Christianity

Question 1

What were Pope John XXIII’s other common names?

Answer 1

• The People’s Pope
• Good Pope John

Question 2

What were Pope John XXIII’s main areas of revitalising the Christian tradition?

Answer 2

1. Humanising the Role of the Pope
2. Promoting Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue
3. Involvement in World Affairs and his Encyclicals
4. Instigation of the Second Vatican Council

Question 3

How did Pope John XXIII humanise the role of the Pope?

Answer 3

1. Visiting the Regina Coeli Prison on Christmas Eve of 1958, and saying to the inmates who were there “You could not come to me, so I came to you.”
   * He showed humility, kindness and forgiveness to these inmates, giving them hope that God still saw them as his children in light of their crimes.
2. Visiting the Bambino Gesu hospital on Christmas Day of 1958, to see children suffering from polio, despite the risk to his personal health.
3. Visiting the Santo Spirito hospital
4. Increasing the wages and social conditions of the employees at the Vatican

• These visits to the sick at the hospitals and prisons demonstrated his willingness to establish himself as a father figure to all members of society, including the sick, marginalised and outcast, not just Christian adherents. Additionally, the increase of the wages and social conditions of workers at the Vatican represented how highly he valued the wellbeing of others in society. Also, the communication that Pope John XXIII had with the public had not been undertaken by his predecessors- and showed how Pope John XXIII humanised the role of the Pope.

Question 4

How did Pope John XXIII promote the development of Ecumenism?

Answer 4

1. By meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Geoffrey Fisher, in 1960. It was the first time in 400 years that a Pope had met with the Archbishop of Canterbury
   * This showed Pope John XXIII’s willingness to undertake ecumenical activity with other Christian denominations.
2. Meeting with the Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vitali Borovoi in 1963
3. By extending an invitation to Orthodox and Anglican observers at Vatican II