Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI Pope Saint Paul VI (; ; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (); 26 September 1897 – 6 August 1978) served as pope from 21 June 1963 to his death in 1978. Succeeding John XXIII, he continued the Second Vatican Council which he closed in 1965, implementing its numerous reforms, and fostered improved ecumenical relations with Eastern Orthodox and Protestants, which resulted in many historic meetings and agreements. Montini served in the Holy See's Secretariat of State from 1922 to 1954. While in the Secretariat of State, Montini and Domenico Tardini were considered as the closest
Early life of Pope John Paul II Poland they became separated and Zierer would not hear of her benefactor again until she read that he was elected as the Pope in 1978. Early life of Pope John Paul II The early life of Pope John Paul II covers the period in his life from his birth in 1920 to his ordination to the priesthood in 1946. Karol Józef Wojtyła (junior) was born on 18 May 1920 in Wadowice near the city of Kraków in southern Poland, the youngest of three children. His father was Karol Józef Wojtyła (senior), born 18 July 1879 in Lipnik (now part of