Pope St. Paul VI (262º): the Great & Vatican II — Complete Guide

Who Was Pope Paul VI?

Among the 267 popes, Paul VI is number 262, remembered for the years 21 June 1963–6 August 1978 in the contemporary Catholic Church. Search interest often clusters around the Great and Vatican II. Last pope to be crowned. Use the sections below to move from a one-line summary of Paul VI to a usable historical and spiritual picture. Catholics also honor him as a saint whose intercession remains part of living devotion.

Early Life & Background

Before election he was known as Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini. Born 26 September 1897 Concesio, Kingdom of Italy, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.

Historical Context

Paul VI (#undefined) leads or led more than a billion Catholics through globalization, secular pressure, and digital media that amplify every papal word. Rescinded the mutual excommunications which led to the Great Schism of 1054 in his meeting with Patriarch Athenagoras I in 1964. Closed the Second Vatican Council(1965).

Pontificate & Key Events

The pontificate (21 June 1963–6 August 1978) centered on governance during the contemporary Catholic Church. Last pope to be crowned. First pope since 1809 to travel outside Italy. First pope since the 9th century to visit the East, labelling the Eastern Churches as sister churches; visited the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople in 1964 and 1967.

Papal Acts & Achievements

Acts associated with Paul VI (#262, 21 June 1963–6 August 1978) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes. Papal motto: Cum Ipso in monte ("With Him on the mountain").

Key Highlights

• 262nd pope of the Catholic Church
• Pontificate: 21 June 1963–6 August 1978
• Venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church
• Last pope to be crowned.
• First pope since 1809 to travel outside Italy.
• Closed the Second Vatican Council(1965).

Legacy in the Catholic Church

St. Paul VI remains pope 262º in the Annuario Pontificio. The Church still points to Paul VI's virtues for imitation. Set against the contemporary Catholic Church, Paul VI's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.

Why Catholics Study This Pope Today

Reading Paul VI as pope 262º (21 June 1963–6 August 1978) is a way to study how Rome answered the crises of the contemporary Catholic Church. Because the Church venerates Paul VI, you may seek his intercession and check his feast in the Martyrology or local calendar. Start with the concrete record: Issued the encyclical Humanae vitae(1968), reaffirming the condemnation of artificial contraception. Closed the Second Vatican Council(1965). Where bulls, conciliar acts, or encyclicals survive from this reign, they repay readers who want primary sources rather than summaries alone. Compare Paul VI with the biographies of his predecessor and successor linked below to see reform, rupture, or quiet continuity.

Place in the Line of Succession

St. Paul VI followed Pope St. John (261º, 28 October 1958–3 June 1963) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope John Paul I (263º, 26 August 1978–28 September 1978), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.