Papal conclave Montini was generally seen as the
most likely papal successor, being close to both Popes Pius XII and John XXIII, as well as his pastoral and administrative background, his insight, and his determination. John XXIII had previously known the Vatican as an official until his appointment to Venice as a papal diplomat, but returning to Rome at age 66, he may at times have felt uncertain in dealing with the professional
Roman Curia. Montini, on the other hand, had learned its innermost workings while working in it for a generation. Unlike the
papabile cardinals
Giacomo Lercaro of
Bologna and
Giuseppe Siri of
Genoa, Montini was identified neither left nor right nor as a radical reformer. He was viewed as most likely to continue the
Second Vatican Council, which had adjourned without tangible results. In the conclave after John XXIII's death, Montini was elected pope on the sixth ballot on 21 June. When the
Dean of the College of Cardinals Eugène Tisserant asked if he accepted the election, Montini said
"Accepto, in nomine Domini" ("I accept, in the name of the Lord"). He took the name "Paul VI" in honor of
Paul the Apostle. At one point during the conclave on 20 June, it was said that Cardinal
Gustavo Testa lost his temper and demanded that opponents of Montini halt their efforts to thwart his election. Montini, fearful of causing strife, started to rise to dissuade the cardinals from voting for him, but Cardinal
Giovanni Urbani dragged him back, muttering, "Eminence, shut up!" The white smoke first rose from the chimney of the
Sistine Chapel at 11:22 am, when
Protodeacon Cardinal
Alfredo Ottaviani announced to the public the successful election of Montini. When the new pope appeared on the central loggia, he gave the shorter
episcopal blessing as his first
apostolic blessing rather than the longer, traditional
Urbi et Orbi. Of the papacy, Paul VI wrote in his journal: "The position is unique. It brings great solitude. 'I was solitary before, but now my solitude becomes complete and awesome.'" Less than two years later, on 2 May 1965, Paul informed the
dean of the College of Cardinals that his health might make it impossible to function as pope. He wrote, "In case of infirmity, which is believed to be incurable or is of long duration and which impedes
us from sufficiently exercising the functions of our apostolic ministry; or in the case of another serious and prolonged impediment", he would renounce his office "both as bishop of Rome as well as head of the same holy Catholic Church".
Reforms of papal ceremony Paul VI did away with much of the papacy's regal splendor.
His coronation on 30 June 1963 was the last
such ceremony; his successor
Pope John Paul I substituted an
inauguration (which Paul had substantially modified, but which he left mandatory in his 1975
apostolic constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo). At his coronation, Paul wore a
tiara presented by the Archdiocese of Milan. Near the end of the third session of the
Second Vatican Council in 1964, Paul VI descended the steps of the papal throne in
St. Peter's Basilica and ascended the altar, on which he laid the tiara as a sign of the renunciation of human glory and power in keeping with the innovative spirit of the council. It was announced that the tiara would be sold for charity. The purchasers arranged for it to be displayed as a gift to American Catholics in the crypt of the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. In 1968, with the
motu proprio Pontificalis Domus, he discontinued most of the ceremonial functions of the old
Papal nobility at the court (reorganized as the
household), save for the
Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne. He also abolished the
Palatine Guard and the
Noble Guard, leaving the Pontifical
Swiss Guard as the sole military order of the Vatican.
Completion of the Vatican Council , credited with ecumenical breakthroughs during the Second Vatican Council. Paul VI decided to reconvene
Vatican II and completed it in 1965. Faced with conflicting interpretations and controversies, he directed the implementation of its reform goals.
Ecumenical orientation During Vatican II, the council fathers avoided statements that might anger non-Catholic Christians. Cardinal
Augustin Bea, the President of the
Christian Unity Secretariat, always had the full support of Paul VI in his attempts to ensure that the Council language was friendly and open to the sensitivities of Protestant and Orthodox churches, whom he had invited to all sessions at the request of
Pope John XXIII. Bea also was strongly involved in the passage of
Nostra aetate, which regulates the Church's relations with
Judaism and members of other religions.
