Pope - Lengths of Papal Reign - Shortest-reigning Popes

Shortest-reigning Popes

Conversely, there have been a number of popes whose reign lasted less than a month. In the following list the number of calendar days includes partial days. Thus, for example, if a pope's reign commenced on 1 August and he died on 2 August, this would count as having reigned for two calendar days.

1. Urban VII (15–27 September 1590): reigned for 13 calendar days, died before coronation.
2. Boniface VI (April 896): reigned for 16 calendar days
3. Celestine IV (25 October – 10 November 1241): reigned for 17 calendar days, died before consecration.
4. Theodore II (December 897): reigned for 20 calendar days
5. Sisinnius (15 January – 4 February 708): reigned for 21 calendar days
6. Marcellus II (9 April – 1 May 1555): reigned for 22 calendar days
7. Damasus II (17 July – 9 August 1048): reigned for 24 calendar days
8. Pius III (22 September – 18 October 1503): reigned for 27 calendar days
9. Leo XI (1–27 April 1605): reigned for 27 calendar days
10. Benedict V (22 May – 23 June 964): reigned for 33 calendar days
10. John Paul I (26 August – 28 September 1978): reigned for 33 calendar days.

Stephen (23–26 March 752), died of stroke three days after his election, and before his consecration as a bishop. He is not recognized as a valid pope, but was added to the lists of popes in the 15th century as Stephen II, causing difficulties in enumerating later popes named Stephen. The Holy See's Annuario Pontificio, in its list of popes and antipopes, attaches a footnote to its mention of Stephen II (III): "On the death of Zachary the Roman priest Stephen was elected; but, since four days later he died, before his consecratio, which according to the canon law of the time was the true commencement of his pontificate, his name is not registered in the Liber Pontificalis nor in other lists of the Popes."