Pope John XXIII

About Pope John XXIII

Pope John XXIII, ranked #199 in historical importance by MIT's Pantheon project, was a pivotal religious figure of the 20th century, serving as pontiff from 1958 until his death in 1963. His enduring historical significance stems largely from his decision to convene the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), a landmark event that modernized the Catholic Church, reformed liturgy, and significantly improved interfaith relations. This move fundamentally reshaped the global trajectory of Catholicism for decades to come.

In terms of modern digital visibility, Pope John XXIII garnered approximately 1.0 million annualized Wikipedia pageviews in 2025. While this indicates substantial interest, it warrants examination against his high historical standing, suggested by his #199 rank. For comparison, the 14th Dalai Lama, ranked #661, achieved the same 1.9 million views, and Ruhollah Khomeini, ranked #679, garnered 2.4 million views, illustrating an attention gap where figures with lower historical impact currently command greater online attention.

Despite the overall comparison to other religious figures, Pope John XXIII's online attention is experiencing a notable surge, with year-over-year views increasing by +152.2%. However, this upward trend shows recent deceleration, as his 2025 Momentum (comparing Q1 to Q3) dropped by -32%, suggesting the peak of recent interest may have already passed.