Blessed John XXIII

So let's bring this whole saint thing a little more current today.  Let's talk Bl. John XXIII.  Pope John XXIII died less than 3 years before I was born, so he was almost my lifetime.  He will be officially canonized in April at the same time as his more well-known successor, John-Paul II.  Pope John XXII was born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli , the fourth of fourteen children.  He served as papal nuncio of France, Bulgaria and Greece as well as Patriarch of Venice prior to being elected Pope in 1958.  He was the first pope in more than 500 years to take the name "John."  Because of his advanced age, he was expected to be somewhat of a "stop-gap" pope, but surprised everyone by calling the Second Vatican Council.  His feast day is not celebrated on the date of his death (as is the usual practice with Saints), but on October 11, the first day of the Council.