Pope Paul VI, born Giovanni Battista Montini in 1897, served as the head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1963 until his death in 1978. He is best known for continuing the work of the Second Vatican Council, which aimed to modernize the Church and improve relations with other faiths. His papacy focused on social justice, peace, and the promotion of human rights. During his time as pope, Paul VI also addressed issues such as family planning and the role of women in the Church. His encyclical, Humanae Vitae, published in 1968, reaffirmed the Church's stance against artificial contraception, sparking significant debate within the Catholic community.