Dialogue with the world After being elected Bishop of Rome, Paul VI first met with the priests in his new diocese. He told them that he started a dialogue with the modern world in Milan and asked them to seek contact with people from all walks of life. Six days after his election, he announced that he would continue Vatican II and convened the opening on 29 September 1963. The Pope concluded the session on 21 November 1964 with the formal pronouncement of Mary as
Mother of the Church. "all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society." This teaching is found in
Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, promulgated by Paul VI on 21 November 1964.
Church reforms , Pope Paul VI named
Mary the "
Mother of the Church" during
Vatican II.
Synod of Bishops On 14 September 1965, he established the
Synod of Bishops as a permanent institution of the Catholic Church and an advisory body to the papacy. Several meetings were held on specific issues during his pontificate, such as the Synod of Bishops on evangelization in the modern world, which started on 9 September 1974.
Curia reform Pope Paul VI knew the
Roman Curia well, having worked there for a generation from 1922 to 1954. He implemented his reforms in stages. On 1 March 1968, he issued a regulation, a process initiated by Pius XII and continued by John XXIII. On 28 March, with
Pontificalis Domus, and in several additional Apostolic Constitutions in the following years, he revamped the entire Curia, which included reduction of bureaucracy, streamlining of existing congregations, and a broader representation of non-Italians in the Curial positions.
Age limits and restrictions On 6 August 1966, Paul VI asked all bishops to submit their resignations to the pontiff by their 75th birthday. They were not required to do so but "earnestly requested of their own free will to tender their resignation from office". He extended this request to all cardinals in
Ingravescentem aetatem on 21 November 1970, with the further provision that cardinals would relinquish their offices in the
Roman Curia upon reaching their 80th birthday. These retirement rules enabled the Pope to fill several positions with younger prelates and reduce the Italian domination of the Roman Curia. His 1970 measures also revolutionised papal elections by restricting the right to vote in
papal conclaves to cardinals who had not yet reached their 80th birthday, a class known since then as "cardinal electors". This reduced the power of the Italians and the Curia in the next conclave. Some senior cardinals objected to losing their voting privilege without effect. Paul VI's measures also limited the number of cardinal electors to a maximum of 120, a rule disregarded on several occasions by each of his successors. Previously, Paul VI himself had been the first pope to increase the number above 120 (from
82 in 1963 to 134
in April 1969; but he reduced the number of cardinal electors below 120 in 1971 by simultaneously introducing the voting age limit). Some prelates questioned whether he should not apply these retirement rules to himself. When Pope Paul was asked towards the end of his papacy whether he would retire at age 80, he replied "Kings can abdicate, Popes cannot."
Liturgy Reform of the
liturgy, an aim of the 20th-century
liturgical movement, mainly in France and Germany, was officially recognised as legitimate by Pius XII in his encyclical
Mediator Dei. During his pontificate, he eased regulations on the obligatory use of Latin in Catholic liturgies, permitting some use of vernacular languages during baptisms, funerals, and other events. In 1951 and 1955, he revised the Easter liturgies, most notably that of the
Easter Triduum. The
Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) gave some directives in its document
Sacrosanctum Concilium for a general revision of the
Roman Missal. Within four years of the close of the council, Paul VI promulgated in 1969 the first postconciliar edition, which included three new
Eucharistic Prayers in addition to the
Roman Canon, until then the only
anaphora in the
Roman Rite. Use of
vernacular languages was expanded by decision of
episcopal conferences, not by papal command. In addition to his revision of the
Roman Missal, Pope Paul VI issued instructions in 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1970, reforming other elements of the liturgy of the Roman Church. Among the revisions of the Roman Rite were as follows: • The rites of the ordination of a deacon, a priest and a bishop (June 18, 1968); • The
General Roman calendar (February 14, 1969); • The Roman Missal renewed in accordance with the decree of the Vatican Ecumenical Council II (April 3, 1969); • The rite of children's baptism (May 15, 1969); • The funeral rite (August 15, 1969); • The rite of the profession of a nun (February 2, 1970); • The
Liturgy of the Hours, in succession to the
Breviarium Romanum (November 1 1970); • The rite of the
sacrament of confirmation (August 15, 1971); • The discipline of the tonsure, of the minor orders, and of the subdiaconate (August 15, 1972); • The rite of the
anointing of the sick (November 30, 1972); • The rite of penance (December 2, 1973). These reforms were not universally welcomed. Questions were raised about the need to replace the
1962 Roman Missal, which, though decreed on 23 June 1962, became available only in 1963, a few months before the Second Vatican Council's
Sacrosanctum Concilium decree ordered that it be altered. Attachment to it led to open ruptures, of which the most widely known is that of
Marcel Lefebvre.
