Benedict XVI…How Original!

Switching gears to the incense decanter of pithy…Benedict the Sixteenth?Come now, that’s hardly original.In Pope-dom that’s like naming your newborn Jennifer or Michael. Only John has been used more (23 times) with Gregory a close third (15 times.)Little is known of the first Benedict, who served from 575-579. In fact, before John Paul I in 1978, the last original (never used) name in the papacy occurred back in 913, when Pope Lando (possibly of the Calrissian line) served for a little less than a year.One of my two favorite original pope names is Pope Eugene (now a saint) who I believe is the patron saint of Ducks. I also must give a nod and hand clasp to Pope Marinus. Marinus was both responsible for blessing meat overnight in a flavorful rue of herbs and spices as well as having a vision that a visitor from the Far East would break the single season hits record.Personally, I would have been elated to hear the Vatican announce that Cardinal Ratzinger chose the name, Pope Kevin I.(crossposted at unoriginalchristian.com)