Pope Francis was the oldest serving pope in history. According to data compiled by World Visualized, the Argentinian Pope served until the age of 88, ultimately passing away on Monday, April 21, 2025.
Pope Francis served for approximately 12 years, from 2013 to 2025. His age at the time of his death was not far from that of Leo XIII, who led the Catholic Church for the longest period, until the age of 93. Leo XIII served from 1878 to 1903.
Third on the list is Pope Clement XII, who served until the age of 87. Pope Clement led from 1758-1769.
While age demonstrates the personal resilience of the popes, this differs from the length of their reigns. For example, Pius IX holds the record for the longest documented papacy, lasting over 31 years (1846-1878).
"It should also be noted that Saint Peter, traditionally considered the first pope, is believed to have served for approximately 34 years, although historical verification remains limited," wrote World Visualized on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
Following this are Popes Clement X through John Paul II in the top 8, as shown in the graph.