Editing Pope John Paul I (section)

==Papacy==

===Election===

{{Main|August 1978 papal conclave}}

[[File:Juan Pablo I.jpg|thumb|First appearance of Pope John Paul I following his election on 26 August 1978]]

Pope Paul VI died on 6 August 1978, ending a papacy of fifteen years. Luciani was summoned to Rome for the conclave to elect the new pope. ''Time'' reported that the Dean of the college, [[Carlo Confalonieri]], who was excluded from participating because of age, had been the first to suggest Luciani.<ref>"[https://time.com/archive/6845866/religion-a-swift-stunning-choice/ A Swift, Stunning Choice]", ''Time'', 4 September 1978</ref>

Luciani was elected on the fourth ballot of the [[Papal conclave, August 1978|August 1978]] [[papal conclave]]. Luciani had previously said to his secretary, Father [[Diego Lorenzi]], and Father [[Prospero Grech]] (later a cardinal himself), that he would decline the papacy if elected, and that he intended to vote for [[Aloísio Lorscheider]], whom he met in [[Brazil]].<ref name=ncr2012/> [[Jaime Sin]] of the Philippines told him: "You will be the new pope."<ref name="Google Books"/>

However, when he was asked by [[Jean-Marie Villot]] if he accepted his election, Luciani replied, "May God forgive you for what you have done", but accepted the election. After his election, when Sin paid him homage, the new pope said: "You were a prophet, but my reign will be a short one".<ref name="Google Books"/> On the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, [[Pericle Felici]] announced that the cardinals had elected Albino Luciani, Patriarch of Venice, who had chosen the name Pope John Paul I.<ref name="papaluciani.com">{{cite web|first=Gloria C. |last=Molinari|title=The Conclave August 25th–26th, 1978 |url=http://www.upi.com/Audio/Year_in_Review/Events-of-1978/The-Election-of-Pope-John-Paul-II/12309251197005-5/|website=John Paul I The Smiling Pope|access-date= 20 May 2015}}</ref> It was the first time that a pope had chosen a double name. He later explained that the double name was taken to gratefully honour his two immediate predecessors: [[Pope John XXIII|John XXIII]], who had named him a bishop, and [[Pope Paul VI|Paul VI]], who had named him [[Patriarch of Venice]] and [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]].<ref name="papaluciani.com"/> He was also the first pope to designate himself "the First" with the name.<ref>Yallop, p. 75.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://johnpauli.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/habemus-papam-day-1/|title=Habemus Papam! — Day 1|date=26 August 1978|website=Blogging the John Paul I Papacy|first=Fr. Victor|last= Feltes}}</ref> ([[Pope Francis]], elected in 2013, also took a previously unused papal name but chose not to be called "the First".)

In the aftermath of the election, the pope confided to his brother Edoardo that his first thought was to call himself "Pius XIII" in honour of [[Pope Pius XI]], but he gave up on the idea, worried that the traditionalist members of the Church might exploit this choice of regnal name.<ref>{{Citation|title =La speranza è aspettare qualcosa di bello dal Signore (di Stefania Falasca) | publisher =30 Giorni| url =http://www.30giorni.it/articoli_id_72_l1.htm|access-date = 9 February 2014 }}</ref>

Observers have suggested that his selection was a compromise to satisfy rumoured divisions among seemingly rival camps within the [[College of Cardinals]]:<ref name="papaluciani.com"/>

* [[Conservatism|Conservatives]] and [[Roman Curia|Curialists]] supporting [[Giuseppe Siri]], who favoured a more conservative interpretation or even reversal of controversial ideas being promoted as "in the spirit of [[Vatican II]]" but which had never been discussed at the recent council.
* Those who favoured a more liberal interpretation of Vatican II's reforms along with some Italian cardinals who supported [[Giovanni Benelli]], who had created some opposition due to alleged "[[autocracy|autocratic]]" tendencies.
* The cardinals within the increasingly international [[College of Cardinals]], beyond the Italians who were experiencing diminished influence, such as [[Pope John Paul II|Karol Wojtyła]].<ref name="papaluciani.com" />

