputation from the false accusation that he supported Hitler.
A Papal Conclave was called to elect the next pope. After 11 times, the vote was decided on October 28 in favor of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who took the name John XXIII and reigned from 1958 to 1963. Angelo Roncalli was born in 1881 in Sotto il Monte in Italy as the fourth son to Giovanni Battista Roncalli and Marianna Giulia Moazzola. He was the fourth son out of a total of 13 children. They worked as sharecroppers and lived as Catholics. Angelo received Confirmation and First Communion at the age of 8. In 1896, he was enrolled into the Secular Franciscan Order, also called “Third Order Franciscans.” After earning his doctorate in canon law, he was ordained a priest in 1904. He first served as the secretary for the Bishop of Bergamo while he also taught at the local seminary. Suring World War I, he was drafted into the Italian army, serving as chaplain. He then served at the seminary until 1925, when he was named a titular bishop of Areopolis, Jordan. A “titular bishop” is one that doesn’t actually serve in a diocese. They are “given” a diocese that no longer exists. This is done mostly for Church diplomats and administrators in Vatican. In 1934, he was appointed Apostolic Delegate to Turkey and moved to Bulgaria. While there he gained a reputation for loving Muslims and Jews alike, especially since he used his position to help save thousands of Jews from the growing Nazi movement. He did this through facilitating communication and logistics as well as allowing fake baptismal certificates to be given to Jews and through pressuring various leaders to assist in the efforts. He was also known for his support of the creation of the State of Israel. In 1953 Bishop Angelo Roncalli was appointed to Venice and named a Cardinal. He was then elected pope in 1958.
When he chose the name John, he said “I choose John… a name sweet to us because it is the name of our father, dear to me because it is the name of the humble parish church where I was baptized, the solemn name of numberless cathedrals scattered throughout the world, including our own basilica [St. John Lateran]. Twenty-two Johns of indisputable legitimacy have [been Pope], and almost all had a brief pontificate. We have preferred to hide the smallness of our name behind this magnificent succession of Roman Popes.” There was actually a previous person who claimed to be Pope John XXIII, but that man was considered an antipope and by choosing this name a number, the new pope reaffirmed that.
Pope St. John XXIII was known for a few things above all: his approach to Eastern Europe, his relations with the Jews, his calling of the Second Vatican Council, and his sense of humor. Regarding Eastern Europe, he tried a conciliatory approach that avoided hard-line confrontation. Some people compare Pope Francis’ approach to China to this. Drawing on his long diplomatic experience with Jewish people, he removed the word “perfidious” (“Faithless”) from one of the Good Friday prayers and offered a sort of apology for historical antisemitism within the Church. To the surprise of those who elected him hoping for a short and non-controversial papacy, Pope John XXIII convened an Ecumenical Council. His stated goal was to better equip the Church to minster in the modern era. He specifically asked that the council not focus on doctrinal statements, but instead focus on engaging with the world in a more effective way.
There’s lost more to say about John XXIII. You can read his autobiography “Journal of Soul” if you’d like to know more. I’ll leave you with one famous joke. When asked “How many people work in the Vatican?” he quipped back “about half.”