The pope, also known as the supreme pontiff (pontifex maximus), is the bishop of Rome, leader of the worldwide Catholic Church, and head of state representing the Holy See. While his office is called the papacy, the jurisdiction of the episcopal see is called the Holy See. The primacy of the bishop of Rome is largely derived from his role as the apostolic successor to Saint Peter, to whom primacy was conferred by Jesus, giving him the Keys of Heaven and the powers of “binding and loosing”, naming him as the “rock” upon which the church would be built.
The Pope is considered one of the world’s most powerful people because of his extensive diplomatic, cultural, and spiritual influence on 1.3 billion Catholics and beyond, and because he heads the world’s largest non-government provider of education and health care, with a vast network of charities. There have been 266 popes in the history of the Catholic Church. The following article provides a comprehensive list of all the popes of the Catholic Church, divided up by historical era, as well as the years that they reigned.
Contents
1st century
2nd century
3rd century
4th century
4th century
5th century
6th century
6th century
7th century
8th century
9th century
10th century
11th century
11th century
12th century
13th century
13th century
14th century
15th century
15th century
16th century
16th century
17th century
18th century
19th century
19th century
20th century
21st century
265. Benedict XVI (2005–2013)
266. Francis (2013—)
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