The Sudden Death of Pope John Paul I
Witness History
BBC
4.5 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 28 September 2017
⏱️ 12 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Just 33 days into his reign, Pope John Paul I unexpectedly died in September 1978. He was discovered in the early morning lying on his bed, a collection of sermons in his hand. He was considered an excellent communicator, and his warm personality earned him the nick name of "the smiling Pope". But his death shook the church. Rebecca Kesby spoke to Cardinal Beniamino Stella who knew him well.
(PHOTO: Pope John Paul I. Credit: Getty Images.)
Transcript
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| 1:04.7 | sounds hello and thank you for downloading this witness history |
| 1:09.4 | podcast from the BBC World Service with me Rebecca Kessby and today we're heading back to |
| 1:14.8 | 1978 which became known as the year of three popes following the sudden death |
| 1:20.0 | of Pope John Paul the first just 33 days into his papacy. |
| 1:25.0 | Within half an hour of the announcement of the Pope's death on Italian radio, |
| 1:30.0 | thousands of people began crowding into St. Peter's Square. |
| 1:33.4 | Early in the morning of September 29th, 1978, the body of Pope John Paul I was discovered by a nun |
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