Pope John Paul II granted bishops the right to authorise the use of the 1962 Missal (
Quattuor abhinc annos and
Ecclesia Dei) and in 2007
Pope Benedict XVI, while stating that the Mass of Paul VI and John Paul II "obviously is and continues to be the normal Form – the
Forma ordinaria – of the Eucharistic Liturgy", gave general permission to priests of the
Latin Church to use either the 1962 Missal or the post-
Vatican II Missal both privately and, under certain conditions, publicly. In 2021, Pope Francis removed many of faculties granted by Pope Benedict XVI with the publishing of his
motu proprio,
Traditionis Custodes, thus limiting the use of 1962 Roman Missal.
Relations and dialogues , during his 1964 visit to Israel To Paul VI, a dialogue with all of humanity was essential not as an aim but as a means to find the truth. According to Paul, dialogue is based on the full equality of all participants. This equality is rooted in the common search for the truth. He said: "Those who have the truth, are in a position as not having it, because they are forced to search for it every day in a deeper and more perfect way. Those who do not have it, but search for it with their whole heart, have already found it."
Dialogues and
Hossein Nasr, Iranian Shia scholars. In 1964, Paul VI created a Secretariat for non-Christians, later renamed the
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and a year later, a new Secretariat (later Pontifical Council) for Dialogue with Non-Believers. This latter one was in 1993 incorporated by Pope John Paul II in the
Pontifical Council for Culture, which he had established in 1982. In 1971, Paul VI created a papal office for economic development and catastrophic assistance. To foster common bonds with all persons of goodwill, he decreed an annual peace day to be celebrated on 1 January every year. Trying to improve the condition of Christians behind the
Iron Curtain, Paul VI engaged in dialogue with Communist authorities at several levels, receiving Foreign Minister
Andrei Gromyko and
Chairman of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet Nikolai Podgorny in 1966 and 1967 in the Vatican. The situation of the Church in
Hungary,
Poland, and
Romania improved during his pontificate.
Foreign travels Pope Paul VI became the first pope to visit six continents. He was also the first pontiff to travel on an airplane, visit the Holy Land on pilgrimage, and travel outside Italy in a century. He travelled more widely than any of his predecessors, earning the nickname "the Pilgrim Pope". He visited the
Holy Land in 1964 and participated in
Eucharistic congresses in
Bombay, India, and
Bogotá, Colombia. In 1966, he was twice denied permission to visit
Poland for the thousandth anniversary of the
introduction of Christianity in Poland. In 1967, he visited the shrine of
Our Lady of Fátima in
Portugal on the fiftieth anniversary of the
apparitions there. He undertook a pastoral visit to Uganda in 1969, the first by a reigning pope to Africa. Pope Paul VI became the first reigning pontiff to visit the Western hemisphere when he addressed the United Nations in New York City in October 1965. As the U.S. involvement in the
Vietnam War was escalating, Paul VI pleaded for peace before the U.N.:
Attempted assassination Shortly after arriving at
Manila International Airport, the Philippines on 27 November 1970, the Pope, closely followed by President
Ferdinand Marcos and personal aide
Pasquale Macchi, who was private secretary to Pope Paul VI, were encountered suddenly by a crew-cut, cassock-clad man who tried to attack the Pope with a knife. Macchi pushed the man away; police identified the would-be assassin as
Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores of
La Paz, Bolivia. Mendoza was an artist living in the Philippines. The Pope continued his trip and thanked Marcos and Macchi, who had moved to protect him during the attack.
