The September Pope reigned only 33 days, and never wanted the job
Albino Luciani told friends he would refuse the papacy, then accepted it in August 1978 out of duty. He took the first double papal name, John Paul, and died 33 days later, creating the first year of three popes since 1605. He remains the most recent Italian-born pope.
A bricklayer's son, Luciani came into the world on 17 October 1912 at Forno di Canale, since renamed Canale d'Agordo, in the Veneto. Thought to be in danger of dying, he was baptised by the midwife on the day of his birth. At 10 a visiting Capuchin preacher inspired him to seek the priesthood, and his father agreed on condition that he side with workers. His seminary teachers at Feltre found him too lively, and a request to join the Jesuits was refused.
Ordained on 7 July 1935, he taught theology, canon law and sacred art at the Belluno seminary and earned a doctorate in 1947 with a thesis attacking the theology of Antonio Rosmini. Promotion was slow; he was repeatedly passed over for bishop because of poor health, small stature and a resigned look. John XXIII finally made him Bishop of Vittorio Veneto in December 1958, where he chose Humilitas as his motto, and Paul VI named him patriarch of Venice in 1969.
His time as bishop was not all gentle. Between 1965 and 1969 almost the whole village of Montaner broke with Catholicism for Orthodoxy after he refused to accept the parishioners' choice of priest, and he eventually removed the Eucharist from their church under police escort. He took part in every session of the Second Vatican Council.
He explained his papal name as a debt to John XXIII, who made him a bishop, and Paul VI, who made him a cardinal. Italians remember him as the Pope of the smile, and Time called him the September Pope. He was the first pope born in the 20th century and the last to die in it. Francis declared him venerable in 2017 and beatified him on 4 September 2022.
Source: Pope John Paul I
