The Year of Two Popes The Year of Two Popes How Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's resignation opened the door for a renewal of the Church — and made history Matthew Bunson Catholic , OSV Content , Church Structure , Papacy , Papacy , Papacy , Papal Documents , OSV Newsweekly , Vatican , In Focus , February 9, 2014 , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article Archive , Article

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Years from now, Catholics looking back at 2013 will likely express a similar amazement at the Year of Two Popes. The one notable difference, of course, is that the sede vacante — the interregnum between pontiffs — was not to bury a deceased pope and elect his successor, but to witness the departure of one pope through resignation and the election of a new Vicar of Christ under circumstances not encountered in more than 700 years. Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement last February that he would renounce the papacy at the end of that month sent a genuine shockwave through the Church and across the globe. His decision was not unprecedented, but it was certainly unique in the modern life of the Church. The events of the resignation and the conclave that followed became, ultimately, a testament to the two men at the heart of the decision, the pope emeritus and the man who followed him, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis. ‘I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome’ Pope Benedict XVI leads his final Angelus as pope from the window of his apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Feb. 24, 2013. CNS photo On the morning of Feb.

11, 2013, Pope Benedict informed a gathering of the cardinals in Rome and other officials of the Roman Curia that he was resigning. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, spoke for the shocked room of prelates — and ultimately for the whole Church — when he said: “Your moving message has resounded in this room like a lightning bolt in a calm sky. We’ve listened to you with a sense of shock, rather in total disbelief.” Pope Benedict had not rushed into the decision. His health had been declining, and he had grown increasingly concerned about his ability to govern the Church with the energy needed to deal with the crises of modernity and to implement the reforms that were needed. According to the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano , Pope Benedict had reached the decision to resign after his journey to Mexico and Cuba in the spring of 2012. Images from resignation of Pope Benedict XVI Once he made the announcement, the pontiff transformed his remaining days in the Vatican into a time of prayer and discernment. Huge crowds gathered to say farewell, and he used his addresses and homilies to impart poignant lessons of humility and service.

Speaking at his final general audience on Feb. 27, Benedict revealed his expectations for his remaining days. “I do not return to private life,” the pope said. “To a life of travel, meetings, receptions, conferences and so on. I do not abandon the cross, but remain in a new way near to the crucified Lord. I no longer wield the power of the office for the government of the Church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, within St. Peter’s bounds.” The next day, at an audience with the members of the College of Cardinals literally moments before leaving the apostolic palace forever, he likewise pledged himself to the new pope. “Among you,” he said, “among the College of Cardinals, there is also the future pope, to whom, here today, I already promise my unconditional reverence and obedience.” Keenly aware of the challenging situation facing his successor, Pope Benedict made every effort to assist him. He had explained his reasons for resigning, and he had vowed complete obedience to the pontiff who would follow him.

Pope Benedict then removed himself completely from the scene at the Vatican and made his way to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo while the cardinals performed their duties and while his place of retirement was being finished. Even with Pope Benedict’s thoughtful resignation, however, the cardinals still had to proceed with a conclave unlike any since 1294. About the Artist Jason Bach grew up drawing cartoons in Oregon and studied theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. Bach has made a name for himself in the Catholic community with his light-hearted comic takes on the Faith, including the series ‘Frank and Ben: Holy Rome-Mates’ following Pope Francis’ election. This cartoon was commissioned by Our Sunday Visitor in honor of the one-year anniversary of Pope Emeritus Benedict’s resignation. Bach’s website is jasonbachcartoons.com . Two popes embrace Resignations from the papacy are not unheard of in the historical life of the Church. Pope Gregory XII voluntarily resigned in 1415 in order to bring an end to the Great Western Schism, but the closer historical parallel — and one that Pope Benedict clearly looked to in making his own decision — was Pope St.

Celestine V, a hermit who’d been elected pope in 1294 at the age of 80 in order to end a deadlocked conclave that had gone on for some two years. Untrained to be pontiff and ill-suited for the office, Pope Celestine prudently resigned before a consistory of cardinals at Naples, Italy. Celestine’s successor, Pope Boniface VIII, ordered the pope emeritus to be taken into custody to prevent his misuse by the many scheming enemies of the Church. Pope Celestine died two years later in the monastic cell he had desired. The Church and the Pope The following details the responsibilities and rights of the Holy Father according to the Code of Canon Law, Canons 331 to 333 — including should he resign from office. “The bishop of the Roman Church, in whom continues the office given by the Lord uniquely to Peter, the first of the Apostles, and to be transmitted to his successors, is the head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ, and the pastor of the universal Church on earth.

By virtue of his office he possesses supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise freely. Pope Benedict XVI waves to the crowd Havana, Cuba, in 2012. CNS photo The Roman Pontiff obtains full and supreme power in the Church by his acceptance of legitimate election together with episcopal consecration. Therefore, a person elected to the supreme pontificate who is marked with episcopal character obtains this power from the moment of acceptance. If the person elected lacks episcopal character, however, he is to be ordained a bishop immediately. If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone. By virtue of his office, the Roman Pontiff not only possesses power over the universal Church but also obtains the primacy of ordinary power offer all particular churches and groups of them. Moreover, this primacy strengthens and protects the proper, ordinary, and immediate power which bishops possess in the particular churches entrusted to their care. In fulfilling the office of supreme pastor of the Church, the Roman Pontiff is always joined in communion with the other bishops and with the universal Church.

