As his papacy ages, pope finds few familiar faces from early years

Published: 2004-02-20

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In mid-March, Pope John Paul II's pontificate will become the third-longest in history, a milestone that attests to the drive and determination of the ailing pontiff. The calculation of pontificate length is a somewhat tricky business, but on or about March 17 the pope will surpass Pope Leo XIII, who ruled for 25 years and five months a century ago. In modern papacies, that will leave only the 31-year pontificate of Pope Pius IX ahead of Pope John Paul. By tradition, St. Peter's papacy is counted as the longest, though historians have no certain dates for his reign. The 83-year-old pope, who suffers from a neurological illness, arthritis and the effects of several operations, is clearly limited today in his mobility, speech and stamina. In recent months, he actually has looked and sounded better than he did at his 25th anniversary celebrations last October. The pope is unlikely to celebrate his March milestone with anything more than a passing thought. But if he reflects on the span of his tenure, he might be struck by a simple fact: There aren't many familiar faces from 25 years ago. The pope has bid them goodbye at retirement age and presided at many of their funerals.

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