The election of Pope Leo XIV has set off a frenzy among those seeking information about the new pontiff, and one question has repeatedly come up.
That question is just how old the Pope is, a common topic of discussion considering that age plays a role in the makeup of the College of Cardinals, who voted on the new Pope during the conclave at the Vatican.
According to a biography provided by the Vatican, Leo is 69 years old, and was born in Chicago in 1955.
He is younger than each of the previous two men to have held the position of pope. When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, he was 76 years of age, while Pope Benedict XVI was 78 years old when he was elected in 2005.
According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, age is a key concern among those who elect the new pope. Under rules set forth by Pope Paul VI in 1970, eligible cardinals must be under the age of 80 in order to vote for a new pope, meaning that only 133 of the College of Cardinals’ members were permitted to cast ballots.
While the pope is younger than his two predecessors were when they were elected, he’s actually older than most pontiffs in recent memory.
Pope John Paul II, who was elected in Oct. 1978, was 58 years old when he was elected, and his predecessors, Pope John Paul I and Paul VI, were both 65 years of age.
In fact, since 1800, Pope Leo XIV is the fourth-oldest elected to office, with Pope John XXIII taking office at the age of 76 during that time.
The youngest person ever elected pope is believed to be Pope John XII, who by some estimates was only 18 years old when he was elected to the position in 955. Some other historians have argued that Pope Benedict IX was the youngest at just 20 years of age, but recordkeeping is incomplete for many popes prior to more modern times, experts caution.
The oldest person to be elected is believed to be Pope Gregory XII, who was 81 years old when he was elected in 1406, according to Britannica.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( How old is Pope Leo XIV? Here's how he compares to previous pontiffs )
Also on site :