During the days following the conclave, the cardinals were generally elated at the reaction to Pope John Paul I, some of them happily saying that they had elected "God's candidate".<ref name="papaluciani.com" /> [[Argentina|Argentine]] [[Eduardo Francisco Pironio]] stated, "We were witnesses of a moral miracle."<ref name="papaluciani.com" /> [[Mother Teresa]], commenting about the new pope, "He has been the greatest gift of God, a sun beam of God's love shining in the darkness of the world."<ref name="papaluciani.com" /> British primate Cardinal [[Basil Hume]] declared: "Once it had happened, it seemed totally and entirely right ... We felt as if our hands were being guided as we wrote his name on the paper".<ref name="Google Books"/>

A dramatic event, soon after the election, occurred when the leader of the delegation from the [[Russian Orthodox Church]], [[Nikodim (Rotov)|Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad]], collapsed and died during an audience with the Pope on 5 September 1978. The new pope immediately came over and prayed for him.<ref>{{cite news| title = Russian Archbishop Dies During Papal Audience| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19780906&id=N0wNAAAAIBAJ&pg=7076,622971| agency = [[Associated Press]]| newspaper= [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]| date = 6 September 1978| page = 6| access-date = 30 August 2013}}</ref>

===Church policies===

====Six-point plan====

After he became pope, he had set six plans down which would dictate his pontificate:

* To renew the church through the policies implemented by Vatican II.
* To revise [[canon law]].
* To remind the church of its duty to preach the Gospel.
* To promote church unity without watering down doctrine.
* To promote dialogue.
* To encourage world peace and social justice.<ref name="Google Books"/>

====Humanising the papacy====

[[File:Ioannes Paulus I, at the window, 1978 (retouched) (cropped).jpg|thumb|170px|John Paul I photographed from his [[Papal apartments|study]] window in 1978]]

After his election, John Paul I quickly made several decisions that would "humanise" the office of the pope. He was the first modern pope to speak in the singular form, using 'I' instead of the [[Pluralis majestatis|royal ''we'']]. However, the official records of his speeches were often rewritten in a more formal style by aides, who reinstated the royal ''we'' in press releases and ''[[L'Osservatore Romano]]''. He initially refused to use the ''[[sedia gestatoria]]'' until others convinced him of its need to allow himself to be seen by crowds. He was the last pope to use it. He was the first pope to refuse to be [[Papal coronation|crowned]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Paul-I| title = The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "John Paul I". ''Encyclopedia Britannica''| date = 13 October 2023}}</ref> Instead of a coronation, he [[Papal inauguration of Pope John Paul I|inaugurated his papacy]] with a "[[papal inauguration]]" where he received the papal [[pallium]] as the symbol of his position as Bishop of Rome.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Briggs| first1=Kenneth A.|title=In the Vatican, a Pope Who Underscores the Shift to Style of Humility|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/11/14/archives/in-the-vatican-a-pope-who-underscores-the-shift-to-style-of.html |access-date=5 September 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=14 November 1978}}</ref>

===Moral theology===

{{Main|Moral theology of John Paul I}}

British researcher Paul Spackman described Luciani as a man of "doctrinal rigour leavened by pastoral and social open-mindedness," who left behind a "legacy of gentle and compassionate bridge-building."<ref name=ncr2012/>

====Contraception====

Luciani had mixed feelings regarding the traditional stance on contraception. In 1968, as Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, he submitted a report to his predecessor as the Patriarch of Venice, [[Giovanni Urbani]], that argued that the contraceptive pill should be permitted. It was agreed on by fellow Veneto bishops and was later submitted to Pope Paul VI.<ref name="John Julius Norwich 2011, p. 445">John Julius Norwich, ''The Popes'', London, 2011, p. 445.</ref> When ''[[Humanae vitae]]'' was released, re-affirming the teaching of the Church against artificial contraception, Luciani defended that document. Nevertheless, he seemed to contradict that defence in a letter he wrote to his diocese four days after the encyclical's release.<ref>Albino Luciani/Giovanni Paolo I, ''Opera Omnia'' (Padua: Edizioni Messagero, 1989), vol. 3, pp. 300–301.</ref> In May 1978, Luciani was invited to speak at a Milanese conference to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the encyclical. He refused to speak at the event or even attend it.<ref name="John Julius Norwich 2011, p. 445"/>

