Pope’s Tenure Is Now Church’s 4th-Longest

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II, who is less than a month away from his 83rd birthday, on Thursday became the fourth-longest-serving pontiff in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

Elected pope Oct. 16, 1978, and invested with the pallium, the symbol of office, six days later, John Paul surpassed the tenure of Pius VI, who led the church for 24 years, six months and seven days, from 1775 to 1799.

Of the church’s 264 popes, Leo XIII reigned for 25 years and five months from 1878 to 1903. Pius IX was pope for 31 years, seven months from 1846 to 1878.

By convention, St. Peter is regarded as the first pope and seen as having headed the church for 34 to 37 years.

John Paul could surpass Leo’s tenure next March.

On Sunday, the pope is scheduled to beatify six candidates for sainthood, for a total of 1,313 during his reign, three more than all his predecessors put together since the process of creating saints was reformed in 1588. He has canonized 464 saints, also more than the total of his predecessors.