He nevertheless has the right, according to the needs of the Church, to determine the manner, whether personal or collegial, of exercising this office. No appeal or recourse is permitted against a sentence or decree of the Roman Pontiff The cardinals in 2013 understood clearly that the pope they were electing faced not only crises from many directions, including scandals besetting the Vatican — financial, moral, bureaucratic — and the already awesome burden of the papacy, but the enormously difficult task of succeeding a living pope. Their choice proved as surprising as the very resignation only a few weeks before — Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina. Far from being overwhelmed by the challenges, the new pontiff seemed from the start to transcend them with immense charity, pastoral energy and genuine aplomb. Pope Francis wasted little time in going to see his predecessor. The world saw images that were truly unparalleled: two popes — both in white, one retired and one freshly chosen — in a fraternal embrace. They were not rivals for the papacy. The one had followed the other in an orderly and legal fashion, and there was no need for the resigned pope to be hidden away.

Pope Emeritus Benedict returned to the Vatican City State on May 2, 2013, to settle into his place of retirement, the Mater Ecclesiae convent on the grounds of the Vatican Gardens. Pope Francis was there to welcome him home. The two have a good working relationship, facilitated by Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the prefect of the papal household who has remained also secretary to Pope Emeritus Benedict and who has described himself as a “bridge” between the current and former popes. They share a bond that is utterly unique, and Pope Francis is blessed to be able to consult with someone else who understands so personally the enormity of the Petrine ministry. The pope has made it a point to visit Pope Emeritus Benedict, including just before Christmas, and he has invited him to attend various public events. In answer to the media question as to whether he might feel under the shadow of the former pope, Pope Francis embraced Pope Benedict’s unfinished encyclical on faith, made his own contributions to it and promulgated it as his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei (“The Light of Faith”).

In July, Pope Francis encouraged his predecessor to attend the consecration of the Vatican City State to the protection of St. Michael the Archangel. The presence of the pope emeritus was significant because Pope Francis saw the consecration as a vital act of advancing a spiritual reform of the Roman Curia that Pope Benedict had started but had lacked the vigor to bring to fruition. Once again, the occasion was marked by the image of two popes, both in white, embracing, but with the pope emeritus taking a conspicuously secondary role to his successor. A life of prayer and solitude The gathering for the consecration demonstrated again that the prayerful, humble and nearly serene way that Pope Benedict went about his resignation had set the tone for his life as pope emeritus. Good to his pledge, he’s remained largely away from the public spotlight. He’s been known to leave Mater Ecclesiae on occasion and enjoys visits from friends, especially his brother, Georg. Otherwise, Pope Benedict has been very reticent to be in public save for some very specific circumstances. When Georg underwent a medical checkup in Rome on Jan. 4, the pope emeritus visited him in the hospital and the two celebrated Georg’s 90th birthday on Jan.

15 in the Vatican with a classical music concert. Pope Francis shakes hands with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at Mater Ecclesiae monastery at the Vatican Dec. 23, 2013. CNS photo Likewise, Pope Emeritus Benedict traditionally met with his former students, the “Ratzinger Schülerkreis,” every year at Castel Gandolfo. Last September, for the first time, he did not take part in the annual meeting, but he celebrated Mass with his former students in the chapel of the governorate of Vatican City State. And then there was his decision to write a letter to the militant Italian atheist and mathematician Piergiorgio Odifreddi, which was published in extract form in September by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica and printed in its entirety in November by the German-language agency Kath.net. The pope emeritus wrote the letter in reply to Odifreddi’s 2011 book “Dear Pope, I’m Writing to You.” The papal response was wide ranging, but notable was Pope Emeritus Benedict’s defense of his record in the clergy sex abuse scandal. He wrote: “I have never tried to hide these things.

That the power of evil penetrates even to this point in the interior life of the faith is, for us, a suffering which, on the one hand, we must endure, while on the other hand, we must at the same time do everything possible so that cases such as these never occur again.” The letter was important to him to express a defense of the Church’s authentic record in the scandal, but also to continue his own intellectual outreach to atheists and secularists in a postmodern world. It additionally confirmed what his guests have told to the press after their encounters with him. His health remains frail, but his mind is as sharp as ever. Mexican seminarians hold a sign in Spanish last February saying, “The greatness of a man in the humility of a pope.” CNS photo In an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero last October, Archbishop Gänswein gave some details as to Pope Emeritus Benedict’s daily routine. He prays, listens to music, reads, maintains a very active correspondence and has many visitors. He also takes daily walks with Archbishop Gänswein in the grove behind the monastery and prays the Rosary.

“The day,” he added, “is well planned.” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI remains faithful to his promise of obedience to the new pontiff. When asked about the danger of having “a pope and an anti-pope,” Archbishop Gänswein said to Il Messaggero: “There is a reigning pope and a pope emeritus. Whoever knows Benedict XVI knows that this danger does not exist. He has never interfered and does not interfere in the governance of the Church; it is not part of his style. The theologian Ratzinger also knows that his every word could attract the public’s attention and whatever he said would be read as being for or against his successor.” A year later A year after the shocking resignation it is possible to see it as an act of service to the Church, but not the last in an extraordinary life of service. The resignation created the opportunity for his successor to push ahead with the New Evangelization, the reform and renewal of the Roman Curia, and the proclamation of the Gospel to a troubled world. Pope Benedict lacked the strength to achieve them.

Additional Reading Papal similarities outweigh differences As his successor Pope Francis carries forward as Vicar of Christ with zeal and a surprising papal style, he does so with the certain foundation provided by his predecessors, especially his most immediate one. Francis is aided further, as is the entire Church, by the humble presence of the pope emeritus who will remain at service, in prayer, until God calls him home. At his last Angelus address on Sunday, Feb. 24, the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Pope Benedict said: “The Lord is calling me to ‘climb the mountain,’ to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church. Indeed, if God is asking me to do this, it is so that I can continue to serve the Church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength.” Matthew Bunson is OSV senior correspondent.