Raymond and Lauretta take a different view, saying that while serving as Patriarch of Venice, "Luciani was intransigent with his upholding of the teaching of the Church and severe with those, who through intellectual pride and disobedience paid no attention to the Church's prohibition of contraception, though while not condoning the sin, he was patient with those who sincerely tried and failed to live up to the Church's teaching."<ref name="autogenerated2004" />

====Abortion====

In his letter to Carlo Goldoni from the book ''[[Illustrissimi]]'', Luciani took a critical perspective of abortion and argued that it violated God's law and that it went against the deepest aspirations of women, profoundly disturbing them.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yex2o7Ta48UC|title=Illustrissimi: The Letters of Pope John Paul I|translator-first=Isabel |translator-last=Quigly |publisher=Gracewing Publishing|year=2001|page=269|isbn=9780852445495}}</ref>

====Artificial insemination====

In an interview before the death of [[Pope Paul VI]] in 1978, when asked for his reaction to the birth of the first test-tube baby [[Louise Brown]], Luciani expressed concerns about the possibility that [[artificial insemination]] could lead to women being used as "baby factories", but he refused to condemn the parents,<ref>''Prospettive nel Mondo'', 1 August 1978; Albino Luciani, ''Opera Omnia'', vol. 8, pp. 571-72</ref> noting that they simply wanted to have a baby.<ref>Adam Eley, [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33599353 "How has IVF developed since the first 'test-tube baby'?"], [[BBC News]], 23 July 2015, accessed 24 March 2023</ref>

His view was that "from every side the press is sending its congratulations to the English couple and best wishes to their baby girl. In imitation of God, who desires and loves human life, I too offer my best wishes to the baby girl. As for her parents, I do not have any right to condemn them; subjectively, if they have acted with the right intention and in good faith, they may even obtain great merit before God for what they have decided on and asked the doctors to carry out." Luciani added, "Getting down, however, to the act in itself, and good faith aside, the moral problem which is posed is: is extrauterine fertilization in vitro or in a test tube, licit?... I do not find any valid reasons to deviate from this norm, by declaring licit the separation of the transmission of life from the marriage act."<ref>''Prospettive nel Mondo'', 1 August 1978; Luciani, ''Opera Omnia'', vol. 8, pp. 571–72.</ref>

====Divorce====

In 1969, Luciani was cautious of de facto relationships as a lesser evil to divorce. He said that unions like those should not be the same as marriage. However, he added that "there are, in undeniably pathological family situations, painful cases. To remedy that, some propose a divorce, which, conversely, would aggravate this. But some remedy outside of divorce, you can't really find? Once the legitimate family is protected and made a place of honour, you will not be able to recognise with all appropriate precautions some civil effect to de facto unions."<ref name="Vatican Insider">{{cite web|url=http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-AU&dl=en&lp=IT_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2fvaticaninsider.lastampa.it%2fhomepage%2fvaticano%2fdettaglio-articolo%2farticolo%2fluciani-papa-14496%2f|title=Luciani, the meek Pope (in Italian)|publisher=Vatican Insider|date=20 April 2012|access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref>

====Homosexuality====

In a 1974 interview, while he was the Patriarch of Venice, Luciani upheld the traditional line: "A sexuality that is worthy of man must be a part of love for a person of a different sex with the added commitments of fidelity and indissolubility."<ref>Interview with ''Il Gazzettino'', 12 February 1974, p. 7</ref>

====Ordination of women====

In a 1975 talk Luciani gave to a group of sisters, he expressed his views on the ordination of women into the priesthood:

{{blockquote|You will ask: what about ... the priesthood itself? I can say to you: Christ bestowed the pastoral ministry on men alone, on his apostles. Did he mean this to be valid only for a short time, almost as though he made allowances for the prejudice about the inferiority of women prevalent in his time? Or did he intend it to be valid always? Let it be very clear: Christ never accepted the prejudice about the inferiority of women: they are always admirable figures in the Gospels, more so than the apostles themselves. The priesthood, however, is a service given by means of spiritual powers and not a form of superiority. Through the will of Christ, women — in my judgement — carry out a different, complementary, and precious service in the church, but they are not "possible priests" ... That does not do wrong to women.<ref name=ncr2012/>}}