New diplomacy Like his predecessor
Pius XII, Paul VI put much emphasis on the dialogue with all nations of the world through establishing diplomatic relations. The number of foreign embassies accredited to the Vatican doubled during his pontificate. This was a reflection of a new understanding between church and state, which had been formulated first by
Pius XI and Pius XII but decreed by Vatican II. The pastoral constitution
Gaudium et spes stated that the Catholic Church is not bound to any form of government and is willing to cooperate with all forms. The Church maintained its right to select bishops on its own without any interference by the State. Pope Paul VI sent one of 73
Apollo 11 Goodwill Messages to
NASA for the historic first lunar landing. The message still rests on the lunar surface. It has the words of the
8th Psalm, and the Pope wrote, "To the Glory of the name of God who gives such power to men, we ardently pray for this wonderful beginning."
Theology Mariology in 1967 Pope Paul VI made extensive contributions to
Mariology (theological teaching and devotions) during his pontificate. Given its new ecumenical orientation, he attempted to present the Marian teachings of the church. In his inaugural encyclical
Ecclesiam suam (section below), the Pope called Mary the ideal of Christian perfection. He regards "devotion to the Mother of God as of paramount importance in living the life of the Gospel."
Encyclicals Paul VI authored seven
encyclicals.
Ecclesiam suam Ecclesiam suam was given at St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, on the
Feast of the Transfiguration, 6 August 1964, the second year of his pontificate. Paul VI appealed to "all people of good will" and discussed necessary dialogues within the Church, between the churches, and with atheism.
Mysterium fidei On 3 September 1965, Paul VI issued
Mysterium fidei, on the
Eucharist. The encyclical critiques certain contemporary Eucharistic theologies and liturgical practices perceived to undermine traditional Catholic doctrine. The Church, according to Paul VI, has no reason to give up the deposit of faith in such a vital matter.
Populorum progressio Populorum progressio, released on 26 March 1967, dealt with "the development of peoples" and that the world's economy should serve humanity and not just a few. It develops traditional principles of Catholic social teaching, including the right to a just wage, the right to security of employment, the right to fair and reasonable working conditions, the right to join a union, and the
universal destination of goods. In addition,
Populorum progressio opines that real peace in the world is conditional on justice. He repeated his demands expressed in Bombay in 1964 for a large-scale World Development Organization as a matter of international justice and peace. He rejected notions of instigating revolution and force in changing economic conditions.
Sacerdotalis caelibatus Sacerdotalis caelibatus (Latin for "Of the celibate priesthood"), promulgated on 24 June 1967, defends the Catholic Church's tradition of
priestly celibacy in the West. Written in response to postconciliar questioning of the discipline of clerical celibacy, the encyclical reaffirms the historical ecclesiastical discipline that because celibacy is an ideal state, it continues to be mandatory for priests. To Catholic conceptions of the priesthood, celibacy symbolizes the reality of the kingdom of God amid modern society. The priestly celibacy is closely linked to the sacramental priesthood. The expressed views of Paul VI reflected the teachings of his predecessors, especially
Pius XI,
Pius XII and
John XXIII. The encyclical teaches that marriage constitutes a union of the loving couple with a loving God, in which the two persons cooperate with God in the creation of a new person. For this reason, the encyclicals that the transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God. This divine partnership, according to Paul VI, does not allow for arbitrary human decisions, which may limit divine providence. The Pope does not paint an overly romantic picture of marriage: marital relations are a source of great joy, but also of difficulties and hardships. The reason for this, according to Paul VI, is that married love takes its origin from God, who "is love". From this basic dignity, he defines his position: The reaction to the continued prohibitions of artificial birth control was mixed. The encyclical was welcomed in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Poland. In Latin America, much support developed for the Pope and his encyclical. As
World Bank president
Robert McNamara declared at the 1968
Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group that countries permitting birth control practices would get preferential access to resources, doctors in
La Paz, Bolivia, called it insulting that money should be exchanged for the conscience of a Catholic nation. In Colombia, Cardinal Archbishop
Aníbal Muñoz Duque declared, "If American conditionality undermines Papal teachings, we prefer not to receive one cent." The
Senate of Bolivia passed a resolution stating that
Humanae vitae could be discussed in its implications for individual consciences but was of greatest significance because the papal document defended the rights of developing nations to determine their own population policies. Paul VI was concerned but not surprised by the adverse reaction in Western Europe and the United States. He fully anticipated this reaction to be a temporary one: "Don't be afraid," he reportedly told
Edouard Gagnon on the eve of the encyclical, "in twenty years' time, they'll call me a prophet." His biography on the Vatican's website notes his reaffirmations of priestly celibacy and the traditional teaching on contraception that "[t]he controversies over these two pronouncements tended to overshadow the last years of his pontificate".
