„Ein schockierend vorzeitiger Tod“. Das Ende von Papst Johannes Paul I. und seine medialen Deutungen.

On the morning of September 29, 1978, John Paul I was discovered dead. One of the shortest pontificates in history ended after 33 days. The Vatican announced that the 65 year-old pope died of a heart attack according to God's unfathomable providence. The sudden papal death gained worldwide media attention. Two issues were extensively discussed in the press: Firstly, what meaning might lie in the premature death that ended the pontificate after such a short time. Secondly, there was speculation on possible alternative explanations for the pontiff's lonely end, because the official cause of death was promptly questioned by the newspapers. In their opinion the stress of the office and the strains of the curial bureaucracy decisively weakened the pope's fragile health. Journalists reckoned that he left a remarkable legacy: His unique personality was reflected in the extraordinary circumstances of his death. These characteristics would determine the election of his successor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]