Pope John Paul I and was then led to another place and was offered a bench to kneel and pray. Luciani was summoned to Rome for the conclave to elect the new pope. Luciani was not considered papabile at the time though mentioned upon occasion in several papers, but a few cardinals approached him with their opinion that he would make a fine pontiff. The electors did not want a Curial figure, as Paul VI had been, but a warm and pastoral figure like Pope John XXIII. Luciani was elected on the fourth ballot of the August 1978 papal conclave. Luciani had previously said
Pope John Paul II Day Pope John Paul II Day Pope John Paul II Day is a Polish festival celebrated every year on October 16. It was established by the Polish Parliament as a tribute to Pope John Paul II. In parallel, it is celebrated by the Catholic Church in Poland as Papal Day, which falls on the Sunday preceding the anniversary of the election of Karol Wojtyła as Pope. On October 16, 1978, the Archbishop of Kraków Cardinal, Karol Wojtyła was elected as Pope and took the name John Paul II. He was the first Pope in 455 years who was not Italian. On