Pope 261
John XXIII
The 261st pope in the Holy See's list of Supreme Pontiffs, serving as Bishop of Rome from 28.X, 4.XI.1958 to 3.VI.1963. His secular name is listed as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli. The Holy See lists his birthplace as Sotto il Monte (Bergamo).
Why this pontificate matters
John XXIII matters because his pontificate opens the Vatican II era. The timeline makes the brevity of the pontificate visible, while the historical consequence is far larger than the bar length.
Short pontificates can be disproportionately important.
This is one of the clearest places where a council layer would strengthen the site.
Predecessor
- Pius XII · succeeded in see · documented
John XXIII follows Pius XII as Bishop of Rome in the Holy See's sequential list of Supreme Pontiffs.
Successor
- Paul VI · succeeded in see · documented
Paul VI follows John XXIII as Bishop of Rome in the Holy See's sequential list of Supreme Pontiffs.