There has never been a Pope John XX, because the 20th pope of this name, formerly Petrus Hispanus, when elected Pope in 1276, decided to skip the number XX and to be counted as John XXI instead. He wanted to correct what in his time was believed to be an error in the counting of his predecessors John XV to XIX.
Read more about Pope John XX: Details
Famous quotes containing the words pope and/or john:
“A little learning is a dang’rous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.”
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
“Love-light of Spain—hurrah!
Death-light of Africa!
Don John of Austria
Is riding to the sea.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936)