Paul VI, first pope to visit Philippines, to be beatified soon | INQUIRER.net Paul VI, first pope to visit Philippines, to be beatified soon Philippine Daily Inquirer / 08:16 PM May 04, 2014 Pope Paul VI. AFP FILE PHOTO ROME — After canonizing Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, the Holy See is now looking into beatifying Pope Paul VI, possibly as early as October when bishops from around the world meet in the Vatican for the Synod of Bishops on the Family. Raising Paul VI to the status of “blessed” has become a strong possibility after medical and theological experts reportedly approved as a miracle a United States case in the 1990s involving a fetus with brain damage whose mother had refused physicians’ advice that it be aborted. After reportedly praying to the late Pope, the mother gave birth to the child, who grew up healthy and normal. According to the Italian weekly magazine Credere of the Pauline Fathers, cardinals and bishops who are members of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints will meet on May 5 to confirm the miracle.

ADVERTISEMENT Once the bishops and cardinals approve the miracle, Pope Francis will likely proclaim Paul VI’s beatification in October at the end of the Synod of Bishops, according to Credere. One of only three co-chairpersons appointed by Pope Francis to preside over the synod is Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. Pope from 1963 to 1978, Paul VI promulgated the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which St. John XXIII called in 1962, and issued the controversial encyclical “Humanae Vitae,” reaffirming the Church’s teaching against abortion and contraception. Paul VI has special relevance to the Philippines, as he was the first pope to visit the country—in 1970, when an attempt on his life was made at the Manila International Airport. Earlier, according to another Italian magazine, Vatican Insider, medical experts said there was no scientific explanation for the US case and theological experts of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Vatican agency in charge of beatification and canonization, approved it as a miracle.

Credere said the miracle attributed to Paul VI involved a case in California in which a fetus was in a critical condition due to complications during the 24th week of the pregnancy and doctors predicted the baby would die inside the mother’s womb. “The diagnosis was severe,” the magazine reported. “The baby would probably die inside the uterus, or at best, would be born with seriously damaged kidneys.” Doctors recommended abortion, but instead the mother reportedly placed an image of Pope Paul VI and a relic from his vestments on her stomach and began praying to him. Inexplicably, the baby was born healthy in the 39th week of the mother’s pregnancy. Doctors, Credere reported, closely monitored the child’s health, particularly its kidneys, until age 12. In 2003, the Vatican launched an inquiry into the case and medical experts officially confirmed last year that the child’s recovery had no scientific or medical explanation, Credere said. Born in 1897 in a small town in the northern Italian province of Brescia, Giovanni Battista Montini was cardinal archbishop of Milan before he was elected to succeed John XXIII in 1963.

Pope Paul VI implemented the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and before John Paul II, became the most traveled Pope in history, earning him the title “Pilgrim Pope.” He was the first pope to leave Italy since 1809 and the first pope to visit North America, Asia and Africa. He also pressed on with the ecumenical spirit unleashed by the Second Vatican Council and met with leaders of the Orthodox, Anglican and non-Catholic Christian churches. He was the fist pope to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the first pope to address the United Nations General Assembly during his US visit in 1965. Paul VI made a pastoral visit to the Philippines in 1970, the first by an incumbent pope to the then only Christian nation in Asia. But the visit was marred right at his arrival at the Manila International Airport on Nov. 20 when a Bolivian surrealist painter, Benjamin Mendoza y Amor Flores, lunged at him with a 33-centimeter knife. The Pope’s personal secretary, Msgr. Pasquale Macchi, broke the attack by grabbing Mendoza and throwing him to the ground. Philippine security officers then subdued and arrested Mendoza.

Paul VI wrote eight encyclicals that reaffirmed the real presence in the Holy Eucharist (“Mysterium Fidei”) and mandatory clerical celibacy (“Sacerdotalis Caelibatus”), and restated the social teachings of the Church on peace, justice, and development (“Populorum Progressio”). But his most controversial encyclical was “Humanae Vitae” (Of Human Life). Subtiled “On the Regulation of Birth” and issued in 1968, it met a storm of protest and criticism from the secular and liberal media in Europe and the United States and even from Catholic circles for restating the traditional ban on contraception. Paul VI said he was not surprised by the reaction. “In 20 years,” he told a cardinal, “they’ll call me a prophet.” In 1978, he reaffirmed the teaching of “Humanae Vitae,” and papal biographers have since noted that controversies over his restatements of mandatory clerical celibacy and the Church’s staunch ban on contraception overshadowed the last years of his pontificate.

In his 1993 biography of Paul VI, British Vatican journalist Peter Hebblethwaite called the late pontiff “The First Modern Pope.” Paul VI was declared “Servant of God” by Pope John Paul II in 1993 and “Venerable” by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. The canonization of well-loved Popes John XXIII and John Paul II on April 27 has increased public interest in other popes who are on the path to sainthood. Other popes whose causes for sainthood may have been given a push because of the euphoria over the joint papal canonization last week are Blessed Pius IX, the longest serving pontiff in history (1846-1878); Venerable Pius XII, the predecessor of St. John XXIII, and “Servant of God” John Paul I, who was succeeded by St. John Paul II. Pius IX (Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti; 1792-1878) was beatified along with John XXIII by John Paul II in 2000.

