EXHIBIT 24.1(h)

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, an officer and/or director
of Jefferson-Pilot Corporation (JP), a North Carolina corporation, does hereby
constitute and appoint Robert A. Reed, Richard T. Stange, and Andrea H. Fox, and
each of them (with full power of substitution to appoint any Senior Officer,
Vice President, Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company) as his true and
lawful attorney and agent, to do any and all acts and things and to execute any
and all instruments which said attorney and agent may deem necessary or
advisable:

(i)      to enable JP to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
         any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange
         Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the registration
         under the said Securities Act of (a) securities of JP to be offered in
         exchange for JP's outstanding 4.75% Notes due 2014, or (b) the resale
         of said 4.75% Notes due 2014 by the holders thereof (collectively "JP
         Securities"), including specifically, but without limiting the
         generality of the foregoing, the power and authority to sign for and on
         behalf of the undersigned the name of the undersigned as officer and/or
         director of JP to a registration statement or to any amendment thereto
         filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect to said JP
         Securities and to any instrument or document filed as part of, as an
         exhibit to or in connection with, said registration statement or
         amendment; and

(ii)     to register or qualify said JP Securities for sale under the securities
         or Blue Sky Laws of all such States as may be necessary or appropriate
         to permit therein the offering and sale of said JP Securities as
         contemplated by said registration statement, including specifically,
         but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the power and
         authority to sign for and on behalf of the undersigned the name of the
         undersigned as an officer and/or director of JP to any application,
         statement, petition, prospectus, notice or other instrument or
         document, or to any amendment thereto, or to any exhibit filed as a
         part thereto or in connection therewith, which is required to be signed
         by the undersigned and to be filed with the public authority or
         authorities administering said securities or Blue Sky Laws for the
         purpose of so registering or qualifying said JP Securities;

and the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm as his own act and deed all
that said attorney and agent (or the substitute) shall do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has subscribed these presents.

                                     /s/ Patrick S. Pittard             (SEAL)
                                     -----------------------------------

                                     Name:

                                     Date: February 9, 2004