
The Pope (from Latin: papa; from Greek: πάππας pappas, a child's word for father) is the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle. The current pope is Francis, who was elected on 13 March 2013, succeeding Benedict XVI.
The office of the pope is known as the Papacy. His ecclesiastical jurisdiction is often called the "Holy See" (Sancta Sedes in Latin), or the "Apostolic See" based upon the Church tradition that the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul were martyred in Rome. The pope is also head of state of Vatican City, a sovereign city-state entirely enclaved within the city of Rome.
List of Roman Catholic popes
- St. Peter (32 – 67; born Simon/Simeon bar Jona)
- St. Linus (67 – 76; born Linus)
- St. Anacletus (Cletus; 76 – 88)
- St. Clement I (88 – 97)
- St. Evaristus (97 – 105; born Evaristus or Aristus)
- St. Alexander I (105 – 115; born Alexander)
- St. Sixtus I (115 – 125; Xystus I; born Sixtus or Xystus)
- St. Telesphorus (125 – 136; born Telesphorus)
- St. Hyginus (136 – 140; born Hyginus)
- St. Pius I (140 – 155; born Pius)
- St. Anicetus (155 – 166; born Anicetus)
- St. Soter (166 – 175)
- St. Eleutherius (175 – 189)
- St. Victor I (189 – 199; born Victor)
- St. Zephyrinus (199 – 217)
- St. Callistus I (217 – 22) Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217 – 236)
- St. Urban I (222 – 30; born Urban)
- St. Pontain (230 – 35; born Pontianus)
- St. Anterus (235 – 36)
- St. Fabian (236 – 50)
- St. Cornelius (251 – 53). Opposed by Novatian, antipope (251)
- St. Lucius I (253 – 54)
- St. Stephen I (254 – 257)
- St. Sixtus II (257 – 258)
- St. Dionysius (260 – 268)
- St. Felix I (269 – 274)
- St. Eutychian (275 – 283)
- St. Caius (283 – 296)Also called Gaius
- St. Marcellinus (296 – 304)
- St. Marcellus I (308 – 309)
- St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
- St. Miltiades (311 – 14)
- St. Sylvester I (314 – 35)
- St. Marcus (336)
- St. Julius I (337 – 52)
- Liberius (352 – 66). Opposed by Felix II, antipope (355 – 365)
- St. Damasus I (366 – 83). Opposed by Ursicinus, antipope (366 – 367)
- St. Siricius (384 – 99)
- St. Anastasius I (399 – 401)
- St. Innocent I (401 – 17)
- St. Zosimus (417 – 18)
- St. Boniface I (418 – 22). Opposed by Eulalius, antipope (418 – 419)
- St. Celestine I (422 – 32)
- St. Sixtus III (432 – 40)
- St. Leo I (the Great; 440 – 61)
- St. Hilarius (461 – 68)
- St. Simplicius (468 – 83)
- Felix III (483 – 92)
- St. Gelasius I (492 – 96)
- Anastasius II (496 – 98)
- St. Symmachus (498 – 514). Opposed by Laurentius, antipope (498 – 501)
- St. Hormisdas (514 – 23)
- St. John I (523 – 26)
- St. Felix IV (III; 526 – 30)
- Boniface II (530 – 32). Opposed by Dioscorus, antipope (530)
- John II (533 – 35)
- St. Agapetus I (535 – 36; Agapitus I)
- St. Silverius (536 – 37)
- Vigilius (537 – 55)
- Pelagius I (556 – 61)
- John III (561 – 74)
- Benedict I (575 – 79)
- Pelagius II (579 – 90)
- St. Gregory I ( 590 – 604; the Great)
- Sabinian (604 – 606)
- Boniface III (607)
- St. Boniface IV (608 – 15)
- St. Deusdedit (615 – 18; Adeodatus I)
- Boniface V (619 – 25)
- Honorius I (625 – 38)
- Severinus (640)
- John IV (640 – 42)
- Theodore I (642 – 49)
- St. Martin I (649 – 55)
- St. Eugene I (655 – 57)
- St. Vitalian (657 – 72)
- Adeodatus (672 – 76; Adeodatus II)
- Donus (676 – 78)
- St. Agatho (678 – 81)
- St. Leo II (682 – 83)
- St. Benedict II (684 – 85)
- John V (685 – 86)
- Conon (686 – 87)
- St. Sergius I (687 – 701). Opposed by Theodore and Paschal, antipopes (687)
- John VI (701 – 05)
- John VII (705 – 07)
- Sisinnius (708)
- Constantine (708 – 15)
- St. Gregory II (715 – 31)
- St. Gregory III (731 – 41)
- St. Zachary (741 – 52)