He was the last sovereign of Rome and the Papal States that fell completely to Giuseppe Garibaldi and the nationalist armies in 1870. He defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1848 and called the First Vatican Council in 1868, which defined papal infallibility and the divine inspiration of the Bible. Pius XII (Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 1876-1958) was pope from 1939 to 1958 and thus guided the Church through the very difficult years of World War II. A skillful diplomat, he opposed communism and while the Vatican was neutral during the war, condemned race-based killings and aided Italian Jews. But some sectors of the media and popular culture have accused him of silence and inaction in the face of the mass slaughter of Jews. Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI have defended the record of Pius XII. Paul VI opened the process for his canonization in 1965 during the final session of the Second Vatican Council.

John Paul II in 1990 made him a “Servant of God,” the first step to sainthood, and Benedict XVI in 2009 declared him “Venerable.” John Paul I (Albino Luciani; 1912-1978) was one of the shortest reigning popes in history. As patriarch of Venice like John XXIII, he was elected on Aug. 25, 1978, to succeed Paul VI and became the first pope to adopt a double name, as a tribute, he said, to John XXIII and Paul VI, who made him cardinal. But he died a month later, on Sept. 28, 1978. A conclave soon after elected Karol Wojtyla from Poland, who, in recognition of his predecessor, chose the name “John Paul II.” Hebblethwaite called the improbable transition as “The Year of the Three Popes.” Although he reigned for only a month, John Paul I immediately captivated the world for his charming smile, winning simplicity, and paternal warmth.

In 1990, Brazilian bishops petitioned Pope John Paul II to declare him a saint, opening his canonization process. The joint canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II by Pope Francis in the presence of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on April 27 was billed as “the day of the four popes” by the Italian media and occasioned the biggest religious gathering in the European continent, with at least a million people packing St. Peter’s Square and surrounding areas. “Their causes of canonization were completed around the same period, so it is appropriate that they be canonized together … in the presence of two popes: Francis and Benedict XVI,” said Fr. Gregory Ramon Gaston, rector of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino. Despite the popularity of the canonization among Catholics worldwide and the financial windfall it has reaped for the ailing Italian economy, some sectors of the media have criticized the canonization process for having been hastened for the two popes, who have their own partisans.

John XXIII (Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, 1881-1963) is held up by progressive Catholics and the liberal media as a modern pope for having called the Second Vatican Council, which sought to modernize the Church. In contrast, John Paul II is portrayed as a conservative for having helped crush communism in Eastern Europe and upholding traditional Church teachings on sex and family and other contentious issues; he is criticized in liberal sectors for allegedly setting back the Church and checking the reforms of Vatican II. Liberal Catholics and the media criticized Pope Benedict XVI when he waived the requirement for the mandatory five-year observance of any candidate for sainthood who died of natural causes. “In recent causes, the petition must be presented no sooner than five years after the death of the Servant of God,” declares the “Divinus Perfectionis Magister,” the 1983 apostolic constitution that refined the canonization process. Ironically, the charter was issued by Pope John Paul II himself. Benedict XVI beatified his predecessor in 2011, only six years after John Paul II’s death.

But Catholics who championed John Paul II’s canonization criticized the Holy See for waiving the second miracle required of a candidate for sainthood so that John XXIII could be proclaimed saint immediately like the Polish pope. Pope Francis waived the requirement, saying that John XXIII’s important role in calling the Second Vatican Council was enough to merit him sainthood. He also set the canonization of the two popes together as an “inclusive” gesture to unite both progressive and conservative strands of the Church. Despite the alleged fast-tracking of their causes, John XXIII and John Paul II became only the fourth and fifth popes of the second millennium to be declared saints. Other pope saints of the last 1,000 years are Celestine V of the 13th century, Pius V of the 16th century, and Pius X, who was canonized 60 years ago. Fr. Pedro Luis Gonzalez, a retired professor at the Angelicum in Rome and former dean of theology of the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila, said the joint canonization should not be seen as either hastening or retiring further the canonization process.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a new policy of either speeding up or slowing down the process,” said Gonzalez, who’s now prior of the Blessed Trinity Church religious community of Spanish Dominicans in Rome’s fashionable Via Condotti district near the Spanish Steps. A pope traditionally visits the church on Dec. 8, when he pays tribute to the nearby memorial to the Immaculate Conception. But Gonzalez said he welcomed the fact that the joint canonization has renewed interest in the causes of other papal candidates for sainthood. He described the causes of Pius XII and Paul VI as “certainly a good idea,” as they were “extraordinary figures who have been misunderstood.” Warts and all, he called the pope candidates as “holy men who led the Church through difficult times.” “Holiness and heroic virtues are the main requirements for sainthood,” Gonzalez said. RELATED STORY Pope John Paul I | Religion-wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Pope John Paul I Other Popes named John Paul Pope John Paul I ( Latin : Ioannes Paulus PP.

I, Italian : Giovanni Paolo I), born Albino Luciani, (17 October 1912 – 28 September 1978), reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and as Sovereign of Vatican City from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal history , resulting in the most recent Year of Three Popes . John Paul I was the first Pope born in the 20th century. In Italy he is remembered with the affectionate appellatives of "Il Papa del sorriso" ("The smiling Pope") and "Il sorriso di Dio" ("God's smile"). Contents Early years Birthplace at Via XX Agosto Albino Luciani was born on 17 October 1912 in Forno di Canale (now Canale d'Agordo) in Belluno , a province of the Veneto region in northern Italy . He was the son of Giovanni Luciani (1872? - 1952), a bricklayer, and Bortola Tancon (1879? - 1948).

