How a 1928 Rule Change Opened the Papacy to Serving Bishops

The year 1928 marked a shift in the way the Church chose its pope, with a legal change allowing serving bishops and metropolitans to stand for election.

The revised rules made senior clergy carrying out pastoral duties and administrative responsibilities eligible for nomination and election to the papal office.

The change opened a route to the papacy for church leaders already overseeing congregations and managing church affairs, rather than requiring them to leave those responsibilities before becoming candidates.

It was under this revised framework that a metropolitan was elected pope for the first time in 1928, making the year a milestone in the Church’s selection process.