List of popes by length of reign

The following is a list of popes by length of reign. It is split into the longest 12 and the shortest 11 reigns.

Popes
The term pope is the name several churches give to their highest spiritual leader. In English, the term usually means the head of the Catholic Church. The most accurate information about the popes is published every year by the Holy See in the .

Popes with the longest reigns

Including Peter, who was the first Bishop of Rome and the first pope, the list of the 13 longest-reigning popesCatholic Encyclopedia, "List of Popes"; retrieved 2011-11-9. includes:

 Saint Peter (30–64 AD or 33–67 AD): 34 years.
 Pope Pius IX (1846–1878):"Pope Pius IX," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 31 years, 7 months and 23 days (11,560 days).
 Pope John Paul II (1978–2005): 26 years, 5 months and 17 days (9,665 days)
 Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903):"Pope Leo XIII," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 25 years, 5 months and 1 day (9,281 days).
 Pope Pius VI (1775–1799):"Pope Pius VI," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 24 years, 6 months and 15 days (8,962 days). 
 Pope Adrian I (772–795):"Pope Adrian I," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 23 years, 10 months and 25 days (8,729 days).
 Pope Pius VII (1800–1823):"Pope Pius VII," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 23 years, 5 months and 7 days (8,560 days).
 Pope Alexander III (1159–1181):"Pope Alexander III," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 21 years, 11 months and 24 days (8,029 days).
 Pope Sylvester I (314–335):"Pope Sylvester I (314-335)," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 21 years, 11 months and 1 day (8,005 days).
 Pope Leo I (440–461):"Pope St. Leo I (the Great)," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 21 years, 1 month, and 13 days. (7,713 days).
 Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644):"Pope Urban VIII," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. 20 years, 11 months and 24 days (7,664 days).
 Pope Leo III (795-816): 20 years, 5 months, and 17 days (7,474 days).
 Pope Clement XI (1700–1721): 20 years, 3 months and 24 days (7,414 days).

Popes with the shortest reigns
The list of the 11 shortest-reigning popes includes:

 Pope Urban VII (September 15–September 27, 1590):"Pope Urban VII," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. reigned for 13 calendar days, died before consecration.
 Pope Boniface VI (April, 896):"Pope Boniface VI," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. reigned for 16 calendar days
 Pope Celestine IV (October 25–November 10, 1241):"Pope Celestine IV," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-3. reigned for 17 calendar days, died before consecration.
 Pope Theodore II (December, 897):"Pope Theodore II," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-3. reigned for 20 calendar days 
 Pope Sisinnius (January 15–February 4, 708):"Pope Sisinnius," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-3. reigned for 21 calendar days
 Pope Marcellus II (April 9–May 1, 1555):"Pope Marcellus II," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-3. reigned for 22 calendar days 
 Pope Damasus II (July 17–August 9, 1048):"Pope Damasus II", Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-8. reigned for 24 calendar days
 Pope Pius III (September 22–October 18, 1503):"Pope Pius III," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. reigned for 27 calendar days.
 Pope Leo XI (April 1–April 27, 1605):"Pope Leo XI", Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. reigned for 27 calendar days
 Pope Benedict V (May 22–June 23, 964):"Pope Benedict V," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-9. reigned for 33 calendar days.
 Pope John Paul I (33 Days-1978)

 List of Popes 
Category:Lists of popes
 Rank  Pope  Start  End  length (years)  length (days) 1  Saint Peter  30 or 33  64 or 68  31 years 38 days  — 2  Pope Pius IX  1846  1878  31 years, 7 months, 22 days  11560 3  Pope John Paul II  1978  2005  26 years, 5 months, 17 days  9666 4  Pope Leo XIII  1878  1903  25 years, 5 months  9281 5  Pope Pius XI  1775  1799  24 years, 6 months, 14 days  8962 6  Pope Adrian I  772  795  23 years, 10 months, 24 days  8729 7  Pope Pius VII  1800  1823  23 years, 5 months, 6 days  8560 8  Pope Alexander III  1159  1181  21 years, 11 months, 23 days  8029 9  Pope Sylvester I  314  335  21 years, 11 months, 1 days  8005 10  Pope Leo I  440  461  21 years, 1 months, 12 days  7713 11  Pope Urban VIII  1623  1644  20 years, 11 moths, 23 days  7664 12  Pope Leo III  795  816  20 years, 5 months, 17 days  7475 13  Pope Clement XI  1700  1721  20 years, 3 months, 24 days  7422 14  Pope Pius XII  1939  1958  19 years, 7 months, 7 days  7162 15  Pope Zephyrinus  198  217  19 years  — 16  Pope Innocent III  1198  1216  18 years, 6 months, 8 days  6765 17  Pope Paschal II  1099  1118  18 years, 5 months, 7 days  6737 18  Pope John XXII  1316  1334  18 ans, 3 mois, 27 jours  6694 19  Pope Damasus I  366  384  18 years, 2 months, 10 days  6647 20  Pope Vigilius  537  555  18 years, 2 months, 9 days  6645 21  Pope Benedict XIV  1740  1758  17 years, 8 months, 16 days  6469 22  Pope Pius XI  1922  1939  17 years, 5 months  6214 23  Pope Gregory IV  827  844  16 years, 1 months, 5 days   5880 24  Pope Eugene IV  1431  1447  15 years, 11 months, 20 days  5837 25  Pope Gregory II  715  731  15 years, 8 months, 23 days  5748