Albino was followed by two brothers, Federico (1915 - 1916) and Edoardo (1917 - 2008), and a sister, Antonia (b. 1920). Luciani entered the minor seminary of Feltre in 1923, where his teachers found him "too lively", and later went on to the major seminary of Belluno. During his stay at Belluno, he attempted to join the Jesuits but was denied by the seminary's rector , Bishop Giosuè Cattarossi . Ordained a priest on 7 July 1935, Luciani then served as a curate in his native Forno de Canale before becoming a professor and the vice-rector of the Belluno seminary in 1937. Among the different subjects, he taught dogmatic and moral theology , canon law , and sacred art . In 1941, Luciani began to seek a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University , which required at least one year's attendance in Rome .

However, the seminary's superiors wanted him to continue teaching during his doctoral studies; the situation was resolved by a special dispensation of Pope Pius XII himself, on 27 March 1941. His thesis (The origin of the human soul according to Antonio Rosmini ) largely attacked Rosmini's theology, and earned him his doctorate magna cum laude . Stone commemorating Luciani as Patriarch of Venice In 1947, he was named vicar general to Bishop Girolamo Bortignon , OFM Cap , of Belluno. Two years later, in 1949, he was placed in charge of diocesan catechetics . On 15 December 1958, Luciani was appointed Bishop of Vittorio Veneto by Pope John XXIII . He received his episcopal consecration on the following 27 December from Pope John himself, with Bishops Bortignon and Gioacchino Muccin serving as co- consecrators . As a bishop, he participated in all the sessions of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

On 15 December 1969, he was appointed Patriarch of Venice by Pope Paul VI and took possession of the archdiocese on 3 February 1970. Pope Paul created Luciani Cardinal-Priest of S. Marco in the consistory of 5 March 1973. Catholics were struck by his humility , a prime example being his embarrassment when Paul VI once removed his papal stole and put it on Patriarch Luciani. He recalls the occasion in his first Angelus thus: [1] “ Pope Paul VI made me blush to the roots of my hair in the presence of 20,000 people, because he removed his stole and placed it on my shoulders. Never have I blushed so much! ” Papacy August 1978 conclave Luciani was elected on the fourth ballot of the August 1978 papal conclave .

He chose the regnal name of John Paul, the first double name in the history of the papacy , explaining in his famous Angelus that he took it as a thankful honour to his two immediate predecessors: John XXIII , who had named him a bishop, and Paul VI , who had named him Patriarch of Venice and a cardinal . He was also the first (and so far only) pope to use "the first" in his regnal name . In Italy he is remembered with the affectionate appellatives of "Il Papa del Sorriso" (The Smiling Pope) and "Il Sorriso di Dio" ( God 's Smile). John Paul I pictured in a coin. Observers have suggested that his selection was linked to the rumored divisions between rival camps within the College of Cardinals : Conservatives and Curialists supporting Cardinal Giuseppe Siri , who favored a more conservative interpretation or even correction of Vatican II 's reforms. Those who favored a more liberal interpretation of Vatican II's reforms, and some Italian cardinals supporting Cardinal Giovanni Benelli , who was opposed because of his " autocratic " tendencies.

The dwindling band of supporters of Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli , who was allegedly so confident that he was papabile that he went on a crash diet to fit the right size of white cassock when elected. Outside the Italians, now themselves a lessening influence within the increasingly internationalist College of Cardinals , were figures like Karol Cardinal Wojtyła . Over the days following the conclave, cardinals effectively declared that with general great joy they had elected " God 's candidate". Argentine Eduardo Francisco Cardinal Pironio stated that, "We were witnesses of a moral miracle." And later, Mother Teresa commented: "He has been the greatest gift of God, a sunray of God's love shining in the darkness of the world." Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad , who was present at his installation, collapsed and died during the ceremony, and the new Pope prayed over him in his final moments. Church policies Servant of God Humanizing the papacy After his election, John Paul quickly made several decisions that would "humanize" the office of pope, admitting publicly he had turned scarlet when Paul VI had named him the Patriarch of Venice.

He was the first modern pope to speak in the singular form, using 'I' instead of the royal we , though the official records of his speeches were often rewritten in more formal style by traditionalist aides, who reinstated the royal we in press releases and in L'Osservatore Romano . He was the first to refuse the sedia gestatoria , until Vatican pressure convinced him of its need, in order to allow the faithful to see him. He is also remembered for being the first to refuse the traditional papal coronation. Instead, he chose an "investiture" to commence his brief papacy. One of his remarks, reported in the press, was that we should see God not only as Father, but also as Mother. This remark reinforced the image of a pastoral pope. Encyclical on devolution John Paul I intended to prepare an encyclical in order to confirm the lines of the Second Vatican Council ("an extraordinary long-range historical event and of growth for the Church," he said) and to enforce the Church's discipline in the life of priests and the faithful.

In discipline, he was a reformist, instead, and was the author of initiatives such as the devolution of one per cent of each church's entries for the poor churches in the Third World. The visit of Jorge Rafael Videla , president of the Argentine junta , to the Vatican caused considerable controversy, especially when the Pope reminded Videla about human rights violations taking place in Argentina during the so-called Dirty War . Opening of the Second Session of Vatican II Moral theology Main article: Moral theology of John Paul I The moral theology of John Paul I has been described by some as being very liberal, to the extent that it may have stood a chance of reversing the Church's opposition to birth control if he had lived longer. For this reason, it has been cited as a significant part of Pope John Paul I conspiracy theories . Personality He was regarded as a skilled communicator and writer, and has left behind some writings. His book Illustrissimi , written while he was a Cardinal, is a series of letters to a wide collection of historical and fictional persons. Among those still available are his letters to Jesus Christ, [2] the Biblical King David, [3] Figaro the Barber, [4] Marie Theresa of Austria [5] and Pinocchio.

