Year of three popes explained

A year of three popes is a year when the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church is required to elect two new popes within the same calendar year.^[1] Such a year generally occurs when a newly elected pope dies or resigns very early into his papacy. This results in the Catholic Church being led by three different popes during the same calendar year. In one instance, in 1276, there was a year of four popes.

Instances

The most recent instance of a year of three popes occurred in 1978. The three popes involved were:^[2]

1. Paul VI, who was elected on 21 June 1963 and died on 6 August 1978.
2. John Paul I, who was elected on 26 August 1978 and died thirty-three days later on 28 September 1978.
3. John Paul II, who was elected on 16 October 1978 and held the position until his death 26 years, 5 months, and 18 days later on 2 April 2005.

There have been thirteen instances in which exactly three popes have held office in a given calendar year. Years in which the Roman Catholic Church was led by three different popes include:

• 827: Eugene II^[3]  — Valentine^[4]  — Gregory IV^[5] (Valentine was Pope for just 41 days when he died.)
• 896: Formosus^[6]  — Boniface VI^[7]  — Stephen VI^[8] (After a pontificate of fifteen days, Boniface is said by some to have died of the gout or forcibly ejected)
• 897: Stephen VI^[8]  — Romanus^[9]  — Theodore II^[10] (Pontificate of Romanus ended when he was deposed and confined to a monastery.)
• 928: John X^[11]  — Leo VI^[12]  — Stephen VII^[13]
• 964: Leo VIII^[14]  — Benedict V^[15]  — John XIII^[16] (First Leo was overthrown, then Benedict himself was overthrown)
• 1003: Sylvester II^[17]  — John XVII^[18]  — John XVIII^[19]
• 1045: Sylvester III^{[20] [21]}  — Benedict IX (second reign)^[22]  — Gregory VI^[23]
• 1187: Urban III^[24]  — Gregory VIII^[25]  — Clement III^[26]
• 1503: Alexander VI^[27]  — Pius III^[28]  — Julius II^[29]
• 1555: Julius III^[30]  — Marcellus II^[31]  — Paul IV^[32]
• 1590: Sixtus V^[33]  — Urban VII^[34]  — Gregory XIV^[35]
• 1605: Clement VIII^[36]  — Leo XI^[37]  — Paul V^[38]
• 1978: Paul VI — John Paul I — John Paul II

There was also a year in which the Roman Catholic Church was led by four popes, called the Year of Four Popes:

• 1276: Gregory X^[39]  — Innocent V^[40]  — Adrian V^[41]  — John XXI^[42]

See also

• List of popes by length of reign
• Western Schism, which from 1409 to 1414 saw three simultaneous claimants to the Papacy
• Year of the Three Kings
• Year of the Three Emperors
• Year of three prime ministers

