POPES BORN IN MANY LANDS

New Zealand Tablet, 10 December 1914, Page 49

POPES BORN IN MANY LANDS

A great' many of the Sovereign Pontiffs have been of Italian birth, but many. were of other races. One hundred and four Popes have been Romans, 103 were natives of other parts of Italy ; 15 were Frenchmen, seven were Asiatics, three were Africans, three were Spaniards, two were Dalmatians, while Palestine, Thrace, Holland, Portugal, and England have each furnished one occupant of the papal chair. Nine pontiffs have reigned less than one month, thirty less than one year, eleven more than twenty years, six have reigned over twenty-three years ; the longest reign, except that of St. Peter, who was in Antioch seven years and in Rome twenty-five years, two months and seven days, was the reign of Pius IX., who was Pope 31 years seven months and twenty-one days. The next, longest was his successor, Leo XIII., who was : Pope twenty-five years and five months. The combined successive reigns of these two Popes are the longest in history, covering a period of 57 years and five months. 4 ■ ’