At least two popes are from agricultural backgrounds
The world’s eyes will shift to Rome next week as the College of Cardinals begins its conclave on May 7 to elect a new pope after the death of Pope Francis.
The Catholic Church has had 266 popes, and it turns out at least two have ties to agriculture.
Pope Fabian, who served as the 20th head of the Catholic Church for 14 years from Jan. 10, 236, to Jan. 20, 250, was a farmer.
Following the death of Pope Anterus on Jan. 3, 236, Fabian and other members of his community went to Rome to attend the election of the new pope.
Others in attendance knew of Fabian’s presence, but none considered him a potential pontiff.
Until, perhaps fittingly, an incident others viewed as divine intervention occurred.
“While the names of several illustrious and noble persons were being considered, a dove suddenly descended upon the head of Fabian, of whom no one had even thought,” a Catholic education site says. “To the assembled brethren the sight recalled the Gospel scene of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Saviour of mankind, and so, divinely inspired, as it were, they chose Fabian with joyous unanimity and placed him in the Chair of Peter.”
Pope Fabian’s influence is still felt in ag today.
He is the patron saint of farmers and agricultural workers.
In addition, Fabian means “bean grower.” The Roman version of the name is Fabius, which became the word “faba.”
The other pope with ties to ag was Pope Pius X.
He was born into a farming family but always felt a strong call to serve God.
He was elected as pope during a conclave, and served from Aug. 4, 1903, to Aug. 20, 1914.
His journey from farm boy Giuseppe Sarto to Pope Pius X and leader of the Catholic Church is told in the book Saint Pius X: The Farm Boy who Became Pope.
As he climbed the ranks within the church, he had his detractors.
“A bishop who was a farm boy!” an excerpt from the book says. “He won’t know how to get along with important people.”
Today, Pope Pius X is recognized as the patron saint of First Communicants and pilgrims.
The most recent pope, Francis, supported farmers and agriculture.
In a message to the World Rural Forum in 2024, for example, the pontiff highlighted the efforts of family farms.
“Family farmers are to be commended for the supportive way in which they work, as well as for the respectful and gentle way in which they cultivate the land,” he said in a statement. “In this sense, they are key to making agrifood systems more inclusive, resilient and efficient.”
And in his message for World Food Day in 2015 Pope Francis called for more to be done to promote ag to support food security.
The global community needs to “find the necessary means to free humanity from hunger and to promote agricultural and farming enterprises that can satisfy the actual practical needs of the various parts of the globe,” he said in a statement.