Whose Birthday Is It? October 17, 2017

Pope John Paul I (1912)

Born Albino Luciani, Pope John Paul I was the first pope to choose a double name, a moniker that honored his two immediate predecessors, Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI. Refusing to have the centuries-old traditional papal coronation, he instead opted for a simplified ceremony. His 33-day papacy was one of the shortest reigns in papal history, resulting in the most recent “Year of Three Popes.” Several conspiracy theories surround his death. In what position was his body found? More…