Paul VI

The Vatican record

• 9 May 2014 — Miracle through their intercession approved (decree list, 2014)
• 6 March 2018 — Miracle through their intercession approved (decree list, 2018)

Who they were

Giovanni Battista Montini was born in Concesio, near Brescia, on 26 September 1897, and ordained a priest on 29 May 1920. He spent most of his career in the Vatican's Secretariat of State; during the Second World War he ran the Vatican's information office for prisoners and the missing, and organised shelter for those persecuted by the Nazis and Fascists, especially Jews.

Made Archbishop of Milan and then a cardinal in 1958, he was elected Pope in 1963 and led the Second Vatican Council to its close. He was the first pope of modern times to travel the world, from the Holy Land to the United Nations, and was lightly wounded in an attack in Manila in 1970. He died at Castel Gandolfo on the evening of 6 August 1978, while praying the Our Father.

The miracles

Why that counted as sanctity

The case of an unborn child was examined by the Church's doctors and theologians and approved as a miracle on 9 May 2014, opening the way to beatification. Beatification followed on 19 October 2014 by Francis. The case of a baby girl was examined by the Church's doctors and theologians and approved as a miracle on 6 March 2018, opening the way to canonisation. Canonisation followed on 14 October 2018 by Francis.

Connected on this site

• Catherine of Siena Saint
  “Paul VI proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church in 1970.” — this site's research
• Charbel Makhluf Saint
  “In Paul VI's words, Charbel shows a world charmed by comfort and wealth the great value of poverty, penance and asceticism, which free the soul to rise to God.” — this site's research
• Dorothea of Caesarea Saint
  “However, with the promulgation of the motu proprio Mysterii Paschalis of Pope Paul VI, Dorothea was removed from the General Roman Calendar, being judged as not having "universal significance".” — Wikipedia
• Giuseppe Lazzati Saint
  “He was a collaborator of several well-known figures in Italian politics such as Giorgio La Pira and Aldo Moro while he maintained close relationships with Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II.” — Wikipedia
• Januarius Saint
  “Paul VI prayed that the faith of the people of Naples would boil up like his blood.” — this site's research
• John XXIII Saint
  “Succeeding John XXIII, he continued the Second Vatican Council, which he closed in 1965, implementing its numerous reforms.” — Wikipedia
• Teresa of Ávila Saint
  “On 27 September 1970 Pope Paul VI proclaimed Teresa the first female Doctor of the Church in recognition of her centuries-long spiritual legacy to the Catholic Church.” — Wikipedia
• Émile Biayenda Saint
  “He was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope Paul VI in 1973.” — Wikipedia
• Giuseppe Timoteo Giaccardo Blessed
  “He became a Servant of God on 10 December 1964 under Pope Paul VI when the sainthood process commenced.” — Wikipedia
• Iuliu Hossu Blessed
  “Pope Paul VI elevated Hossu to the rank of cardinal in pectore, that is, secretly, in 1969 but did not publish his appointment until after Hossu's death.” — Wikipedia
• Jan Balicki Blessed
  “Karol Wojtiła had even written to Pope Paul VI in 1975 beseeching the latter to hold Balicki up as a model for priests of the modern era.” — Wikipedia
• John Paul I Blessed
  “He was the first pontiff to have a double papal name, choosing "John Paul" in honour of his two immediate predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI.” — Wikipedia