Pope Benedict XV (Latin: Benedictus XV; Italian: Benedetto XV) born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, (21 November 1854 – 22 January 1922), was Pope from 3 September 1914 to his death in 1922. His pontificate was largely overshadowed by World War I and its political, social and humanitarian consequences in Europe.Between 1846 and 1903, the Catholic Church had experienced its two longest pontificates in history up to that point.