Medal - Pope Paul VI Visit to Jordan and the Holy Land 1964 Pewter

By V. Lorioli and E. Varisco

Pope Paul VI (Latin: Paulus VI; Italian: Paolo VI), born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (26 September 1897 – 6 August 1978), reigned as Pope from 21 June 1963 to his death in 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, he continued the Second Vatican Council which he closed in 1965, implementing its numerous reforms, and fostered improved ecumenical relations with Eastern Orthodox and Protestants, which resulted in many historic meetings and agreements. Montini served in the Vatican's Secretariat of State from 1922 to 1954. While in the Secretariat of State, Montini and Domenico Tardini were considered as the closest and most influential colleagues of Pope Pius XII, who in 1954 named him Archbishop of Milan, the largest Italian diocese. Montini later became the Secretary of the Italian Bishops Conference. John XXIII elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 1958, and after the death of John XXIII, Montini was considered one of his most likely successors.
Pope Paul VI (nicknamed the “Pilgrim Pope” for his unprecedented traveling) made a brief but historic visit to Jordan and Israel between January 4-6, 1964, the first such papal pilgrimage to Palestine. The aim of the trip was to open dialogue between the Catholic Church and other faiths and marked a turning point in healing relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. During the visit Paul met with Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople, the first meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches since 1438.