Saint John XXIIIPope, Bailiff of the Order of Malta. He was born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli at Sotto il Monte, Italy, on 25 November 1881. In 1915 he was drafted as a segeant in the Italian military medical corps and became a chaplain to the wounded. In 1925 Pius XI made him Bishop and Apostolic Visitor in Bulgaria and he took as his Episcopal motto: Obedientia et Pax. In 1953 he was created Cardinal and became Patriarch of Venice. In 1956 he was invested as Bailiff in the Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. At the death of Pius XII he was elected Pope on 28 October 1958. His was an authentic image of the "Good Shepherd": meek and gentle, enterprising and courageous, simple and active. On 24 June 19961, the patronal feast of our Order, he approved the curent Constitution of our Order. In 1962 he opened the Second Vatican Council. He died on the evening of 3 June 1963. Blessed John pray for us, especially for our Grand Master. (This text is quoted from an e-mail from James-Michael von Stroebel) Page last modified on Saturday, 30 July 2016 00:14:50Back to the SMOM page of the