Pope John Paul I
Pope John Paul I (Latin: Ioannes Paulus I), born Albino Luciani 17 October 1912 – 28 September 1978). He reigned from 26 August 1978 until his sudden death 33 days later. His papacy is among the shortest in papal history, resulting in the most recent Year of Three Popes, the first to occur since 1605.
He was declared a Servant of God by his successor, John Paul II, on 23 November 2003, the first step on the road to sainthood. Before the papal conclave, he expressed his desire not to be elected, telling those close to him that he would decline the papacy if chosen, but upon the cardinals electing him, he felt an obligation to say "yes".
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Background
He was the first pontiff to have a double name, choosing "John Paul" in honour of his two immediate predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI. He explained that he was indebted to John XXIII for naming him a bishop and to Paul VI for creating him a cardinal. Furthermore, he was the first pope to add the regal number "I", designating himself "the First".