References

Bibliography

• Book: Hebblethwaite, Peter . The Year of Three Popes . registration . William Collins . 1979. 978-0-529-05652-8 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kildare and Leighlin Diocese . 1978:– The Year of Three Popes . 30 August 2008 . 28 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101228170951/http://www.kandle.ie/2008/08/30/1978-the-year-of-three-popes/ . 28 December 2010.
2. Web site: 1978: The Year Of The Three Popes . Tu Es Petrus . . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100505205057/http://www.ewtn.com/jp2/papal3/1978.htm . 5 May 2010 . dmy-all .
3. Encyclopedia: Pope Eugene II . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100809103834/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05598b.htm . 9 August 2010 . dmy-all .
4. Encyclopedia: Pope Valentine . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100809104038/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15254b.htm . 9 August 2010 . dmy-all .
5. Encyclopedia: Pope Gregory IV . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101030150207/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06789b.htm . 30 October 2010 . dmy-all .
6. Encyclopedia: Pope Formosus . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101103190308/http://newadvent.org/cathen/06139b.htm . 3 November 2010 . dmy-all .
7. Encyclopedia: Pope Boniface VI . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101104135226/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02661b.htm . 4 November 2010 . dmy-all .
8. Encyclopedia: Pope Stephen (VI) VII . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101103111050/http://newadvent.org/cathen/14289d.htm . 3 November 2010 . dmy-all .
9. Encyclopedia: Pope Romanus . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100807215238/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13163b.htm . 7 August 2010 . dmy-all .
10. Encyclopedia: Pope Theodore II . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100809104026/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14570b.htm . 9 August 2010 . dmy-all .
11. Encyclopedia: Pope John X . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101126010951/http://newadvent.org/cathen/08425b.htm . 26 November 2010 . dmy-all .
12. Encyclopedia: Pope Leo VI . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101104060250/http://newadvent.org/cathen/09159c.htm . 4 November 2010 . dmy-all .
13. Encyclopedia: Pope Stephen VII (VIII) . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101103141912/http://newadvent.org/cathen/14290a.htm . 3 November 2010 . dmy-all . Note: Actual date of Pope Stephen VII's accession is either late 928 or early 929.
14. Encyclopedia: Pope Leo VIII . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101104094600/http://newadvent.org/cathen/09160b.htm . 4 November 2010 . dmy-all .
15. Encyclopedia: Pope Benedict V . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100807214501/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02428b.htm . 7 August 2010 . dmy-all .
16. Encyclopedia: Pope John XIII . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100809103955/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08427a.htm . 9 August 2010 . dmy-all .
17. Encyclopedia: Pope Silvester II . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101102085628/http://newadvent.org/cathen/14371a.htm . 2 November 2010 . dmy-all .
18. Encyclopedia: Pope John XVII (XVIII) . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101126010933/http://newadvent.org/cathen/08428b.htm . 26 November 2010 . dmy-all .
19. Encyclopedia: Pope John XVIII (XIX) . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101021020041/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08429a.htm . 21 October 2010 . dmy-all .
20. Encyclopedia: List of Popes . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100926192058/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm . 26 September 2010 . dmy-all .
21. Sylvester III and Gregory VI are sometimes considered antipopes.
22. Encyclopedia: Pope Benedict IX . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100801034033/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02429a.htm . 1 August 2010 . dmy-all .
23. Encyclopedia: Pope Gregory VI . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100809103909/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06791a.htm . 9 August 2010 . dmy-all .
24. Encyclopedia: Pope Urban III . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101018122741/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15211a.htm . 18 October 2010 . dmy-all .
25. Encyclopedia: Pope Gregory VIII . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120111165817/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06795a.htm . 11 January 2012 . dmy-all .
26. Encyclopedia: Pope Clement III . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120517151845/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04018a.htm . 17 May 2012 . dmy-all .
27. Encyclopedia: Pope Alexander VI . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100919000433/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01289a.htm . 19 September 2010 . dmy-all .
28. Encyclopedia: Pope Pius III . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100807215051/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12128a.htm . 7 August 2010 . dmy-all .
29. Encyclopedia: Pope Julius II . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101027010816/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08562a.htm . 27 October 2010 . dmy-all .
30. Encyclopedia: Pope Julius III . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101005065052/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08564a.htm . 5 October 2010 . dmy-all .
31. Encyclopedia: Pope Marcellus II . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101004013454/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09641a.htm . 4 October 2010 . dmy-all .
32. Encyclopedia: Pope Paul IV . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140811142133/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11581a.htm . 11 August 2014 . dmy-all .
33. Encyclopedia: Pope Sixtus V . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100926080248/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14033a.htm . 26 September 2010 . dmy-all .
34. Encyclopedia: Pope Urban VII . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100809104031/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15218a.htm . 9 August 2010 . dmy-all .
35. Encyclopedia: Pope Gregory XIV . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101009140939/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07004a.htm . 9 October 2010 . dmy-all .
36. Encyclopedia: Pope Clement VIII . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101105235857/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04027a.htm . 5 November 2010 . dmy-all .
37. Encyclopedia: Pope Leo XI . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20101104101911/http://newadvent.org/cathen/09166a.htm . 4 November 2010 . dmy-all .
38. Encyclopedia: Pope Paul V . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100918135323/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11581b.htm . 18 September 2010 . dmy-all .
39. Encyclopedia: Pope Gregory X . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120702101151/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06798a.htm . 2 July 2012 . dmy-all .
40. Encyclopedia: Pope Innocent V . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100802033601/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08018a.htm . 2 August 2010 . dmy-all .
41. Encyclopedia: Pope Adrian V . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100807213134/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01159a.htm . 7 August 2010 . dmy-all .
42. Encyclopedia: Pope John XXI (XX) . Catholic Encyclopedia . 28 September 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171224170153/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08429c.htm . 24 December 2017 . dmy-all .