Pope Francis to preside over beatification of ‘Smiling Pope' John Paul I

In October 2021, the Vatican announced the beatification of John Paul I. It came after a miracle was attributed to the late Pope. Now, Pope Francis would preside over the beatification proceedings.

What is beatification?

Beatification is a process wherein the Vatican recognizes that a person has been ‘blessed.’ It is the preliminary step to becoming a saint.

Who is John Paul I?

John Paul I was a Pope. He led the Church for only 33 days, after which he died under debatable circumstances. John Paul, I was born on 17th October 1912 in Canale d’Agordo, Italy. He was the son of a bricklayer. In his papal career, John Paul became the Patriarch of Venice and then became the Cardinal. At last, on 26th August 1978, he became the Pope when he was 65.





Many people revered the late Pope. He was considered humble, noble, and simple, with a strong sense of his duties. Vatican’s beatification brochure called the Pope open to conversation and a good listener. It also stated that John Paul I prioritized pastoral visits and made direct contact with faithful Christians.

What was mysterious about his death?

After being elected the Pope, John Paul, I served the Church for 33 days only. On 28th September 1978, he died of a heart attack. His death made him the shortest-serving Pope in the history of the Vatican.

Many believed that his death was a suicide as he didn’t want to become a Pope. Some contested that John Paul I was murdered because of his ideas for reforming the Church.

However, the murder angle has been shunned by many. The biographer Christophe Henning attributed the murder rumors to the sudden nature of Paul’s death and the ambiguous statement the Vatican gave.

No autopsy was performed on the Pope, and the Vatican offered false and inconsistent statements about the death.

What miracle led to the beatification?

In Buenos Aires in 2011, an 11-year-old girl was seriously ill. The local priest prayed to the late Pope, after which the girl made a miraculous recovery. This miracle was recognized by the Vatican, after which the beatification decision was taken.

Other saints in the Church’s history

In recent times, other Popes have been proclaimed saints. These include Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI, and John Paul II.