Pope John Paul II later reaffirmed and expanded upon
Humanae vitae with the encyclical
Evangelium vitae.
Evangelism By taking the name of Paul, the newly elected pope showed his intention to take
Paul the Apostle as a model for his papal ministry. In 1967, when he reorganised the Roman Curia, Pope Paul renamed the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith as the
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Pope Paul was the first pope in history to make apostolic journeys to other continents. He was also the first pope in centuries to meet the heads of various
Eastern Orthodox communities. Notably, his meeting with
Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I in 1964 in
Jerusalem led to rescinding the
excommunications of the
Great Schism, which took place in 1054. This was a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople. It produced the
Catholic-Eastern Orthodox Apostolic Joint Declaration of 1965, read on 7 December 1965, simultaneously at a public meeting of the Second Vatican Council in Rome and at a special ceremony in Istanbul. The declaration did not end the schism but showed a desire for greater reconciliation between the two churches.
Anglicans Paul VI was the first pope to receive an
Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury,
Michael Ramsey, in official audience as Head of Church, after the private audience visit of Archbishop
Geoffrey Fisher to
Pope John XXIII on 2 December 1960. Ramsey met Paul three times during his visit and opened the
Anglican Centre in Rome to increase their mutual knowledge. He praised Paul VI and his contributions in the service of unity. Unmoved by a harsh condemnation by the Congregation of Faith on mixed marriages precisely at this time of the visit, Paul VI and Ramsey appointed a preparatory commission which was to put the common agenda into practice on such issues as mixed marriages. This resulted in a joint Malta declaration, the first joint agreement on the
Creed since the
Reformation. Paul VI was a good friend of the Anglican Church, which he described as "our beloved sister Church." This description was unique to Paul and not used by later popes.
Protestants In 1965, Paul VI decided to create a joint working group with the
World Council of Churches to map all possible avenues of dialogue and cooperation. Eight sessions were held in the following three years, resulting in many joint proposals. It was proposed to work closely together in social justice and development and "Third World" issues such as hunger and poverty. On the religious side, it was agreed to be shared in the
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which would be held annually. The joint working group was to prepare texts which were to be used by all Christians. On 19 July 1968, the meeting of the World Council of Churches took place in
Uppsala, Sweden, which Pope Paul called a sign of the times. He sent his blessing ecumenically: "May the Lord bless everything you do for the case of Christian Unity." The World Council of Churches decided on including Catholic theologians in its committees, provided they have the backing of the Vatican. The
Lutherans were the first Protestant church offering a dialogue to the Catholic Church in September 1964 in
Reykjavík, Iceland. It resulted in joint study groups of several issues. The dialogue with the
Methodist Church began in October 1965, after its representatives officially applauded the past five years' remarkable changes, friendship, and cooperation. The
Reformed Churches entered four years later into a dialogue with the Catholic Church. The President of the
Lutheran World Federation and member of the central committee of the World Council of Churches
Fredrik A. Schiotz stated during the 450th anniversary of the
Reformation, that earlier commemorations were viewed almost as a triumph. He welcomed the announcement of Pope Paul VI to celebrate the 1900th anniversary of the death of the
Apostle Peter and
Apostle Paul, and promised participation and co-operation in the festivities. Paul VI supported the new-found harmony and cooperation with Protestants on many levels. When Cardinal
Augustin Bea went to see him for permission for a joint Catholic-Protestant translation of the Bible with Protestant Bible societies, the Pope walked towards him and exclaimed, "As far as the cooperation with
Bible societies is concerned, I am totally in favour." He issued a formal approval on
Pentecost 1967, the feast on which the
Holy Spirit descended on the Christians, overcoming all linguistic difficulties, according to Christian tradition.
