, Vatican City, March 13 (UPI) -- Pope John Paul II becomes the third longest reigning pontiff in the history of the church Sunday -- or the second, depending on how one counts St Peter.
John Paul will overtake Leo XIII who was pope for 9,280 days, from Feb 20 1878 to July 29, 1903.
Polish-born Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who is 81, was elected the 264th pope on Oct 16, 1978.
As the founder of the Catholic Church, St Peter is recognized as the first pope. But some church historians count the duration of his papacy from his stay in Rome, which makes if 25 years. Others maintain he led the church for either 34 or 37 years and was, therefore, pope for all of that time.
There is a third view that confines the list to elected popes. St Peter received his sacred mandate from Christ himself. The gospel says Christ called him the rock on which he would build the church.
Definitely ahead of Pope John Paul II on the papal longevity list is Pope Pius IX who occupied the office for 31 years seven months and 17 days -- from June 21, 1846 to Feb 7, 1878.
