Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How long was Pope John Paul II’s pontificate?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
St. John Paul II
Pope John Paul II waving to pilgrims, September 10, 1989.
St. John Paul II served as pope from October 16, 1978, until his death on April 2, 2005. His pontificate lasted for more than 26 years, marking it as the third-longest reign in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.1