Last September 4, 2022 Pope Francis beatified his predecessor, Pope John Paul I, who had a short term in the papacy for about 33 days.
The beatification rites were led by his holiness, Pope Francis while the holy mass was celebrated by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the dicastery for the causes of saints. And was attended by 25,000 faithful in St. Peter’s square.
Popes who resigned or died early in their position were not new in the catholic church, 11 popes had their short term in papacy:
Pope Sisinnius (708) for 21 days
Pope Boniface VI (896) for 16 days
Pope Theodore II (897) for 20 days
Pope Benedict V (964) for 33 days
Pope Damasus II (1048) 24 days
Pope Celestine IV (1241) for 17 days
Pope Pius III (1503) 27 days
Pope Marcellus II (1555) 22 days
Pope Urban VII (1590) who reigned for 13 calendar days
Pope Leo XI (1605) 27 days
Pope John Paul I (1978) for 33 days.
John Paul I or Albino Luciani was born on October 17, 1912 in Forno di Canale, Italy. He was ordained priest in 1935 and was appointed deputy director of the seminary in the diocese of Belluno.
In 1958 he was appointed bishop of Vittorio Veneto. He was made archbishop of Venice in 1969 and made cardinal in 1973.
Luciani was elected pope on August 26, 1978, taking the name John Paul in honor of his two predecessors Saint John XXIII and Pope Paul VI. On September 29, 1978, he died due to an heart attack.
John Paul I was known as the smiling pope because he always appears to all wearing a smile. He was elevated to the ranks of the blessed due to the healing of an 11-year-old Argentinian girl who had severe brain inflammation, and epilepsy and suffered septic shock. So the parents asked for his intercession for the healing of their daughter.
At the end of his homily yesterday, pope Francis encouraged the faithful to ask blessed John Paul I to help us obtain from the lord “the smile of the soul.” (Jeremy Josef)
