Vatican II and the Geographic Origin of Council Members

In 1959, Pope John XXIII announced that a Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican would be held, and in 1962, council members joined from all over the world to vote on dogmatic issues and, more broadly, the direction of the Catholic Church. One aspect of Vatican II that gained the interest of researchers was that the votes cast seemed to vary according to office, nation of service, and the amount of time the council members had served. This learning module explores some of the ways in which the voting at Vatican II varied according to the geographic region and other demographic factors.