'Smiling Pope' John Paul I takes the next step toward sainthood -- not all pontiffs earn this distinction
- Written by Joanne M. Pierce, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
Pope John Paul I greets the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in August 1978.Keystone/Hulton Archive via Getty ImagesOn Sept. 4, 2022, Pope John Paul I, born Albino Luciani, will be beatified: proclaimed as “blessed,” the last step before being canonized as a Catholic saint.
