In 1978, Albino Luciani was elected the new pope, Pope John Paul I. He was the successor to Pope Paul VI. The new pope was relatively young at almost 66 years old, and people therefore expected a longer pontificate. Unfortunately it was not to be. Pope John Paul I died after just 33 days, making his pontificate one of the shortest in history.
Albino Luciani
Albino Luciani was born in Forno di Canali on October 17, 1912 . This place is now called Canale d’Agordo . After his birth, he was quickly baptized by the midwife, as there were immediate concerns about his poor health. This poor health would play a role in Albino’s entire life.
Parish Church of John the Baptist
The region where Albino grew up was in the Dolomites, a region that had been hit hard by the consequences of the First World War. On the village square of his native village was the parish church, which was dedicated to John the Baptist. The young Albino often came here, the church and the organ music made a deep impression on him. After a retreat at the age of ten, he was convinced that he wanted to become a priest himself. His mother and the local pastor supported this plan and his father, who himself was less positive about the church, also agreed.
The minor seminary
In 1923, at the age of eleven, Albino entered the minor seminary of Feltre . Here he was captivated by the life and work of Francis de Sales. But he also had other interests outside ecclesiastical literature. For example, he also studied scientific works, such as those by Charles Darwin, which led him to question the veracity of parts of the Old Testament. Questions that were not always appreciated by the seminary leadership.
Major Seminary
After successfully completing the minor seminary, Albino Luciani continued his studies in 1928 at the major seminary Gregoriano in Belluno . Luciani excelled here in subjects such as Latin, history and exegesis. Exegesis literally means: interpretation of texts, especially texts from the Bible.
Ecclesiastical career
Luciani was ordained a priest in 1935, after which he was appointed chaplain in Forno di Canale, his native village. A few years later he was appointed to the major seminary in Belluno , where he taught various subjects as a professor, such as moral theology, dogmatics, canon law (ecclesiastical law) and sacred art. Luciani himself had not yet finished studying. He had set himself the goal of obtaining his doctorate at the Ponificia Università Gregoriana in Rome, but because Luciani was not allowed to stay in Rome for a year, this did not seem to work. Ultimately, he received a dispensation from Pope Pius XII to prepare his doctoral degree from Belluno. Just after the war, in 1946, Luciani obtained his doctorate in theology, with an excellent assessment: magna cum laude . His dissertation would be published in 1950.
WWII
Luciani’s time as a student fell partly during the Second World War and the grim years before it. Luciani chose the resistance, but is well aware that open resistance could lead to problems. He therefore advised his students to adopt a neutral attitude. The seminary did provide shelter for resistance members towards the end of the war.
Further career
In 1948 Luciani became pro-vicar general of the diocese of Belluno-Feltre, six years later he would become vicar general here . In between, he published the book Catechetica in briciole (Catechism Crumbs) in 1949. In 1955 Luciani was nominated as a candidate to become bishop, but Pope Pius XII did not agree. Luciani is said to be in poor health, among other things. Pope John XXIII had a very different view. After his election to the papacy in 1958, Luciani became bishop of Vittorio Veneto. Luciani wanted to decline due to his health and breathing problems. But according to John XXIII , the diocese was ideal for Luciani, with the episcopal palace on a hill and thus provided with healthy mountain air.
Patriarch
After the death of the Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Urbani, Luciani’s name was mentioned as a possible successor. Although he himself would rather not have done so, he accepted the appointment after the Vatican’s insistence. Modest as he was, when he entered Venice he will dispense with the usual gondola procession with which the new patriarch was normally overtaken.
Venice
In Venice Luciani paid attention to, among other things:
- pastoral work, where he considered himself a point of contact for all believers.
- acting as a mediator between workers and employers, to improve the lot of workers.
- a home for mentally handicapped children. He even sold belongings when his home faced financial problems.
The then Pope, Paul VI, had great appreciation for Luciani’s work.
Cardinal
consistory was held by Pope Paul VI on March 5, 1973 . This is a meeting of the Pope with the cardinals. In a consistory, important administrative matters of the Catholic Church are discussed. This is also the only meeting in which the Pope creates new cardinals. Cardinals are not appointed, but created. At the consistory of March 5, 1975, Albino Luciani was created cardinal priest .
Conclave
Pope Paul VI died on August 6 from a heart attack. After his burial, a conclave was to follow, where a new pope would be elected. This would be the first conclave under the new rules drawn up by Paul VI. Only cardinals under the age of 80 were allowed to participate in the conclave. Moreover, the College of Cardinals had expanded. Of the 115 possible candidates, 111 were present in the conclave, which would choose a successor to Pope Paul VI.
Pope John Paul I / Source: ClarÃn, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Pope’s choice
Some cardinals already take into account that they are among the possible candidates at such a conclave. There is also always heavy speculation in the press as to which of the papabili , the possible candidates for the Pope, is among the top contenders. Albino Luciani himself was convinced that he was ‘safe’, that he would not be chosen. Things would turn out very differently. Already on the second day of the conclave, after the fourth round of voting, it became clear that the cardinals had elected Albino Luciani as the new pope. It is said that his first words to his colleagues were: May God forgive you for what you have done to me , but after a few minutes he continued with Accepto , the formula by which the chosen candidate confirms his acceptance of the new task. Out of respect for both his predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI , he was the first pope to adopt a double name: John Paul I. He was also the first to add the number I after his name. When he took office on September 3, 1978, he did not want to be crowned as the new pope with the tiara, like the popes before him. His successors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, also refrained from this coronation.
Encyclicals
During the course of their pontificate, Popes regularly issue encyclicals, weighty papal documents of a doctrinal nature. John Paul I’s pontificate would be far too short, only 33 days. He was unable to write any new encyclicals during that time.
Pope John Paul I / Source: Sentinelle del mattino International, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-2.0)
Task
John Paul wanted to continue in the line of his predecessors, and he considered pastoral work especially important. Attention to catechesis was important. He thought another important point was that priests should have a love for their work, even if that was sometimes difficult.
Shock
John Paul I was relatively young when he was elected pope. People expected a long pontificate, but they also expected a lot from this new pope. A friendly man, with a smile on his face, who was more of a pastor than a Curie cardinal. It wasn’t meant to be. On the late evening of September 28, 1978, John Paul I died of an acute heart attack. His pontificate lasted only 33 days.
Conspiracy?
The very short pontificate and the sudden death have led some to believe that his death was not entirely natural. Reasons cited lie in the intelligence with which the new pope, without being able to be controlled by the Curia, would have detected abuses. Given the short duration of the pontificate, such theories can be questioned. The issue therefore remains in the chapter of conspiracy theory , and never entered the chapter of evidence .
read more
- Pope John XXIII
- Pope Paul VI (1963-1978)
- The Popes of the Catholic Church
- The Conclave: The election of a new Pope