- Stephen II (752)
- Stephen III (752 – 57)
- St. Paul I (757 – 67)
- Stephen IV (767 – 72). Opposed by Constantine II (767) and Philip (768), antipopes (767)
- Adrian I (772 – 95)
- St. Leo III (795 – 816)
- Stephen V (816 – 17)
- St. Paschal I (817 – 24)
- Eugene II (824 – 27)
- Valentine (827)
- Gregory IV (827 – 44)
- Sergius II (844 – 47). Opposed by John, antipope (855)
- St. Leo IV (847 – 55)
- Benedict III (855 – 58). Opposed by Anastasius, antipope (855)
- St. Nicholas I (858 – 67; the Great)
- Adrian II (867 – 72)
- John VIII (872 – 82)
- Marinus I (882 – 84)
- St. Adrian III (884 – 85)
- Stephen VI (885 – 91)
- Formosus (891 – 96)
- Boniface VI (896)
- Stephen VII (896 – 97)
- Romanus (897)
- Theodore II (897)
- John IX (898 – 900)
- Benedict IV (900 – 03)
- Leo V (903). Opposed by Christopher, antipope (903 – 904)
- Sergius III (904 – 11)
- Anastasius III (911 – 13)
- Lando (913 – 14)
- John X (914 – 28)
- Leo VI (928)
- Stephen VIII (929 – 31)
- John XI (931 – 35)
- Leo VII (936 – 39)
- Stephen IX (939 – 42)
- Marinus II (942 – 46)
- Agapetus II (946 – 55)
- John XII (955 – 63)
- Leo VIII (963 – 64)
- Benedict V (964)
- John XIII (965 – 72)
- Benedict VI (973 – 74)
- Benedict VII (974 – 83). Opposed by Boniface VII, antipope (974)
- John XIV (983 – 84). Opposed by Boniface VII, antipope (984 – 985)
- John XV (985 – 96)
- Gregory V (996 – 99). Opposed by John XVI, antipope (997 – 998)
- Sylvester II (999 – 1003)
- John XVII (1003)
- John XVIII (1003 – 09)
- Sergius IV (1009 – 12)
- Benedict VIII (1012 – 24). Opposed by Gregory, antipope (1012)
- John XIX (1024 – 32)
- Benedict IX (1032 – 45)
- Sylvester III (1045)
- Benedict IX (1045)
- Gregory VI (1045 – 46)
- Clement II (1046 – 47)
- Benedict IX (1047 – 48)
- Damasus II (1048)
- St. Leo IX (1049 – 54)
- Victor II (1055 – 57)
- Stephen X (1057 – 58)
- Nicholas II (1058 – 61). Opposed by Benedict X, antipope (1058)
- Alexander II (1061 – 73). Opposed by Honorius II, antipope (1061 – 1072)
- Gregory VII (1073 – 85)
- Blessed Victor III (1086 – 87)
- Blessed Urban II (1088 – 99), Eudes de Châtillon-sur-Marne
- Paschal II (1099 – 1118). Opposed by Theodoric (1100), Aleric (1102) and Maginulf (1105 – 1111; Sylvester IV), antipopes (1100)
- Gelasius II (1118 – 19). Opposed by Burdin (1118; Gregory VIII), antipope
- Callistus II (1119 – 24)
- Honorius II (1124 – 30). Opposed by Celestine II, antipope (1124)
- Innocent II (1130 – 43). Opposed by Anacletus II (1130 – 1138) and Gregory Conti (1138; Victor IV), antipopes (1138)
- Celestine II (1143 – 44)
- Lucius II (1144 – 45)
- Blessed Eugene III (1145 – 53)
- Anastasius IV (1153 – 54)
- Adrian IV (1154 – 59)
- Alexander III (1159 – 81). Opposed by Octavius (1159 – 1164; Victor IV), Pascal III (1165 – 1168), Callistus III (1168 – 1177) and Innocent III (1178 – 1180), antipopes
- Lucius III (1181 – 85)
- Urban III (1185 – 87)
- Gregory VIII (1187)
- Clement III (1187 – 91)
- Celestine III (1191 – 98)
- Innocent III (1198 – 1216)
- Honorius III (1216 – 27)
- Gregory IX (1227 – 41)
- Celestine IV (1241)
- Innocent IV (1243 – 54)
- Alexander IV (1254 – 61)
- Urban IV (1261 – 64)
- Clement IV (1265 – 68)
- Blessed Gregory X (1271 – 76)
- Blessed Innocent V (1276)
- Adrian V (1276)
- John XXI (1276 – 77)
- Nicholas III (1277 – 80)
- Martin IV (1281 – 85)
- Honorius IV (1285 – 87)
- Nicholas IV (1288 – 92)
- St. Celestine V (1294)
- Bonifacio VIII (1294 – 1303)
- Blessed Benedict XI (1303 – 04)
- Clement V (1305 – 14)
- John XXII (1316 – 34). Opposed by Nicholas V, antipope (1328 – 1330)
- Benedict XII (1334 – 42)
- Clement VI (1342 – 52)
- Innocent VI (1352 – 62)
- Blessed Urban V (1362 – 70)