===Communism===

John Paul I reiterated the official views of the church regarding [[Marxism]] and Catholicism being incompatible and believed it to be a "weapon to disobey" the Christian faith. As Patriarch of Venice, he struggled at times with Marxist students who were demanding changes in Venetian policies. He also forbade those factions that were Marxist from threatening the faith.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zenit.org%2Fit%2Farticles%2Falbino-luciani-inedito-seconda-parte&edit-text=&act=url|title=Albino Luciani unpublished Part II (in Italian)|date=21 August 2012|publisher=Zenit|access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref>

===Interfaith dialogue===

====Islam====

John Paul I was a friend to the Muslim people and, as [[Patriarch of Venice]], said to Catholics that faithful Muslims had the "right to build a [[mosque]]" to practise their faith in the archdiocese.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

===Universal call to holiness===

Luciani stressed the need throughout his time as Bishop of Vittorio Veneto to answer the [[universal call to holiness]] as was an invitation in the Second Vatican Council. He believed that sainthood was something that all Catholics could achieve if they led a life of service to God. Luciani said there were no barriers to sainthood and discussed this theme of the council in a homily on 6 January 1962: "We are called by God to be true saints". Luciani stressed the importance of this and said God invites Catholics and obligates them to sainthood. He also said that by professing love for God, Catholics say: "my God I want to be holy, I will strive to be holy".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-AU&dl=en&lp=IT_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.papaluciani.it%2fHumilitas%2f09%2fhumilitas_gennaio09.html|title=The Lord invites and obligates us to holiness (in Italian)|publisher=Humilitas|access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref>

===Mercy===

During his brief pontificate, John Paul I spoke three times on the concept of God's mercy. In his General Audience address on 13 September 1978, the pope said that the entire point of mercy is "to surrender to God" through faith in him, which goes about "transforming one's life" in the fight against sin, and the pursuit of holiness. The pope continued that "God has so much tenderness for us" in which "He begs me to repent" from sin to return to God's embrace. The pope concluded that "the Church too must be good; good to everyone" in its outreach to the faithful.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Holy See|author=Pope John Paul I|date=13 September 1978|access-date=17 November 2017|title=General Audience|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-i/en/audiences/documents/hf_jp-i_aud_13091978.html}}</ref>

John Paul I, in his Angelus address on 24 September 1978, spoke about the importance of doing good deeds through charitable and merciful acts in society, to make the world more just, and to improve the overall conditions of society. The pope elaborated that it was important to "try to be good and to infect others with a goodness imbued with the meekness and love taught by Christ" while seeking to give one's all in service to others. The pope further pointed out Christ's example on the Cross, in which he forgave and excused those who persecuted, referring to it as a sentiment which "would help society so much" if put into constant practice.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Holy See|date=24 September 1978|author=Pope John Paul I|title=Angelus, 24 September 1978|access-date=17 November 2017|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-i/en/angelus/documents/hf_jp-i_ang_24091978.html}}</ref>

The pope also spoke about mercy in his address at the General Audience on 27 September 1978. He referred to God as "infinite good" capable of providing for mankind's "eternal happiness" in his love for humanity. He continued that it may be "difficult to love others; we do not find them likeable, they have offended us and hurt us", though said that forgiveness between brothers and sisters was very important for unity and peace among people. Additionally, the pope referred to the seven corporal and spiritual acts of mercy, which he said acted as a guide for Christians, though highlighting the fact that "the list is not complete and it would be necessary to update it" as times change since global situations change. The pope concluded that justice adds to charity, which is linked to the theme of mercy.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Holy See|author=Pope John Paul I|date=27 September 1978|access-date=17 November 2017|title=General Audience|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-i/en/audiences/documents/hf_jp-i_aud_27091978.html}}</ref>

===Interpretation of Vatican II===

Luciani had attended all sessions of the [[Second Vatican Council]] (1962–65) while he was the Bishop of Vittorio Veneto. He had hoped that the council would highlight "Christian optimism" in terms of Christ's teachings against the culture of relativism. He denounced a fundamental ignorance of the "basic elements of the faith" — it was this point that he wished to focus on as opposed to secularism throughout the world.

