Year of Three Popes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Year of Three Popes or the Summer of Three Popes is a common reference to 1978 when the Roman Catholic Church was forced to elect in papal conclaves new popes in rapid succession due to death. This resulted in a year, more specifically the summer, in which the Roman Catholic Church was led by three different men. Pope Paul VI died in August and was succeeded by John Paul I, who himself died only thirty-three days after becoming Bishop of Rome, on September 28. His death resulted in the election of Pope John Paul II on October 16, who presided until 2005.
There have been several instances in which three or more popes have reigned in a given year. Years in which the Roman Catholic Church was led by three different popes include:
- 752, Pope Zachary — Pope-elect Stephen (not considered a legitimate pope) — Pope Stephen II
- 827, Pope Eugene II — Pope Valentine — Pope Gregory IV
- 896, Pope Formosus — Pope Boniface VI — Pope Stephen VI
- 897, Pope Stephen VI — Pope Romanus — Pope Theodore II
- 928, Pope John X — Pope Leo VI — Pope Stephen VII
- 965, Pope Benedict V — Pope Leo VIII — Pope John XIII
- 1003, Pope Silvester II — Pope John XVII — Pope John XVIII
- 1046, Pope Gregory VI — Pope Clement II — Pope Benedict IX
- 1187, Pope Urban III — Pope Gregory VIII — Pope Clement III
- 1555, Pope Julius III — Pope Marcellus II — Pope Paul IV
- 1590, Pope Sixtus V — Pope Urban VII — Pope Gregory XIV
- 1605, Pope Clement VIII — Pope Leo XI — Pope Paul V
- 1978, Pope Paul VI — Pope John Paul I — Pope John Paul II
There was a year in which the Roman Catholic Church was led by four popes (Year of four Popes):
