August 6, 2011. (Romereports.com) It was 33 years ago, when Pope Paul VI, passed away at the summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. It was the summer of August 6th, 1978. Before becoming pope his name was Battista Montini. He was born in a town near Brescia, Italy in 1897. After entering the seminary, he was ordained at the age of 23.


Before heading the Church,  Paul VI attended several universities and had degrees in Theology, Canon Law and Civil Law.  He became a cardinal in 1962 under the rule of Pope John XXIII. He then joined the Second Vatican Council, which he would eventually chair.

Roughly a year after becoming a cardinal he was elected pope at the age of 66.

His pontificate is mostly known for the key changes he made to the Second Vatican Council. His encyclicals “Populorum Progressio” and “Humanae Vitae” reflected his interest in solving problems of society at that time.

In the summer of 1978 his health deteriorated quickly. He died at the age of 81.
His beatification process is already open.

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