Luciani told his niece that his diocese actually contained people "of three councils":
*Those stuck at Vatican I, if not actually at the Council of Trent.
*Those "who gladly accept the aggiornamento of Vatican II, seeing it as a grace to improve the relationship between the church and the world."
*"A little group who make the council say things that in reality it does not say, planning a radical rush toward another council that still does not exist, a Vatican III."<ref>[https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/debunking-four-myths-about-john-paul-i-smiling-pope Allen Jr,. John R., "Debunking four myths about John Paul I, the 'Smiling Pope'", ''National Catholic Reporter'', November 2, 2012]</ref>

Shortly after becoming Pope, he laid out the priorities for his papacy. First and foremost would be the continued implementation of Vatican II.<ref>[https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2022/09/02/explainer-pope-john-paul-luciani-243680 Keane, James T., "Pope John Paul I will be beatified on Sunday. Who was he?", ''America'', September 02, 2022]</ref>

In regard to religious freedom, Luciani wrote about the council's declaration, {{lang|la|[[Dignitatis humanae]]}}. In his writings, he said that there is only one true religion that must be followed and no other, affirming that Jesus Christ is the truth, and that the truth will set one truly free. However, he stated that those that who would not accept the one true Catholic faith, for whatever reason, were indeed free to profess their own religion for various reasons. He continued to state that religious freedom must be freely exercised by the individual: "The choice of religious belief must be free. The freer and more earnest the choice, the more those that embrace the Faith will feel honoured. These are rights, natural rights. Rights always come hand in hand with duties. The non Catholics have the right to profess their religion and I have the duty to respect their right as a private citizen, as a priest, as a bishop and as a State".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/concilio-council-papa-pope-el-papa-luciani-17330/|title= The Second Vatican Council according to Albino Luciani|publisher= Vatican Insider|date= 8 June 2012|accessdate= 19 April 2014}}</ref>

===International travels===

On 12 September 1978, [[Mario Casariego y Acevedo]] of [[Guatemala]] invited the pope to visit Guatemala in 1979. The pope was said to have thanked him for the invitation but did not provide a response. The week before this, the pope said he was unable to accept an invitation to the [[Latin American Episcopal Conference]] in [[Puebla]], Mexico for October due to his schedule.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1978-09-12 |title=Pope Invited to the New World, but Staying Put for Now |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-journal-pope-invited-to-the-n/171244510/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |work=The Ottawa Journal |pages=46}}</ref>

===Sainthood causes===

No saints were [[Canonisation|canonised]] nor people [[Beatification|beatified]] in his brief term on the papal throne, but José Gras y Granollers, [[John Vincent (Carmelite)|Juan Vicente Zengotita-Bengoa Lasuen]] and [[Giuseppe Beschin]] were made [[Servant of God|Servants of God]] during his pontificate on 22 September 1978.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1943.htm|title=JUAN VICENTE ZENGOTITABENGOA LAUSEN (JUAN VICENTE OF JESUS AND MARY)|publisher=Hagiography Circle|access-date=2 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1918.htm#Granollers|title=JOSÉ GRAS GRANOLLERS|date=2015|access-date=25 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1952.htm|title=GIUSEPPE BESCHIN (IGNAZIO)|publisher=Hagiography Circle|access-date=29 August 2015}}</ref>

===Personality===

John Paul I was regarded as a skilled communicator and writer. His book ''[[Illustrissimi]]'', written while he was a cardinal, is a series of letters to a wide collection of historical and fictional persons. Among those still available are his letters to Jesus, King [[David]], Figaro the Barber, Empress [[Maria Theresa]] and [[Pinocchio]]. Others "written to" included [[Mark Twain]], [[Charles Dickens]] and [[Christopher Marlowe]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Gloria C. |last=Molinari |url=http://www.papaluciani.com/eng/teachings/letters/illustrious.htm |title=Letters |website=Papaluciani.com |date=10 September 1999 |access-date=20 May 2015 |archive-date=23 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023050347/http://www.papaluciani.com/eng/teachings/letters/illustrious.htm |url-status=usurped }}</ref> He was also well-read, and was known for reading several newspapers each morning, including one from the Veneto region, before beginning his day.<ref name=FD/>

