Mar 24, 2025

Saint John XXIII: A Shepherd’s Journey in Incorrupt Grace

 


Across the fields of faith, a humble shepherd guided the Church into a new era, his journey crowned not just by deeds but by a body untouched by time’s decay. Saint John XXIII, the Pope who convened Vatican II, walked a path of peace and renewal, his incorrupt remains a beacon of God’s favor (CCC 999). Here’s his story, traced through his final days, his preservation’s mystery, and his resting place—a shepherd’s legacy enduring for all to see.

1. Death in 1963: A Shepherd Lays Down His Staff

A. The End of a Pastoral Path

  • Final Trials and Fortitude

    • Fading Health: Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, born in 1881 in Sotto il Monte, Italy, faced a steep decline in his final years as Pope John XXIII. Elected in 1958 at 76, his papacy bore the strain of guiding Vatican II’s launch in 1962. By late 1962, stomach cancer gnawed at him—diagnosed but kept quiet—yet he carried on, his jovial spirit masking pain that grew acute in 1963.

    • Steady Heart: Even as illness gripped him, John’s resolve held. He blessed pilgrims from his window, penned final messages of hope, and prayed for the Council’s success. His humor endured—quipping about his “travel preparations”—a shepherd steadfast to the end, trusting God to tend his flock.

  • His Last Watch

    • Gentle Farewell: On June 3, 1963, John XXIII died at 81 in the Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, surrounded by aides and clergy. After days of agony, he slipped away at 7:49 p.m., his final words a murmured, “Lord, I am ready.” A global radio audience heard his passing announced, a moment of stillness for a world he’d stirred.

    • Soul at Rest: John’s readiness shone in his life—a farmer’s son turned priest, bishop, and pope, he lived simply, his faith deepened by war service and diplomatic trials. His death closed a papacy of openness, his heart at peace with his Shepherd.

B. Flock and World Respond

  • A Mourning Church

    • Deep Sorrow: The Vatican and faithful wept for “Good Pope John,” a shepherd whose warmth had softened a rigid Church. Cardinals, staff, and Romans who’d cheered his election mourned a father whose simplicity belied his transformative vision.

    • Quiet Holiness Unveiled: John’s humility hid his sanctity—his Vatican II call was bold, yet he shunned pomp. His death revealed a depth of grace, his personal writings (Journal of a Soul) showing a soul attuned to God, stirring awe among his flock.

  • Global Echoes

    • Widespread Grief: Beyond the Church, world leaders and millions mourned, from Kennedy to Khrushchev, touched by his peace efforts during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His funeral drew unprecedented crowds to St. Peter’s Square, a testament to his universal appeal.

    • Rising Veneration: Devotion swelled post-1963, with calls for his sainthood immediate—beatified in 2000 and canonized in 2014 by Pope Francis, his journey crowned as Saint John XXIII, a shepherd for all seasons.

2. Discovery of Incorruptibility: A Shepherd’s Body Spared

A. The Tomb Opened

  • Purpose of the Unveiling

    • Canonization Milestone: John XXIII’s body was exhumed on January 16, 2001, as part of preparations for his 2000 beatification, to transfer it from the Vatican Grottoes to St. Peter’s Basilica for veneration. This followed Church tradition to assess a saint’s remains.

    • Sacred Process: Conducted in the Vatican, the exhumation involved clergy, medical experts, and officials, adhering to protocol with reverence—his coffin opened 38 years after burial to honor his growing cult.

  • First Sight of the Miracle

    • Unexpected Wholeness: When his triple-layered coffin was breached, John’s body emerged remarkably intact. After nearly four decades, his face, hands, and form showed no decay—an astonishing preservation that defied time’s toll.

    • Wonderstruck Witnesses: Clergy and doctors gasped—Cardinal Virgilio Noè, overseeing the event, noted his “serene expression,” as if asleep. No artificial means fully explained it; his body’s state whispered of divine care.

