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John Paul I
pope of the Catholic Church in 1978
Feast: 26 August (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
The Vatican record
- 8 November 2017 — Heroic virtue declared — title Venerable (decree list, 2017)
- 13 October 2021 — Miracle through their intercession approved (decree list, 2021)
Who they were
Albino Luciani was born on 17 October 1912 at Forno di Canale, now Canale d'Agordo, in the mountains of the Veneto, the son of a migrant worker. He became Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, then Patriarch of Venice and a cardinal, known for his simplicity, humility and plain teaching.
Elected Pope on 26 August 1978, he took the names of his two predecessors as John Paul I, and won hearts at once with his smile. He died suddenly on 28 September 1978, after only 33 days as Pope.
The miracles
Candela Giarda, an eleven-year-old girl — Buenos Aires, Argentina — July 2011
In March 2011 an eleven-year-old girl fell ill with febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome, a rare and devastating brain inflammation. By July doctors at the Favaloro Foundation described her death as imminent and told her mother she would not survive the night. On 22 July 2011 her parish priest, Fr Juan José Dabusti, came to her bedside and prayed with her mother to Albino Luciani. Soon afterwards she began to improve, and she left hospital on 5 September 2011.
Why that counted as sanctity
The case of Candela Giarda, an eleven-year-old girl was examined by the Church's doctors and theologians and approved as a miracle on 13 October 2021, opening the way to beatification. Beatification followed on 4 September 2022 by Francis.
Connected on this site
- John Paul II Saint“His two immediate successors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, later recalled the warm qualities of the late pontiff in several addresses.” — Wikipedia
- John XXIII Saint“He was the first pontiff to have a double papal name, choosing "John Paul" in honour of his two immediate predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI.” — Wikipedia
- Paul VI Saint“He was the first pontiff to have a double papal name, choosing "John Paul" in honour of his two immediate predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI.” — Wikipedia
- Holy See - homily of Pope Francis at the beatification, 4 Sep 2022
- EWTN News / CNA - the miracle that paved the way for John Paul I's beatification
- Vatican News, Sep 2022 - press conference on the beatification
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints — promulgated decrees (causesanti.va), summarised in our own words
- Wikidata Q37278 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Pope John Paul I (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.