Italian Pope (1881-1963), born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who ascended the papal throne in 1958 and served until his death. As the guiding force behind the historic Second Vatican Council, John ushered in the most sweeping reforms the Catholic Church had undergone in centuries. TLS in Italian, signed “Angelo Gius. Roncalli,” on both sides of a 5.5 x 4.25 Delegato Apostolica stationery card, September 12, 1940. Letter to the daughter of a count and countess from Bergamo, with reference to the casualties of World War II. In full (translated): "This note, which will be a surprise to you, tells you how my memory, even if silent, is always alive and faithful. Oh! how many times I come to look for it when I pray, and the cherished images of my life pass and pass before me! After 26 years since our beloved Monsignor left, [Bishop Giacomo Radini-Tedeschi] I still continue to live by him, by his teaching, and by the affectionate devotion that he inspires in me. And you, Contessina, how are you doing? And Pippo and Countess Maria, and the other relatives? This year silence, silence. But not of the heart though.
Circumstances took away the pleasure of returning to Italy but the sacrifice is very light if you think about the sacrifice millions and millions of human lives that war inexorably overwhelms. We hope that the great tribulation will be resolved for everyone in a great peace that will allow us to spend the last years of our lives in peace. My health is good. But the tree's foliage has now almost disappeared in the autumn whiteness. It is enough that the spirit remains ready and happy. Let it be so with all of me. Please remember me to Count Pippo, and tell him to forgive me my silence: and greet Countess Maria and the two sisters Anna and Maria Felice: all dear souls embellished by today's anniversary which is a wish and a blessing." In very good to fine condition, with trimmed edges and some light creasing.
Roncalli was in Bulgaria in the days leading up to World War II, optimistically writing in his journal in April 1939: 'I don't believe we will have a war.' When the war began, he was in Rome, meeting with Pope Pius XII on September 5, 1939. In 1940, the time of this letter, Roncalli was asked by the Vatican to devote more of his time to Greece; therefore, he made several visits in January and May of that year. He maintained close relations with the Jews and also intervened to convince Bulgaria's Tsar Boris III to cancel deportations of Greek Jews during the Nazi occupation of Greece.
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