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5 unusual facts about Pope John Paul I


Beniamino Pizziol

He was ordained priest on 3 December 1972 by Albino Luciani, Cardinal Patriarch of Venice (later Pope John Paul I).

Donald Kiernan

In 1969, he was named Prelate of Honor (Reverend Monsignor) by Pope Paul VI and was bestowed the highest rank of Monsignor, Protonotary Apostolic, in 1979 by Pope John Paul I.

Louise Brown

Shortly before the death of Pope Paul VI, when asked for his reaction to Brown's birth, the patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Albino Luciani (later Pope John Paul I), expressed concerns about the possibility that artificial insemination could lead to women being used as "baby factories", but also refused to condemn the parents of the child.

McGhee family

A prominent exception is the current Bishop of Cloyne, a Traditionalist Catholic who was falsely accused of murdering Pope John Paul I.

Vatican conspiracy theories

Pope John Paul I died in September 1978, only a month after his election to the papacy.


Beniamino Stella

Beniamino Stella was born in Pieve di Soligo, Province of Treviso, Italy, and ordained priest in 1966 by Bishop Albino Luciani, who became later Pope John Paul I. After his promotion in canon law he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1970.

Bernardus Johannes Alfrink

Resigning as Utrecht's archbishop on 6 December 1975, he later voted in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

Cardinal Lamberto

The character of Lamberto and the film's depiction of the events which lead to his murder are based upon one of the conspiracy theories surrounding the sudden death of the real-life Pope John Paul I, Albino Luciani.

John Francis Dearden

He was also one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II respectively.

Joseph Malula

Malula was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II, respectively.

Justinus Darmojuwono

He attend the Papal Conclave on August 1978 which appointed Pope John Paul I, and the Papal Conclave on October 1978 which appointed Pope John Paul II.

Mario Nasalli Rocca di Corneliano

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

Michele Pellegrino

After participating in the conclaves that elected Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II, he lost the right to participate in any future conclaves when he turned 80 years of age in 1983.

Oliver J. Flanagan

He was member of the Catholic fraternal organisation the Knights of Saint Columbanus, and in 1978 was conferred a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul I.

Paul Zoungrana

Zoungrana was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

Trình Như Khuê

He was the first cardinal to hail from Vietnam, and was also one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

Vicente Enrique y Tarancón

Tarancón was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

Victor Razafimahatratra

Razafimahatratra was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.


see also