THE LIFE

BIRTH AND FIRST YEARS OF LIFE IN THE FAMILY

EDUCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD

ORDINATION AND THE FIRST YEARS AS A PRIEST

MILITARY SERVICE IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR 

FIRST NATIONAL TASK

IN THE DIPLOMATIC BODY OF THE HOLY SEE

PATRIARCH IN VENICE

ELECTION TO THE PONTIFICATE

PILGRIMAGE TO LORETO AND ASSISI

THE COUNCIL

INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR PEACE

AUDIENCE WITH THE SON-IN-LAW OF KRUSCEV

PACEM IN TERRIS

THE DEATH

THE BEATIFICATION

HIS BODY

CANONIZATION

Angelo Giuseppe was born at a quarter past ten in the morning, November 25, 1881 in Sotto il Monte, 16 Km southwest of Bergamo, in the town of Brusicco at number 42, in a poor peasant house called Palazzo, the fourth child of the 13 sons and daughters by Battista Roncalli and Marianna Mazzola. He was baptized (click to see the baptism certificate) that same day by the parish priest don Francesco Rebuzzini in the Church of S. Maria in the Brusicco area. The godfather was the great-uncle Zaverio Roncalli, head of the family, brother of his grandfather Angelo. He grew up in a very modest family of tenant farmers in a poor environment.

The greatest wealth of the family was the undisputed faith, charity, absolute trust in the Providence of God, common daily prayer, which were a source of great serenity. The future Pope will always recognize the preciousness of these virtues which he assimilated in the family climate and which he will affirm to be among "the most precious and important things that support and give warmth to the many others" which he later learned. From 1887 to 1890 he attended the first three elementary school classes On 13 February 1889 he received Confirmation in Carvico from Bishop Gaetano Guindani and on 31 March he was admitted to the first communion.