[6] Others 'written to' included Mark Twain , Charles Dickens and Christopher Marlowe . John Paul impressed people with his personal warmth. There are reports that within the Vatican he was seen as an intellectual lightweight not up to the responsibilities of the papacy, although David Yallop ("In God's Name") says that this is the result of a whispering campaign by people in the Vatican who were opposed to Luciani's policies. In the words of John Cornwell , "they treated him with condescension"; one senior cleric discussing Luciani said "they have elected Peter Sellers ." [7] Critics contrasted his sermons mentioning Pinocchio to the learned intellectual discourses of Pius XII or Paul VI . Visitors spoke of his isolation and loneliness, and the fact that he was the first pope in decades not to have had either a diplomatic role (like Pius XI and John XXIII) or Curial role (like Pius XII and Paul VI ) in the Church. His personal impact, however, was twofold: his image as a warm, gentle, kind man captivated the world. This image was immediately formed when he was presented to the crowd in St. Peter's Square following his election.

The warmth of his presence made him a much-loved figure before he even spoke a word. The media in particular fell under his spell. He was a skilled orator. Whereas Pope Paul VI spoke as if delivering a doctoral thesis, John Paul I produced warmth, laughter, a 'feel good factor,' and plenty of media-friendly sound bites. John Paul was the first pope to admit that the prospect of the papacy had daunted him to the point that other cardinals had to encourage him to accept it. He strongly suggested to his aides and staff that he believed he was unfit to be pope. Though Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo explicitly required that John Paul be crowned, he controversially refused to have the millennium-old traditional Papal Coronation and wear the Papal Tiara . [8] He instead chose to have a simplified Papal Inauguration Mass . John Paul I used as his motto Humilitas . In his notable Angelus of 27 August delivered on the first day of his papacy, he impressed the world with his natural friendliness.

[1] Death Tomb of John Paul I in the Vatican Grottoes John Paul I was found dead sitting up in his bed shortly before dawn on 29 September 1978, [9] just 33 days into his papacy. The Vatican reported that the near-66-year-old Pope most likely died the previous night of a heart attack . However, a degree of uncertainty accompanies this diagnosis since an autopsy was not performed. This uncertainty, coupled with inconsistent statements made following the Pope's death, has led to a number of conspiracy theories concerning his death . These statements concern who found the Pope's body, at what time he was found, and what papers the Pope had in his hand. Immediately following the Pope's death, rumours began. One rumour claimed that a visiting prelate, Nikodim , had recently died from drinking " poisoned tea" prepared for the pope. The visiting prelate actually had died some days earlier and there was no evidence of any poison, but again, no autopsy was performed because Nikodim was embalmed almost immediately. Another unsubstantiated rumour described the Pope's plans to dismiss senior Vatican officials over allegations of corruption.

The suddenness of his embalming raised suspicions that it had been done to prevent an autopsy. The Vatican insisted that a papal autopsy was prohibited under Vatican law. However, one source (the diary of Agostino Chigi) reports that an autopsy was carried out on the remains of Pope Pius VIII in 1830. Nevertheless, suspicions persist to this day, particularly given the sweeping changes to Vatican personnel this Pope had already penned, along with the Mafia-riddled Italy of the time, and the number of subsequent murders of officials investigating the Vatican Bank along with its associates. [10] Legacy Papal Arms of John Paul I Other than the abandonment of the Papal Coronation , John Paul I was not in office long enough to influence any major practical changes within the Vatican or the Roman Catholic Church. The manner of his death raised many questions about the conduct of senior Vatican figures. Even among those who dismiss conspiracy theories, there are some that admit that the Vatican mishandled the circumstances of his death. For others, the suspicion remains that the 'smiling pope,' who charmed the world, died in a manner that has yet to be explained adequately.

Path towards beatification Shortly after his death, the call came from across the Catholic world to open the process towards sainthood. However, the process only formally began in 1990 with the petition by 226 Brazilian bishops, including four cardinals. On 26 August 2002, Bishop Vincenzo Savio announced the start of the preliminary phase to collect documents and testimonies necessary to start the process of canonisation . On 8 June 2003 the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave its assent to the work. On 23 November, the process formally opened in the Cathedral Basilica of Belluno alongside Cardinal José Saraiva Martins . The Diocesan inquiry subsequently concluded on 11 November 2006 at Belluno with a solemn Mass. In July 2008, the Vatican pronounced in favour of beatification in due course for John Paul I, drawing upon the testimony of Giuseppe Denora di Altamura who claimed to have been cured of cancer. John Paul II on his predecessor A statute of John Paul I.

Karol Józef Cardinal Wojtyła was elected to succeed John Paul I as Supreme Pontiff on Monday, 16 October 1978. The next day he celebrated Mass together with the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel . After the Mass, he delivered his first Urbi et Orbi (a traditional blessing) message, broadcast worldwide via radio. In it he pledged fidelity to the Second Vatican Council and paid tribute to his predecessor: [11] “ What can we say of John Paul I? It seems to us that only yesterday he emerged from this assembly of ours to put on the papal robes—not a light weight. But what warmth of charity, nay, what 'an abundant outpouring of love'—which came forth from him in the few days of his ministry and which in his last Sunday address before the Angelus he desired should come upon the world. This is also confirmed by his wise instructions to the faithful who were present at his public audiences on faith, hope and love.

