Fat pope, thin pope

The adage around papal conclaves has been attributed to Italians and has multiple phrasing, including "Always follow a fat pope with a skinny one" (), "A fat pope follows a thin one" (), "A thin pope follows a fat pope" (), and "After a fat pope comes a thin pope" (). It describes a perceived tendency for the cardinal electors to choose a candidate who counterbalances the previous pope, as if following a pendulum swing. and a "politician" followed by a "priest". According to Miles Pattenden, a historian of the Catholic Church at Oxford University, the idea of the saying is cardinals often seek to choose someone who balances out the flaws of the previous pontiff. == Accuracy ==

Pius IX's reign, marked by a "distrust of modernity", was followed by Leo XIII's focus on a more "activist faith", which was in turn followed by Pius X's fight against modernism. The "austere" and "aristocratic" Pius XII was followed by the "gregarious and seemingly unsophisticated" John XXIII. Some saw the election of Leo XIV as further confirming the adage, while others argued that Leo was in continuity with Francis. While the phrase is metaphorical, it has been literally true at times; the portly Pius IX was followed by the skinny Leo XIII, and the "jolly and jowly" John XXIII was preceded by the "gaunt" Pius XII and followed by the "thin" Paul VI. Benedict XVI's papacy was also seen by some to be more of the same rather than a change; allegedly, left-wing bishops had assumed that John Paul II's successor would follow a pendulum swing to be more liberal, and were surprised by Benedict XVI's election. Both Father James J. Martin and Colm Flynn of the Catholic television network EWTN dismissed the adage, with Flynn opining that he did not see much difference between Benedict XVI and Francis. == Other contexts ==

The phrase has been used in a literal way solely about weight, at times incorporating other factors. According to a Roman legend, a fat pope with the letter R in his surname would be followed by a thin pope with no R but at least one letter I in his last name, and who is in turn to be followed by a fat pope with the letter R; this was said to be true from Pius IX to Paul VI. and, according to historian Lewis L. Gould, in American presidential executive styles. == See also ==