JOHN XXIII: (1881-1963) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1958-1963. Beatified in 2000 and Canonized

JOHN XXIII: (1881-1963) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1958-1963. Beatified in 2000 and Canonized

JOHN XXIII: (1881-1963) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1958-1963. Beatified in 2000 and Canonized in 2014. A highly unusual D.S., + Ange Roncalli, twice, as Apostolic Nuncio to France, two pages, 4to, Ankara, 26th December 1944. The partially printed document, completed in typescript, is an United States Air Transport Command Priority Identification Certificate in which authority is requested for Roncalli to travel on an Air Transport Command aircraft from Ankara to Cairo on 27th December 1944, detailing the reason for travel as 'To take up post as Papal Nuncio at Paris'. The document is also signed by various officials, one of whom certifies that 'the movement of this passenger is necessary and essential to the successful prosecution of the war, and that the mission of this passenger is of such urgency that transportation by air is necessary' and also provides details of Roncalli's permanent address at the Vatican City and records his personal weight as being 95kg and an authorised baggage allowance of 50kg. The second page of the document is a release declaration signed by Roncalli stating that the flight will be made at his own risk and responsibility, and in consideration of the permission extended to him by the United States he discharges the American government and its officers and agents 'from any and all claims, demands, action or causes of action, on account of my death or on account of any injury to me which may occur by reasons of the said flight….', further stating that the Vatican City should be notified in case of an emergency. A rare document relating to what is understood to be the first flight to have been made by a Pope, and a Saint. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG

On 22nd December 1944, during World War II, Pope Pius XII named Roncalli to be the new Apostolic Nuncio to the recently liberated France. In this capacity he would negotiate the retirement of bishops who had collaborated with the German occupying power. Roncalli left Ankara on 27th December 1944 and made a series of short haul flights taking him to Cairo, Beirut and Naples. On 28th December 1944 he arrived in Rome and the next day left for France to begin his new role.