The papacy, one of the world’s oldest continuous institutions, has seen leaders of various ages ascend to its highest office. Among these, a select group stands out not just for their spiritual leadership, but for the remarkable age at which they served in their role as leader of the Catholic church.
These elder statesmen of the Catholic Church took on the mantle of papal responsibility at a time when many of their contemporaries were stepping back from professional life. Their appointments raise intriguing questions about the relationship between age, experience, and religious leadership.
The advanced years of these popes brought with them a wealth of life experience and, presumably, deep spiritual insight. Yet, leading a global religious institution in one’s twilight years undoubtedly presented unique challenges.
In this exploration of the oldest popes in history, we’ll examine the lives and legacies of these extraordinary individuals. From their pre-papal careers to the significant decisions made during their tenures, we’ll gain insight into how age factored into their leadership of the Catholic Church.
Join us as we explore this fascinating aspect of papal history, where the wisdom of years met the demands of one of the world’s most influential positions.
11. Pope John XXIII – Age: 81 years and 189 days – (November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963)
Pope Saint John XXIII was the 261st leader of the Catholic Church and the 21st pope to take the name of John.
Born Angelo Roncalli, he was the fourth of Giovanni Roncalli and Marianna Mazzolla’s 13 children and also their eldest son.
He was beatified on 3 September 2000 by Pope John Paul II
Pope John XXIII was canonized (made a saint) on 27th April 2014 at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City by Pope Francis, on the 50th anniversary of his death.
11. Pope John Paul II – Age: 84 years ( 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005)
Pope John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojtyła, was one of the most influential pontiffs in modern history. He served as the head of the Catholic Church for nearly 27 years, from 1978 until his death in 2005.
John Paul II passed away on April 2, 2005, at the age of 84, having lived a long and impactful life.
His pontificate was marked by significant global outreach, travels to numerous countries, and efforts to bridge divides between different faiths.
Despite health challenges in his later years, including Parkinson’s disease, he remained active in his role until close to the end of his life.
10. Pope Lucius III – Age: 85 years (c. 1097 – November 25, 1185)
Pope Lucius III, born Ubaldo Allucingoli, ascended to the papal throne at the remarkably advanced age of 81, becoming the 171st pope of the Catholic Church in 1181. His late-life elevation to the papacy came after a long career in the Church, including service as a cardinal for over three decades.
Despite his advanced years, Lucius III took on the demanding role of pontiff during a tumultuous period marked by conflicts with the Holy Roman Emperor and the rise of religious dissent. His papacy, though brief, was consequential, as he issued several important decrees and worked to combat heretical movements.
After four years of leading the Church through challenging times, Pope Lucius III passed away in 1185 at the venerable age of 85.
9. Pope Innocent XII – Age: 85 years and 107 days (March 13, 1615 – September 27, 1700)
Pope Innocent XII, born Antonio Pignatelli, ascended to the papal throne in 1691 as the 242nd pontiff of the Catholic Church. His selection of the name “Innocent” placed him as the twelfth pope to bear this title, continuing a legacy that stretched back to Pope Innocent I in the early 5th century.
Innocent XII’s papacy, lasting until his death in 1700, was marked by his efforts to reform the Church and combat nepotism, a practice that had long plagued the papal office.
8. Pope Pius IX – Age: 85 years and 107 days (May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878)
Pope Pius IX born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, ascended to the papacy in 1846 as the 255th successor to St. Peter, marking a significant chapter in the long history of the Catholic Church.
His selection of the name “Pius” placed him as the ninth pontiff to bear this title, continuing a tradition that stretched back to Pope Pius I in the 2nd century. Pius IX’s papacy, the longest in history after that of St. Peter, lasted for nearly 32 years until his death in 1878. This extensive tenure saw monumental changes both within the Church and in the wider world, including the loss of the Papal States, the First Vatican Council, and the declaration of papal infallibility.
7. Pope Benedict XVI – Age 85 years and 318 days when he resigned (April 16, 1927 – 2018)
Pope Benedict XVI was head of the Catholic church until he retired aged 85. He died nearly 10 years later at the age of 95.
He was the oldest pope to have taken reign of the papacy since Clement XII in 1730.
Benedict XVI was 78 years old when his reign as pope began.
6. Pope Clement X – Age: 86 years and 9 days (July 13, 1590 – July 22, 1676)
Bonr Emilio Bonaventura Altieri in 1590, Pope Clement X was the 239th man to serve as pope and the 10th to choose Clement as his name. He served as Pope till his death aged 86 years and 9 days.
He chose the name of Clement out of respect and admiration for his predecessor, Pope Clement IX.
5. Pope Francis – Age: 87 (December 17, 1936 – present)
Francis I is still going strong. Currently he is 87 years old and is the 6th oldest pope to have served as head of the Catholic church.
Pope Francis I earned the nickname of the Slum Bishop in the 1990s due to the priests he sent into the slums of Buenos Aires. He believed that those priests could help the area improve.
4. Pope Clement XII – Age: 87 years and 305 days (April 7, 1652 – February 6, 1740)
Pope Clement XII was the 12th pope to take the name of Clement and the 246th pope to lead the Catholic Church and its Papal States.
He was born on April 7th, 1652, within Florence when it was part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Clement XII was elected as pope in 1730 aged 78 years old. Her served as pope for 10 years when he died aged 87.
3. Pope Gregory XII – Age: 88 years when he resigned) (c. 1325 – October 18, 1417)
Pope Gregory XII is one of the very few popes that abdicated the papacy before death. His reign as pope ended when he reached the age of 88, making him the 3rd oldest pope to serve as head of the Catholic church.
2. Pope Celestine III – Age: 92 years (c. 1106 – January 8, 1198)
Pope Celestine III, born Giacinto Bobone, had a remarkable tenure as the head of the Catholic Church, particularly notable for his advanced age and unique desire to abdicate.
Ascending to the papacy at the already venerable age of 85, Celestine III served for nearly six years, during which he expressed an unprecedented wish to retire from his pontifical duties.
However, the College of Cardinals, adhering to the long-standing tradition that a pope should serve until death, refused his request to step down. As a result, Celestine III continued to fulfill his papal responsibilities until he passed away on January 8, 1198, at the extraordinary age of 92.
His papacy not only set a record for the oldest elected pope at the time but also sparked a debate about papal resignation that would resonate through Church history, culminating centuries later with the voluntary abdication of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.
1. Pope Leo XIII – Age: 93 years and 140 days (March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903)
Pope Leo XIII is the oldest pope to have ever served as leader of the Catholic church. His reign as pope lasted 25 years, 5 months and 1 day (9,281 days) which also makes him the 4th longest serving pope of all time.
Pope Leo XIII was one of the more famous popes in modern history. He is remembered for his efforts to reconcile Catholic Church teaching with modern ideas as well as for his intellectualism.
In a famous 1891 encyclical Rerum novarum document, the pope outlined ideas for workers’ rights that included safe working conditions, fair wages, and trade union formation all the while reaffirming the rights that included free enterprise economics and property rights. He walked the middle ground by being opposed to both unbridled free market capitalism and socialism.
Pope Leo XIII also heavily promoted the use of the rosary and scapular.