Pope John Paul I, who died in 1978 after only 33 days as pontiff, drew closer to sainthood on Sunday, despite the Vatican’s continued refusal to dismiss residual conspiracy theories that he was murdered.
Pope Francis beatified his predecessor in front of tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square. In the Roman Catholic Church, beatification is the final stage to sainthood.
Because of his humility and simplicity, John Paul was dubbed ‘The Smiling Pope.’
‘With a grin, Pope John Paul managed to express the goodness of the Lord,’ Francis remarked in his sermon, as worshippers huddled under umbrellas in the rain.
‘How lovely is a Church with a cheerful, calm, and smiling countenance, which never closes doors, never hardens hearts, never complains or harbours anger, never grows angry or impatient, never looks dour or suffers longing for the past.’
Albino Luciani was born into poverty in a northern Italian mountain town in 1912 and was appointed as a priest in 1935, bishop in 1958, and cardinal in 1973.
Following the death of Pope Paul VI, he was elected Pope on August 26, 1978, and took the name John Paul II to honour his two immediate predecessors.
Post Your Comments