Of the 266 popes elected throughout the history of the Catholic Church, a staggering 217 were born in Italy, according to the Vatican Archives. This means over 81% of popes have hailed from a single country—an astonishing statistic that underscores Italy’s enduring influence over the Vatican and the broader Roman Catholic institution.

Roman Catholic cardinals will begin a secret conclave to elect the next pope on May 7, a senior Vatican source told Reuters on Monday, April 28.

The papacy is one of the oldest and most respected leadership positions in the world, with popes often serving well into old age.