XXIII, also referred to as the good pope. John was canonized by Pope Francis in 2014. On October 11, we remember him and his legendary speech, which he gave on October 11, 1962, during World War II. He said on the evening of the opening of the Vatican Council.

XXIII. Pope John was born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in Italy, in Sotto il Monte near Bergamo on November 25, 1881. He studied in Bergamo and Rome. He received his doctorate in 1904 and was ordained a priest on August 10 of the same year. He was a bishop's secretary and taught at the seminary in Bergamo, then served as a field chaplain in World War I. After that, he performed various tasks in Rome, mostly in the field of missions, writes Magyar Kurír.

After his consecration as a bishop, he served on an apostolic mission in Bulgaria, Turkey, and then Greece. In December 1944, he was appointed apostolic nuncio to France. From 1952, he became a permanent observer of the Holy See at UNESCO.

In 1953 he was appointed a cardinal and became the Patriarch of Venice. He was elected Pope on October 28, 1958. On January 25, 1959, the II. the convocation of the Vatican Council. He opened the assembly on October 11, 1962 with the participation of the bishops of the world.

On the evening of the opening of the synod, XXIII. Pope János said to those gathered in St. Peter's Square:

“You could say that even the moon was in a hurry tonight… just look, up there… to see this spectacle. When you return home, you will find the children at home. Caress them and tell them: "This is the Pope's caress."

XXIII. János died on June 3, 1963. II. Pope John Paul II beatified him on September 3, 2000. His memorial day was set for October 11 (the anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council). XXIII was canonized by Pope Francis on April 27, 2014, Divine Mercy Sunday. John II. together with Pope John Paul II.

Many anecdotes are related to the Pope. He was always very close to children, and he often visited children's hospitals to pray for and support the sick. The children called him by his name, often just saying: "János, János, come here".

XXIII. János went from bed to bed in the wards of the Bambino Gesú Children's Hospital in Gianicolo to visit the little patients. He smiled kindly at them and they smiled back. Several called him to their sickbeds: "Pope John, come here!" Or quite simply: "János! John!" The Holy Father stopped by little Angelo's bed and addressed him like this: "Look, your name is Angelo too. That was my name before that too." And when she stopped next to Carmine Lemma, who was blinded by meningitis, she couldn't control her tears.

"I know you're the Pope," said the little girl, "even though I can't see you." The Pope sat down on the edge of his bed and scratched his head for a long time - recalls the lovely story of the Magyar Kurír.

Source: vasarnap.hu

Featured image: Magyar Kurír