- Gregory XI (1370 – 78)
- Urban VI (1378 – 89). Opposed by Robert of Geneva (1378 – 1394; Clement VI, antipope)
- Boniface IX (1389 – 1404). Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII"; 1378 – 1394), Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII"; 1394 – 1417) and Baldassare Cossa (1400 – 1415; John XXIII), antipopes
- Innocent VII (1404 – 06). Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII"; 1394 – 1417)and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII"; 1400 – 1415), antipopes
- Gregory XII (1406 – 15). Opposed by Pedro de Luna (1394 – 1417; Benedict XIII), Baldassare Cossa (1400 – 1415; John XXIII), and Pietro Philarghi (1409 – 1410; Alexander V), antipopes
- Martin V (1417 – 31); born Oddone Colonna
- Eugenius IV (1431 – 47). Opposed by Amadeus of Savoy (1439 – 1449; Felix V), antipope
- Nicholas V (1447 – 55; born Tommaso Parentucelli)
- Callistus III (1455 – 58; born Alfonso de Borja y Cabanilles)
- Pius II (1458 – 64; born Enea Silvio Piccolomini)
- Paulus II (1464 – 71) (born Pietro Barbo)
- Sixtus IV (1471 – 84; born Francesco della Rovere)
- Innocent VIII (1484 – 92; born Giovanni Battista Cibò)
- Alexander VI (1492 – 1503; born Rodrigo de Lanzol – Borja y Borja)
- Pius III (1503; born Francesco Nanni-Todeschini-Piccolomini)
- Julius II (1503 – 13; born Giuliano della Rovere)
- Leo X (1513 – 21; born Giovanni Cardinal de' Medici)
- Adrian VI (1522 – 23; born Adriaan Florenszoon Dedel)
- Clement VII (1523 – 34; born Giulio Zenobio)
- Paul III (1534 – 49; born Alessandro)
- Julius III (1550 – 55; born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi)
- Marcellus II (1555; born Marcello Cervini)
- Paul IV (1555 – 59; born Giovanni Pietro Carafa)
- Pius IV (1559 – 65)
- St. Pius V (1566 – 72)
- Gregory XIII (1572 – 85)
- Sixtus V (1585 – 90); born Felice Peretti
- Urban VII (1590)
- Gregory XIV (1590 – 91)
- Innocent IX (1591)
- Clement VIII (1592 – 1605)
- Leo XI (1605)
- Paul V (1605 – 21)
- Gregory XV (1621 – 23)
- Urban VIII (1623 – 44)
- Innocent X (1644 – 55)
- Alexander VII (1655 – 67; born Fabio Chigi)
- Clement IX (1667 – 69)
- Clement X (1670 – 76)
- Innocent XI (1676 – 89)
- Alexander VIII (1689 – 91)
- Innocent XII (1691 – 1700)
- Clement XI (1700 – 21)
- Innocent XIII (1721 – 24)
- Benedict XIII (1724 – 30)
- Clement XII (1730 – 40)
- Benedict XIV (1740 – 58)
- Clement XIII (1758 – 69)
- Clement XIV (1769 – 74)
- Pius VI (1775 – 99)
- Pius VII (1800 – 23; born Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti)
- Leo XII (1823 – 29; Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola della Genga)
- Pius VIII (1829 – 30; born Francesco Saverio Castiglioni)
- Gregory XVI (1831 – 46; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari)
- Blessed Pius IX (1846 – 78; born Giovanni Maria Mastai – Ferretti)
- Leo XIII (1878 – 1903; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi)
- St. Pius X (1903 – 14; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto)
- Benedict XV (1914 – 22; born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa)
- Pius XI (1922 – 39; born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti)
- Pius XII (1939 – 58; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli)
- St. John XXIII (1958 – 63; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli)
- Paul VI (1963 – 78; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini)
- John Paul I (1978; born Albino Luciani)
- St. John Paul II (1978 – 2005; born Karol Józef Wojtyła)
- Benedict XVI (2005 – 2013; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger)
- Francis l (2013 – 2025 ; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio)