History of the papacy not only his deep inner resignation but also his constant abandonment to divine providence.". It is this character trait, which led to the opening of the process of beatification and canonization for Paul VI. With the accession of Pope John Paul II after the mysterious death of Pope John Paul I (who only survived as pope for 33 days), the church had, for the first time since Pope Adrian VI in the 16th century, a non-Italian pope. John Paul II has been credited with helping to bring down communism in eastern Europe by sparking what amounted to a peaceful revolution
Legends surrounding the papacy Religious Affairs Shimon Shetreet, have believed is being held in secret by the Vatican, and the idea of hidden Jewish manuscripts in the Vatican Secret Archives. Legends surrounding the papacy The papacy has been surrounded by numerous legends. Among the most famous are the claims that the papal tiara bears the "Number of the Beast" inscriptions, that a woman was once elected pope, or that the current pope will be the last Pope. The latter claim has been shown to be false for every known pope barring the incumbent; but it remains theoretically possible. One misconception surrounding the papal tiara