” Media In 2006, the Italian Public Broadcasting Service, RAI , produced a television miniseries about the life of John Paul I, called Papa Luciani: Il sorriso di Dio (literally, "Pope Luciani: God's smile"). It stars Italian comedian Neri Marcorè in the titular role. The Fall's song "Hey! Luciani" is about Pope John Paul I. Patti Smith 's recitative song "Wave" is about Luciani, and her Wave album is dedicated to him. The 1990 film The Godfather Part III included the assassination theory of Pope John Paul I, although the character's lay name differs from the actual Pope's. Dan Brown 's 2000 novel Angels & Demons also repeats the assassination claim, putting the blame specifically on Propaganda Due . Portuguese author Luis Miguel Rocha's 2008 fiction book The Last Pope avers that John Paul I was assassinated. Robert Littell 's 2002 book The Company also portrays John Paul I's death as a KGB -directed assassination. References Ex-Catholics For Christ - Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

THE YEAR OF THREE POPES Even though he enjoys the title Christ's 'infallible vicar,' yet on his deathbed, he requests prayers for his soul (Pontiff, p. 111.) The same can also be said of John Paul II, while in Poland in 2002, he passionately asked millions of his fellow Poles to pray for him, when he was dead. (Incidentally, he was the last pope to wear the triple tiara.) How sad and tragic it is that Catholics have no assurance of salvation, while the Bible promises it now (John 5:24), and encourages the believer to be sure of it (2 Pet. 1:10.) Before Paul died, he left strict instructions as to how his cardinals would vote to replace him. Firstly, no cardinal over the age of 80 was allowed to vote. Secondly, there was to be no group voting or rigging, each member was to vote with his own heart, under 'the Holy Spirit's guidance.' Thirdly, under no circumstances, were any of the cardinals allowed to discuss with anybody who they voted for, and that included each other.

It would also go without saying that, if anybody were caught using an electric bug to transmit before the world was notified who the next pope would be, such an individual would be gravely punished, and possible even excommunicated. It should be pointed out to the reader that when these prelates are in Rome, each one of them is confined to a cell, where he will live for as long as it takes to vote in the next pope. Food rations are implemented and all outside contact with the world is strictly controlled. He worried about the following problems: Alarming details of his pre-Vatican days: One controversial author had the following to say: "Dealing with the past of Paul VI, it states that from 1936-1950 he was prominent in a vast network of espionage that covered some of the countries, on both sides, involved in the Second World War. It goes on to say that he was a principle shareholder, with a Marontine Archbishop (the Maronites are a group of Eastern Catholics, named after their founder, Maro, and mainly settled in Lebanon) of a chain of brothels in Rome.

He found the money for various films, such as the erotic Temptations of Marianne, which he financed on condition that the leading role was given to a certain actress named Patrica Novarini. When not working at the movie studio, this young lady performed as a striptease artist at the Crazy Horse Saloon, an exclusive night-club in Rome." Admired the work of Satanist Cardonnel who likened God to Stalin, and also to Satan. How, unlike Pius XII, Paul never publicly disclosed his inner thoughts to his close circle of confidants and colleagues. Yet, when he was asked to examine Vatican finances, under Pius' papacy, he had to report that Paul's nephews had been financially abusing Vatican funds. For this honest report, he - to his surprise - was sent into exile, with a word of encouragement by Spellman - Milan was to be his new home.

(In La Popessa we read the following account of Paul's enforced departure from the Vatican: "Before dawn on a cold, drizzling morning in early January 1955, Giovanni Montini - with tears in his eyes and carrying a single suitcase - climbed into a friends battered old truck, laden with ninety cases of ageing monsignors books, and drove off" (p. 364.) It was once estimated that his cross and chain were worth $100,000. Would sit between his two aides, while they enjoyed watching western films; he enjoyed nature films. (Only one television set dominated this Pontiff's life in the Vatican.) In Paul's day, its size was a modest '21 inch.' Whenever bishops make their annual trip to Rome (Ad-Lima), they would each be expected to present the pope with financial gifts - some were more than others depending on the size of their diocese. Figures like $10,000 per bishop, is about right. Cardinal Spellman would present the pope with $100,000. This lucrative revenue for Rome still continues to this day. Paul considered abdicating, like pope Celestine did in 1294.

Refused to bestow de facto recognition on the State of Israel. His favourite recording was the stage musical, Jesus Christ Superstar! Like Paul VI, he would endorse another Satanist, this time, Giosue Carducci. Upon his coronation, archbishop Derek Worlock of Liverpool said, "They've made Peter Sellers pope" (Cornwell, p. 59.) While he was cardinal, he went against the line from Rome, and sent his warm congratulations to the first ever test-tube baby, England's Louise Brown. Had a burden for the Third World and demanded files on all these nations where Catholics lived, especially South America where he had visited himself. During his time in Venice, he unsuccessfully tried to oppose the American archbishop, Paul Marcinkus and his IOR financial involvements. Would request his secretary to buy two return tickets, so sure was he that he would not be crowned the next pope, then he hoped to be back in Venice once the Conclave had chosen its new pope. When he became pope, before his own bed and linen arrived, he would sleep in Paul's old bed, with Paul's linen.

