Italian town remembers 'Good Pope John' ahead of canonisation While he may not be widely known internationally, pope John XXIII holds a special place in the heart of many Italians and nowhere more so than in his hometown of Sotto il Monte in the foothills of the Alps. Preparations for April 27, when John XXIII will be made a saint along with a more famous successor, John Paul II, are in full swing. A natural sound version of an AFPTV report.