The front page on this day in 1978 was dominated by the news of the death of Pope Paul VI. The 80-year-old Pope had died of a heart attack while praying in bed. Details of the many protocols and traditions associate with a papal death, and re-election of a successor, were mentioned, including the fate of the fisherman's ring, the symbol of a pope.
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Pope Paul's ring would be removed and destroyed a new one made.
The Pope's body would lie in state for three days inside St Peter's Basilica, where it was to be seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors. The Catholic church at that stage was estimated to be 700 million strong. The conclave to chose the successor would not happen for at least 15 days.
The report credited Pope Paul with helping modernise the church, stripping away much of the pomp and ceremony associated with the Vatican. He had also alluded to his own death, saying only a week earlier it could not be far away.
When the traditional white smoke was seen coming from the Vatican a few weeks later, Pope John-Paul I was elected to lead the church. However he died only 33 days later, and John-Paul II was then chosen to lead the church for the next quarter of a century.
