Pope John Paul II served as pope from October 16, 1978, until his death on April 2, 2005, which means he was pope for about 26 years and nearly 6 months. This made him the second longest-serving pope in history after Pope Pius IX, who served for over 31 years

. John Paul II was also the third longest-serving pope overall, with the longest pontificate traditionally attributed to St. Peter, who served approximately 34 to 37 years

. In summary:

• Papacy start: October 16, 1978
• Papacy end: April 2, 2005
• Length of papacy: Approximately 26 years and 6 months
• Rank in length of service: Second longest after Pius IX, third longest in history