B. The Shepherd Preserved

  • Condition of Grace

    • Living Likeness: In 2001, John’s skin remained soft, his features clear—eyes closed, mouth gentle—his hands and body whole, as if he’d just rested. Over time, slight darkening occurred, yet his form endured, a shepherd’s frame intact after 62 years by 2025.

    • Tested by Years: Initial embalming at death (standard for popes) couldn’t account for such preservation—experts deemed it “unusually intact,” a natural marvel persisting through decades, reexamined for his 2014 canonization.

  • Offered to the Faithful

    • Veneration’s Gift: Post-2001, John’s body was placed in a crystal reliquary beneath St. Peter’s Altar of Saint Jerome, unveiled for pilgrims to see—a shepherd returned to his flock in death as in life.

    • Pilgrim’s Call: His incorrupt form draws millions to St. Peter’s, a sign of his Vatican II renewal, inspiring prayers for peace and Church unity from across the globe.

C. A Body Kept for Ages

  • Safekeeping Measures

    • Crystal Sanctuary: Since 2001, John’s body rests in a sealed crystal reliquary, protected from air and decay, its Vatican setting a fortress for his natural state—a shepherd’s watch preserved.

    • Tender Guardianship: Vatican caretakers maintain the reliquary, their vigilance ensuring his presence endures, a duty reflecting his care for the Church.

  • Divine Testimony

    • Mark of Sanctity: John’s incorruptibility reflects his holiness—a pope of peace, his body a canvas of God’s favor, echoing his Vatican II call to open the Church’s windows to the world.

    • Faith’s Beacon: His preserved form lifts spirits, a link to the resurrection (CCC 999) and communion of saints (CCC 946-962), guiding believers to trust in God’s renewing love.

3. Enshrinement in St. Peter’s Basilica: A Shepherd’s Final Pasture

A. Vatican City’s Hallowed Ground

  • Legacy’s Cradle

    • Seat of His Shepherding: St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, was John XXIII’s papal home from 1958 to 1963. Here, he launched Vatican II, his voice ringing from the throne of Peter, making it a fitting resting place for his relics.

    • Pastoral Heartland: The basilica, a nexus of Catholic faith, enshrines his legacy as a shepherd for modernity, his presence a bridge between tradition and renewal.

  • Pilgrim’s Haven

    • Worldwide Draw: Millions flock yearly, especially on his feast day, October 11 (Vatican II’s opening), to venerate John, seeking his intercession for peace and Church vitality.

    • Living Faith: Masses, prayers, and Vatican II commemorations fill St. Peter’s, echoing John’s call to a living Church, his spirit woven into its rites.

B. The Shrine’s Embrace

  • Crystal Reliquary

    • Visible Shepherd: John’s incorrupt body lies in a crystal reliquary beneath the Altar of Saint Jerome, near St. Peter’s main nave—his darkened yet whole form in papal vestments, a gentle figure open to all.

    • Sacred Setting: Candles, flowers, and quiet reverence surround him, a space where his pastoral warmth shines through time.

  • Art and Memory

    • Life in Stone: Nearby mosaics and plaques recall his Vatican II vision, his peace efforts, and his farmer’s roots, guiding pilgrims through his journey.

    • Hope’s Witness: Stories of graces—peace restored, hearts renewed—frame the shrine, threading his influence into the present.

C. Veneration’s Lasting Flock

  • Acts of Devotion

    • Quiet Communion: Pilgrims pray before him, light candles, and seek his wisdom, their hearts echoing his “peace to all” from Vatican II’s dawn.

    • Shared Worship: Feast day Masses and papal events honor John, uniting the faithful in a shepherd’s care that spans centuries.

  • Miracles and Continuity

    • Grace Bestowed: Healings and reconciliations trace to John, from his lifetime diplomacy to modern prayers, his intercession a balm for a divided world.

    • Enduring Pasture: His relics and Vatican II’s fruits keep his spirit alive, a saint whose humble journey shepherds the Church into tomorrow.

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