Venerable Pope John Paul I was born Albino Luciani in Italy in 1912, ordained a priest in 1935, a bishop in 1958, and a cardinal in 1973. On August 26, 1978, he became head of the Catholic Church and sovereign Pontiff until his sudden death 33 days later. It was one of the shortest reigns in papal history. He was the first pontiff to have a double name, John Paul, in honor of his two predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI. In 2017 he was declared venerable and in 2021, a confirmed miraculous healing of an Argentinian girl of a severe brain disease is attributed to his intercession putting him on the path to sainthood. He is known as “The Smiling Pope” and “Papa Luciani”.