During his inaugural mass, he broke with centuries old tradition, and dispensed of the tiara papal crown. Unlike any other religion on earth, when Luciani became pope every dignitary, leader and members of the world's royal families attended this Catholic ceremony. (Every pope enjoys their presence.) During his inauguration, over 300 protesters were arrested. When Luciani took residence in the Vatican he chose not to have it redecorated but left it as it was. Took medication for his weak heart. Received ten thousand requests a week for his personal midweek audience (Paul VI received only five thousand.) Was very much down to earth, for he had the personal touch; would talk to everybody and anybody, even though his time slot for them had gone over time; would call his staff by their first names; upon awaking he would wave at Rome's policemen, who would wave back (not something Paul VI ever did.) And would also call those outside of inner circle, 'brothers' and 'sisters,' while Paul chose 'sons' and daughters.' He dropped the plural majestatis of 'we' to 'I', much to the disapproval of Monsignor Noe.

(Today he is a cardinal, but unable to vote in next Conclave due to his age.) Would not only regularly wander off without informing his staff, but very embarrassing for his diplomatic staff, he walked unannounced outside the Vatican on to Italian soil unaccompanied and with no security. (When John Major was Prime Minister, he would often sneak out of No.10 unescorted, and wander around Victoria.) While entertaining the Russian archbishop Nikodim, after sipping a cup of coffee, the Russian fell to the floor of the papal apartment and died in the arms of the pope (foul play has never been ruled out.) The rumours quickly spread that it was poison, meant for John Paul. Would tell 'jokes' and 'stories' to the waiting press. Reversed the churches tolerance of Jesuit and secular priests working side by side with far left wing guerrillas and terrorists in second and third world countries. When he died, cardinal Villot cited church tradition and prayed over him and absolved him of all his sins. Villot ordered the Vatican to issue a bogus account of his death. With rigor mortis now set in, he was still clinching material about the devolvement of the Jesuits.

Villot told the world that he had been reading Imitation of Christ. Cardinal Franz Koening of Vienna was convinced that the KGB murdered the pope. Many cardinals called for an open and public autopsy. It never comes, at least not officially, even though the Vatican constitution wouldn't have prohibited it. Six hundred thousand mourners walked past his coffin. (In 1965, Winston Churchill received the same number, while he lay in state.) With the sudden death of John Paul I, the Vatican now had to pick another pope and try and settle Catholic nerves worldwide. Rumours of how he died (or murdered) have continued to this day, with even Luciani's family seriously doubting the official cause of death from his Vatican doctors. The man from Poland was not only huge outsider and unknown character on the world stage, but his past has long been cast in mystery. From his days in Russian occupied Poland, to his amazingly fast track to prelate, many Vaticanologists wonder if perhaps he might have been a double agent for the KGB (some have even suggested that he was a freemason.) Cardinal Stephan Wyszynski of Warsaw was cool towards his fellow cardinal from Krakow.

Before becoming pope, he insisted that the church should not portray itself as being superior and that they didn't have a monopoly on truth (21.10.63.) Always refused to condemn the sin of atheism. Like JPI, he was very much a compromise candidate. And like John Paul I, he really didn't want to be pope. After 8 rounds, he would receive 97 votes; Benelli was a distant runner up. He himself would die mysteriously in a car crash, some years later. He also had the delightful habit of sending out 2,000 Christmas cards every year, and began signing them by hand beginning in September. With tears in his eyes, he would now become, reluctantly, the '265th' pope. Wrote all his own speeches. His inner circle would deliberately speak to one another in Polish, much to the frustration of the numerous Italians that dominate the Vatican. Each of his personal staff were Polish and were infamously known as 'the Polish mafia.' Weekly food was flown in from Poland for the pope and his aides. Ordered a tennis court to be built for him.

Silenced the renegade archbishop Lefebvre, by doing something that Paul VI and JPI failed to do-threatened to excommunicate him. Received daily CIA briefings from the station section at the American Embassy in Rome. And enjoyed Egyptian security briefings. When JPII visited Mexico in 1979, he made the travelling press pay the cost of their own seats aboard his jet. Upon arrival, this new pope would continue Paul's custom of kissing the ground, something that pantheists and pagans do. This ceased after the assassination attempt. When he visited Poland in 1979, he was forced to wear a flack jacket. Paul VI had wanted to visit this communist land, but had been refused a visa. In 1980, he threatened the Russian president Brezhnev, that if the Red Army invaded Poland, he would abdicate from Rome and stand arm in arm with his fellow Poles, at the barricades. Failed to stop the rapid 'liberation theology' and 'social gospel' reeking havoc in his church in South America. It has continued to this day.

Ordered 'Father' John Magee (now senior Archbishop in Ireland) to fly to Belfast and try and convince the late IRA bomber, Bobby Sands not to continue on in his hunger strike. When shot in 1981, the pope would chant 'Madonna,' 'Madonna,' 'Madonna,' right up until he was operated on in the Gemilli hospital. His assassin would be interrogated by three countries: Italy, West German and Israel. In July 1981, Mehmet Ali Agca went on trial in Rome. He was sentenced to life, with the possibility of parole in 2009. Agca was released suddenly from his prison cell in Turkey on 12 January 2006. Apparently the late pope is 'praying for him from Heaven', according to 'physic,' Monsignor Dziwisz (The Times, 10/1/06.) However Angelo Sodano, the former Secretary of State, angrily informed reporters when questioned about Agca's imminent release, "No one told us anything." It must be said that John Paul II, to his credit, did forgive his assailant after visiting him in prison.

Sadly we have no information about whether or not Mehmet Ali has trusted in Jesus to save him. John Paul II canonized more dead people than any previous pope before him. Conclusion In 1984, several books hit the bookstands, and each one of them offered a much needed and desired insight into this most fascinating year, 1978. Interestingly, 3 out of the 4 sources cited for this article, are taken from Catholic individuals.

Question: """The Year of Three Popes"", involving Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II, is the name given to which year?"
Answer: 1978