Fat pope, thin pope

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"Fat pope, thin pope" (Italian: papa grasso, papa magro) is an adage in the Catholic Church describing not only a perceived physical trend but also that conclaves tend to counterbalance the preceding pope with one having different theological emphases. The accuracy of the adage has been debated, with both supporters and skeptics. It has also been used in non-papal contexts to refer to other perceived pendulum swings.

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