Lentorama 2025: Perfunctory Popes

Day 1: John Paul I

Might as well start with the person most people would think of when taking about short-term popes. 

Born Albino Luciani in Forno di Canale, he spent his pre-papal career in the Veneto, the northeast Italian region with Venice as its major city. At the time of his election he was the patriarch of Venice and cardinal-priest of San Marco in Rome. Prior to his election, he'd stated several times that he didn't want to be pope, and would reject the office if elected. But when the event actually happened, he said he felt obligated to serve.

For a short-reigning pope, John Paul set a number of firsts. He was the first pope to use a double name, which he adopted as a way of honoring both John XXIII and Paul VI, who had named him a bishop and cardinal. He was also the first pope to use a regnal number while being the first of his name. Previously, the first pope of a given name just used the name, no number or reference to being 'the First.' He was also the first pope to refused to be crowned (opting for a less regal inauguration), and the first to use the first person when speaking in public (though his speeches were often rewritten in more formal language for publication).

The latter firsts were part of his desire to humanize the papacy, which one expects would have been supported by his personal warmth and good nature, as evidenced by his quickly becoming known as "the smiling pope."

But 34 days into his papacy, John Paul died of an apparent heart attack. The surprise at his passing, and some ill-advised moves by the Vatican (such as not admitting that his death was discovered by a nun, fearing scandal over a woman being in the pope's bedroom) led to a number of conspiracy theories regarding his death, mostly involving financial irregularities with the Vatican Bank.