THE LONGEVITY OF THE POPES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 50, 14 December 1899, Page 6

THE LONGEVITY OF THE POPES.

Thk Archpriest i'ietro Piacenza, Missionary Apostolic, has contribute! to a Romau paper some interesting facts concerning the longevi yof the Pope*. The following are some of the results cf his rts-eaiche>> : —

His Holiness I>o XIII was born on March 2, 1810, and he was elected P. pe on February 20, 1878 ; thus, on October 18, 1899, he hud ie-ichei the age of 89 years 7 months 10 days, and 21 ytars 7 months and 28 days of Pontificate.

Now the following is the place he ocoupks in the order < f the longest-lived Popes :—: — 1. St. Agatbo. died in GB2, age 107 years. 2. Gregory IX, died in 1241, aged 99. 3. Celestine 111, died in 1 198, aged 92. 4. Gregory XII, died in 1471, aged 91. 5. John XXII, died in 1334, aged 90. «. Leo XIII. on October 18, 1899, counts, 80 years 7 months and 1C days.

It may be noted here that Pius IX, whose days seemed very long, died ia 1878, at the age of 85 years 8 months and 24 days.

Proceeding in this study the author finds that 3 Popes lived to the age of 88 ; 5 to 81 ; 5 to 80 ; 2to 78 ; 1 to 77 ; 1 to 76 ; 1 to 74 ; and 4to 70 years of age. The others lived from 50 to 70 years.

With regard to the duration of Pontificate Leo XI II has gained a high position. The longest reigns are :—: —

1. St, Peter, who from a.d. 33 to 68 reigned 31 years and 6 months. ' 2. Pius IX (1846-1878) reigned 31 years 7 months and 22 days. 3. Pius VI (1775-1799) reigned 24 years 7 months and 14 days. 4. Adrian I (771-793) reigned 23 years 10 months and 17 days. 5 Pius VII (1800-1823) reigned 23 years 5 months and 6 days. 6. Alexander XIII (1151-1181) reigned 21 years, 11 months and 23 days. 7. St. Silvestro I (314-33.">) reigned 21 years 10 months and 27

8 Leo XIII (up to October 18, 1899) has reigned 21 years 7 months and 28 days. Another fact in this respect is, that being consecrated Archbishop of Damiata on January 27, 1813, at the age of 33, he is at present the most ancient of all the bishops of Christendom, and the i)iily one living promoted to the episcopate by Gregory XVI. He is also the most ancient of the Cardinalate, having been elected by Pius IX on December 19, 1853. The bishop who follows next the Pnpe in the order of time is Mgr. Joseph George Strossmayer, Archbishop of Sirmio.