A year of three popes is a year when the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church is required to elect two new popes within the same calendar year, in particular the last instance in 1978. [1] [2] Such a year has historically occurred when a newly elected pope dies very early into his papacy. This results in the Catholic Church being led by three different popes during the same calendar year. [3] In one instance, in 1276, there was a year of four popes. [4]
There have been twelve instances in which exactly three popes have held office in a given calendar year.
There was also a year in which the Roman Catholic Church was led by four popes, called the Year of Four Popes:[ according to whom? ]