Third-longest pontificate

Here's a bit of trivia from an article at Catholicnews.com:

In mid-March, Pope John Paul II's pontificate will become the third-longest in history, a milestone that attests to the drive and determination of the ailing pontiff.

The calculation of pontificate length is a somewhat tricky business, but on or about March 17 the pope will surpass Pope Leo XIII, who ruled for 25 years and five months a century ago.

In modern papacies, that will leave only the 31-year pontificate of Pope Pius IX ahead of Pope John Paul. By tradition, St. Peter's papacy is counted as the longest, though historians have no certain dates for his reign. [continue]

Posted on February 21, 2004 03:05 AM. Filed under: religion.