Member-only story
Being the Pope for Only 33 Days
The first pope to choose a double name, the first pope in centuries who refused to be crowned.
He was called “the Smiling Pope” due to the smile he often displayed in public.
After only 33 days of pontificate, he was found dead.
Brief Biography
John Paul I was born Albino Luciani on October 17, 1912, in Canale d’Agordo, Italy, to a modest family.
Known for his intelligence and enthusiasm for studies, he was ordained a priest in 1935.
He was appointed Bishop of Vittorio Veneto in 1958 and Patriarch of Venice in 1969.
Intrestingly, he wrote letters to Mark Twain, who died before John Paul I was even born.
“When I was a boy, you were one of my favorite writes. I still remember The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which were the adventures of your own childhood. Some of your stories I’ve told people a hundred times–the one about the value of books, for instance.”
Mark Twain was an agonistic misotheist. He didn’t speak politely about God, to say the least.
Still, John Paul I admired Twain’s thoughts:
“Man is more complex than he seems. Every adult has in him not one but three distinct men.” “How is that?” you were asked. “Well, take any man called…
