The Pope

Lorelai jokes that the pope already has plans, but he’s trying to get out of them so he can attend Rory’s birthday party.

The pope is the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the Catholic Church, also the head of state in Vatican City. One of the most enduring institutions in the world, the papacy has played a prominent role in world history. By tradition, the popes trace their line of succession back to St. Peter, and the title is from the Latin for “father”.

In 2000, the pope was John Paul II (1920-2005), who was elected in 1978. Born Karol Wojtyla in Poland, he was the first non-Italian pope since the 16^th century, and one of the longest-serving popes in modern history. He greatly improved the Catholic Church’s relationship with other religions, and is credited with helping to end Communism in Europe. He was canonised a saint in 2014.