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Vatican II: 50 Years Later: Home

A guide to the Second Vatican Council in honor of the 50th Anniversary of its opening.

The Council

Second Vatican Council, 1962-1965
"An event of incalcuable importance has begun: the Church is awakening in people's souls."
- Romano Guardini

 
The Council Fathers gather in St. Peter's Basilica.
 

As so-called periti (expert advisers), about two hundred theologians (generally professors of theology) were called to Rome. Of the 2,908 legitimate delegates, 2,540 participated in the opening. Of the invited non-Catholic Christian churches and communities, seventeen were present through thirty-five representatives. In the end, twenty-eight non-Roman churches, including the Russian Orthodox church, were represented by ninety-three observers. There were eighty-six governments and international bodies represented at the opening.

The council met in four sessions: October 11 to December 8, 1962; September 29 to December 2, 1963; September 14 to November 21, 1964; and September 4 to December 8, 1965. Ten public sessions and 168 general assembly meetings were held.

From the time of its proclamation, the council was intended to have a double goal: reform within the Church and preparation for Christian and world unity. But already in the opening address this goal was expanded and deepened. The council was given the task of proclaiming the entire Christian truth "through a new effort" whereby it was of great consequence to distinguish between the truths and the "way in which they are proclaimed." Aggiornamento (Ital., "coming together") was to demonstrate the credibility of the Church, and the Church's relationship to non-Christians was to be improved.

- New Catholic Encyclopedia, Karl Rahner and Adolf Darlap

Books in Loyola's Collections

Key Dates & Documents

Dates

  • January 25, 1959 - Pope John XXIII announces the Council
  • December 25, 1961 - Humanae Salutis issued
  • October 11, 1962 - Council is opened
  • June 3, 1963 - Death of John XXIII
  • June 21, 1963 - Election of Pope Paul VI
  • December 8, 1965 - Council is closed

 John XXIII signs Humanae Salutis, the bull convoking the Council. December 25, 1961.

Documents

Media