Three Pope Year

The year 1978 , in which Pope John Paul I met the deceased Pope Paul VI , is usually referred to as the three-popes year or summer of three popes . followed to the Holy See . However, he himself died just 33 days after taking office, so that after a new election John Paul II became Pope. Regarding the meaning of the word, the term is based on the year of the three emperors 1888, the Roman four emperors year 69 AD and the second four emperor year 193. So far there have been 13 or 14 three- pope years , 1276 was the only four-pope year in the history of Christianity .

Years with three popes

In a general sense, the term three pope year is used for years in which a pope died shortly after his election or otherwise resigned from office, resulting in a year with three popes.

0752 : Zacharias - Stephan (II.) - Stephan II.
0827 : Eugene II - Valentin - Gregory IV.
0896 : Formosus - Boniface VI. - Stephan VI.
0897 : Stephan VI. - Romanus - Theodor II
0928 : John X - Leo VI. - Stephan VII.
1003 : New Year's Eve II - John XVII. - John XVIII.
1046 : Gregory VI. - Clement II. - Benedict IX.
1187 : Urban III. - Gregory VIII. - Clement III.
1503 : Alexander VI. - Pius III. - Julius II.
1555 : Julius III. - Marcellus II. - Paul IV.
1590 : Sixtus V - Urban VII - Gregory XIV.
1605 : Clement VIII - Leo XI. - Paul V.
1978 : Paul VI. - John Paul I - John Paul II

Year with four popes

1276 : Gregory X. - Innocent V - Hadrian V - John XXI.

Web links

Tobias Glenz: In one year there were even four popes. In: kathisch.de . September 8, 2018 .; accessed on September 8, 2018

Individual evidence

^ Theodor II, the third Pope of 897, also died in December of the same year after only 21 days in office. His successor was John IX in January 898 . elected. Thus, in less than two years (April 896 to January 898) there were six popes ( including antipope Sergius III 898, who officially served as pope from 904, even seven) and five papal elections.

↑ Unsure, since Leo VI. can also only have died in early 929. Stephen VII, however, was most likely only elected in 929, so this is not a real three-pope year.

[1] Theodor II, the third Pope of 897, also died in December of the same year after only 21 days in office. His successor was John IX in January 898 . elected. Thus, in less than two years (April 896 to January 898) there were six popes ( including antipope Sergius III 898, who officially served as pope from 904, even seven) and five papal elections.

[2] Unsure, since Leo VI. can also only have died in early 929. Stephen VII, however, was most likely only elected in 929, so this is not a real three-pope year.