The Life and times of Pope John Paul I Quiz

Answer: The midwife who delivered him thought he would not survive.

He was born in Forno di Canale, Italy, and named Albino Luciani at his baptism. The midwife who delivered him believed, from his sickly appearance, that he would not survive so he was quickly baptized. In fact he grew into a strong youth in the mountainous area in which he was raised.

Answer: glassblower

Giovanni Luciani was a glassblower by trade. His wife's name was Bortola, and they had four children, Albino (later John Paul I) being the eldest. One of his brothers, Federico, died young. They were a relatively poor family, and this may later have influenced John Paul I in his compassion for the poor and rejection of some of the richer trappings of the papacy.

Answer: Bishop of Rome

The title 'Bishop of Rome' is one of the pope's many titles, so John Paul I held this title only after his election as pope. Other important posts he held before his election were Vice Rector of the Gregorian Seminary of Belluno, Vice President of the Italian Bishops' Conference, and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was created cardinal by Pope Paul VI on 5th March 1973.

Answer: True

He assumed the name 'John Paul' in honour of his immediate predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI. All previous popes had, on election, either kept their birthname or assumed a single name. His successor, John Paul II, assumed his papal name out of respect for John Paul I.

Answer: He discontinued the office of advocatus diaboli (devil's advocate).

The 'advocatus diaboli' was an office set up originally by Pope Sixtus V in 1587 to oppose candidates for sainthood, the intention being to ensure no unworthy person was canonised. Pope John Paul II terminated this office in 1983. John Paul I's proposed investigations into Vatican Bank dealings, and his willingness to even discuss birth control were seen by some as highly controversial.

His opposition to masonic cardinals was clearly unpopular with those involved.

Answer: the smiling pope

John Paul I had an infectious smile and a cheerful disposition. Even in formal settings he was often photographed with a smile on his face. He brought a certain informality to the papacy, refusing to be carried on public occasions, as had his predecessors, on the shoulders of servants.

Answer: U.S.A.

Although his predecessor, Pope Paul VI, visited the U.S.A. and addressed the United Nations General Assembly, John Paul I never visited this country. As bishop or cardinal he made pastoral visits to Burundi in 1966, Switzerland in 1971, Germany and Brazil in 1975, and Yugoslavia in 1976.

Answer: False

John Paul I was elected pope on 26th August, 1978, and he died on 28th September of the same year having reigned only thirty-three days. Stephen II in 757 reigned only four days as pope, but is sometimes omitted from the official records of the papacy as he was never in fact crowned. John Paul I's reign was the shortest since that of Leo XI, who reigned only twenty-six days from April 1st to April 27th in 1605.

Answer: Italy

The Italian president, Allesandro Pertini was the only head of state to attend Pope John Paul I's funeral. Pertini had only been in office for a few months following the resignation of his predecessor, Giovanni Leone, over allegations of financial misconduct.

The U.S.A. delegation at the funeral was led by President Carter's mother, Lilian Carter. Only five weeks earlier his wife, Rosalyn Carter, had led the U.S. delegation at the funeral of Pope Paul VI.

Answer: Some believed that he had been murdered.

There were many conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Pope John Paul I, all claiming that he had been murdered. Those implicated in these theories included the Mafia, the KGB, the CIA, Nazis, and even a secret group of masonic cardinals. The official cause of death was myocardial infarction, a type of heart attack.

The Vatican did not help to alleviate the conspiracy theories, as they allowed John Paul I's body to be embalmed within a day of his death without a detailed autopsy.