Illustrissimi: Letters from Pope John Paul I
Venice · 1976
1912 CE–1978 CE · Modern · Canale d'Agordo
Born Albino Luciani in a poor mountain village in the Dolomites, John Paul I reigned only thirty-three days, one of the shortest pontificates in history. He chose a double name to honor his two predecessors and signal continuity with the Second Vatican Council. Warm, plain-spoken, and humble, he was dubbed 'the smiling pope' and set aside some traditional papal trappings, declining a formal coronation. His sudden death in September 1978 shocked the world and spawned persistent conspiracy theories, though historians attribute it to natural causes, most likely a heart attack. He was beatified in 2022, recognized for simplicity and pastoral warmth.
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Canale d'Agordo, a village in the Dolomites of the Veneto, northeastern Italy. It was the birthplace of Pope John Paul I (Albino Luciani).
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Venice · 1976