Beatifications and canonisations Paul VI beatified 38 individuals in his pontificate and
canonized 84 saints in 21 causes. Among the
beatifications were
Maximilian Kolbe (1971) and the
Korean Martyrs (1968),
Nikola Tavelić (1970) and the
Ugandan Martyrs (1964). In 1970, Paul VI also named the first female
Doctors of the Church,
Teresa of Ávila, which he called
Doctor orationis ("Doctor of Prayer"), and
Catherine of Siena.
Consistories Pope Paul VI held six
consistories between 1965 and 1977 that raised 143 men to the
cardinalate in his fifteen years as pope: • 22 February 1965, 27 cardinals • 26 June 1967, 27 cardinals • 28 April 1969, 34 cardinals • 5 March 1973, 30 cardinals • 24 May 1976, 20 cardinals • 27 June 1977, 4 cardinals ) a cardinal in 1967. ) a cardinal in 1973 ) a cardinal in 1977 The successive three popes were created
cardinals by him. His immediate successor, Albino Luciani, who took the name
Pope John Paul I, was created a cardinal in the consistory of 5 March 1973. Karol Józef Wojtyła (later
Pope John Paul II) was created a cardinal in the consistory of 26 June 1967. Joseph Ratzinger (later
Pope Benedict XVI) was made a cardinal in the small four-appointment consistory of 27 June 1977 that was the Pope's last. Paul VI named
Štěpán Trochta and
Iuliu Hossu as cardinals "" in 1969 and only revealed Hossu's name in 1973 after Hossu died while formally naming Trochta. Similarly, Paul VI named both
František Tomášek and
Joseph-Marie Trịnh Như Khuê "
in pectore" in 1976, only announcing the former in 1977 and the latter at the 1976 consistory itself, a month after having announced it and his hidden selection. With the six consistories, Paul VI continued the internationalisation policies started by Pius XII in 1946 and continued by John XXIII. In his 1976 consistory, five of twenty cardinals originated from Africa, one of them a son of a tribal chief with fifty wives. Several prominent Latin Americans like
Eduardo Francisco Pironio of Argentina;
Luis Aponte Martinez of
Puerto Rico,
Eugênio de Araújo Sales and
Aloisio Lorscheider from Brazil were also elevated by him. There were voices within the church at the time saying that the European period of the church was coming to a close, a view shared by Britain's Cardinal
Basil Hume. At the same time, the members of the College of Cardinals lost some of their previous influences, after Paul VI decreed, that membership by bishops in committees and other bodies of the Roman Curia would not be limited to cardinals. The age limit of eighty years imposed by the Pope, a numerical increase of Cardinals by almost 100%, and a reform of the formal dress of the "Princes of the Church" further contributed to a service-oriented perception of Cardinals under his pontificate. The increased number of Cardinals from the Third World and the papal emphasis on related issues were nevertheless welcomed by many in Western Europe. The consistory of 1969 was the largest consistory since 1946 and would be surpassed later in 2001. In 1965, the theologian
Romano Guardini declined an invitation by Paul VI to be inducted into the College of Cardinals. In 1967, he also intended to nominate
Pietro Sigismondi, but he died a month before the consistory was held. Also in 1967, according to the memoirs of
Louis Bouyer, Paul VI intended to name Bouyer to the cardinalate after the Second Vatican Council; however, Paul VI was forced to abandon the idea after realizing that the French episcopacy would not warmly receive the appointment since Bouyer had been very critical of many of the positions taken by the French bishops. Other sources indicate that the Pope intended to name his friend
Jacques Maritain to the cardinalate in 1969. Not only did Maritain decline, but if he had been elevated, it would have made him the first
lay cardinal since 1858. On 22 February 1969, Paul VI and Monsignor Hieronymus Menges discussed nominating Iuliu Hossu and
Áron Márton to the cardinalate (Pius XII dropped an idea to name Márton to the cardinalate in 1946), however, Márton's potential elevation was not considered acceptable, hence, Hossu was named
in pectore since the Romanians would not have accepted Hossu either. ==Final years and death==