John Paul I impressed people with his personal warmth. He was seen by some as an intellectual lightweight not up to the responsibilities of the papacy, although [[David Yallop]] (''[[In God's Name]]'') says that this is the result of a [[whispering campaign]] by people in the Vatican who were opposed to Luciani's policies. In the words of [[John Cornwell (writer)|John Cornwell]], "they treated him with condescension"; one senior cleric discussing Luciani said "they have elected [[Peter Sellers]]."<ref>[[Joseph McCabe|McCabe, Joseph]], [http://www.stanleyhero.com/history/History-of-the-Popes/History-of-the-Popes_9.php ''A History of the Popes'' excerpts from: A History of the Popes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601121637/http://www.stanleyhero.com/history/History-of-the-Popes/History-of-the-Popes_9.php |date=1 June 2009 }}</ref> Critics contrasted his sermons mentioning [[Pinocchio]] to the learned intellectual discourses of [[Pope Pius XII|Pius XII]] or [[Pope Paul VI|Paul VI]]. Visitors spoke of his isolation and loneliness and the fact that he was the first pope in decades not to have previously held either a diplomatic role (like [[Pope Pius XI|Pius XI]] and John XXIII) or [[Roman Curia|Curial]] role (like Pius XII and Paul VI) in the Church.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}

His personal impact, however, was twofold: his image as a warm, gentle and kind man captivated the whole world. This image was immediately formed when he was presented to the crowd in [[St. Peter's Square]] following his election. The warmth of his presence made him a much-loved figure before he even spoke a word. The media in particular fell under his spell. He was a very skilled [[orator]].{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}

According to his aides, he was not the naive idealist his critics made him out to be. [[Giuseppe Caprio]], the substitute Papal Secretary of State, said that John Paul I quickly accepted his new role and performed it with confidence.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Seabeck |first1=Raymond |last2=Seabeck | first2=Lauretta |title=The Smiling Pope, The Life & Teaching of John Paul I|publisher=Our Sunday Visitor Press|date= 2004 |quote=We must not be deceived by his smile. He listened, he asked for information, he studied. But once he made a decision, he did not go back on it, unless new facts came to light.... With absolute respect to persons, the Pope had no intentions of deviating from what had been the rule of his life and the direction of his pastoral action: fatherly, yes, but absolutely firm in the guidance of the souls entrusted by God to his care.}}</ref>

John Paul I had admitted that the prospect of the papacy had daunted him to the point that other cardinals had to encourage him to accept it. He refused to have the millennium-old traditional [[papal coronation]] or wear the [[papal tiara]].<ref>''Romano Pontifici Eligendo'' (1975) [https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19751001_romano-pontifici-eligendo.html Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Constitution on the election on the pontiff, Section 92.]</ref> He instead chose to have a simplified [[Papal inauguration|inauguration mass]]. John Paul I adopted as his [[motto]] the Latin word {{lang|la|Humilitas}} ('Humility'). In his notable [[Angelus]] of 27 August 1978 (delivered on the first full day of his papacy), he impressed the world with his natural friendliness.<ref>{{cite web|title=First Angelus Address, Pope John Paul I|publisher=[[Libreria Editrice Vaticana]]|url=https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_i/angelus/documents/hf_jp-i_ang_27081978_en.html|access-date=28 November 2008}}</ref>

Sister Margherita Marin, who worked in the Vatican during Luciani's papacy, said in comments made in late 2017 that the pope had admitted the sisters into his apartment chapel for morning Mass, unlike his predecessor Paul VI who had only admitted his secretaries.<ref name=FD>{{cite web|url=http://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/venezia/cronaca/2017/12/11/news/suor-margherita-papa-luciani-era-sereno-quando-mori-1.16225896|publisher=La Nuova Venezia|date=11 December 2017|author=Francesco Dal Mas|access-date=12 December 2017|title=Suor Margherita: "Papa Luciani era sereno quando morì"}}</ref> Marin also said that Luciani would speak the [[Venetian dialect]] with those Venetian sisters to make them more comfortable, and to better interact with them. The religious also noted that the pope's humour was evident to all those who spoke with him, and he would often joke with the sisters when seeing his picture in the papers: "But you see how they got me", in reference to the quality of his picture.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}