Did you know that some popes have led the Church for only days, while others have guided it for decades?
The papacy’s history is filled with surprising extremes!
The shortest-reigning pope was Urban VII, who served for a mere 13 days in 1590 before succumbing to malaria. Despite his brief tenure, his intentions for reform left a lasting impression on the Church. In stark contrast, Saint Peter is traditionally believed to have held the papacy for about 34 to 38 years. In more documented times, Pope Pius IX reigned for over 31 years from 1846 to 1878, navigating the Church through a period of significant change.
Other short-term popes like Pope Marcellus II, who served for 23 days in 1555, assumed the role during periods of intense political pressure and health crises, which sometimes led to their untimely deaths. Conversely, long-serving popes such as Leo XIII, who led the Church for over 25 years starting in 1878, had the opportunity to engage with the rapidly changing world, including the challenges of industrialization and modernity.
An intriguing exception to these records is Pope-elect Stephen. In 752, Stephen was elected to succeed Pope Zachary but died just three days later, before his consecration as bishop of Rome. Since the canon law of that time stipulated that a papal reign began with consecration, Stephen was never officially recognized as pope. Yet, some historical lists included him as Pope Stephen II, which caused confusion in numbering later popes with the same name.
Here are shortest-reigning and longest-reigning popes:
Top Shortest-Reigning Popes
- Urban VII (1590): 13 days
- Boniface VI (896): 16 days
- Celestine IV (1241): 17 days
- Theodore II (897): 20 days
- Sisinnius (708): 21 days
Top Longest-Reigning Popes
- Saint Peter (c. 30–64/68): 34–38 years
- Pius IX (1846–1878): 31 years, 7 months
- John Paul II (1978–2005): 26 years, 5 months
- Leo XIII (1878–1903): 25 years, 5 months
- Pius VI (1775–1799): 24 years, 6 months
Photo credit: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons 1, 2
