JOHN PAUL II: SIXTH LONGEST PONTIFICATE IN HISTORY

VATICAN CITY, OCT 13, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul II, the former Archbishop Karol Wojtyla of Krakow, Poland, was elected as the 263rd Successor to St. Peter the afternoon of October 16, 1978. On Monday, October 16, 2000 he celebrates the 22nd anniversary of his election as Pope and Bishop of Rome.

On October 17, 2000, his pontificate - at 22 years and 1 day - becomes the sixth longest in history, not including St. Peter. The five longest pontificates are: Blessed Pius IX (31 years, 8 months); Leo XIII (25 years, 4 months); Pius VI (24 years, 6 months); Adrian I (24 years) and Pius VII (23 years, 5 months).

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