Papacy

PAPAL TIMELINE

• FRANCIS

  2013 - Present

 

• BENEDICT XVI

  2005 - 2013

 

• JOHN PAUL II

  1978 - 2005

 

• JOHN PAUL I

  1978 - 1978

 

• PAUL VI

  1963 - 1978

 

• JOHN XXIII

  1958 - 1963

 

• PIUS XII

  1939 - 1958

 

• PIUS XI

  1922 - 1939

 

• BENEDICT XV

  1914 - 1922

 

• PIUS X

  1903 - 1914

 

• LEO XIII, O.F.S.

  1878 - 1903

 

• PIUS IX, O.F.S.

  1846 - 1878

 

• GREGORY XVI, O.S.B.

  1831 - 1846

 

• PIUS VIII

  1829 - 1830

 

• LEO XII

  1823 - 1829

 

• PIUS VII, O.S.B.

  1800 - 1823

 

• PIUS VI

  1775 - 1799

 

• CLEMENT XIV, O.F.M.

  1769 - 1774

 

• CLEMENT XIII

  1758 - 1769

 

• BENEDICT XIV

  1740 - 1758

 

• CLEMENT XII

  1730 - 1740

 

• BENEDICT XIII, O.P.

  1724 - 1730

 

• INNOCENT XIII

  1721 - 1724

 

• CLEMENT XI

  1700 - 1721

 

• INNOCENT XII

  1691 - 1700

 

• ALEXANDER VIII

  1689 - 1691

 

• INNOCENT XI

  1676 - 1689

 

• CLEMENT X

  1670 - 1676

 

• CLEMENT IX

  1667 - 1669

 

• ALEXANDER VII

  1655 - 1667

 

• INNOCENT X

  1644 - 1655

 

• URBAN VIII

  1623 - 1644

 

• GREGORY XV

  1621 - 1623

 

• PAUL V

  1605 - 1621

 

• CLEMENT VIII

  1592 - 1605

 

• LEO XI

  1605 - 1605

 

• GREGORY XIV

  1590 - 1591

 

• INNOCENT IX

  1591 - 1591

 

• SIXTUS V, O.F.M.

  1585 - 1590

 

• URBAN VII

  1590 - 1590

 

• GREGORY XIII

  1572 - 1585

 

• PIUS V, O.P.

  1566 - 1572

 

• PIUS IV

  1559 - 1565

 

• PAUL IV, C.R.

  1555 - 1559

 

• JULIUS III

  1550 - 1555

 

• MARCELLUS II

  1555 - 1555

 

• PAUL III

  1534 - 1549

 

• CLEMENT VII

  1523 - 1534

 

• ADRIAN VI

  1522 - 1523

 

• LEO X

  1513 - 1521

 

• JULIUS II

  1503 - 1513

 

• ALEXANDER VI

  1492 - 1503

 

• PIUS III

  1503 - 1503

 

• INNOCENT VIII

  1484 - 1492

 

• SIXTUS IV, O.F.M.

  1471 - 1484

 

• PAUL II

  1464 - 1471

 

• PIUS II

  1458 - 1464

 

• CALLIXTUS III

  1455 - 1458

 

• NICHOLAS V

  1447 - 1455

 

• EUGENE IV, O.S.A.

  1431 - 1447

 

• MARTIN V

  1417 - 1431

 

• GREGORY XII

  1406 - 1415

 

• INNOCENT VII

  1404 - 1406

 

• BONIFACE IX

  1389 - 1404

 

• URBAN VI

  1378 - 1389

 

• URBAN V, O.S.B.

  1362 - 1370

 

• INNOCENT VI

  1352 - 1362

 

• CLEMENT VI, O.S.B.

  1342 - 1352

 

• BENEDICT XII, O.CIST.

  1334 - 1342

 

• JOHN XXII

  1316 - 1334

 

• INTERREGNUM

  1314 - 1316

 

• CLEMENT V

  1305 - 1314

 

• BENEDICT XI, O.P.

  1303 - 1304

 

• BONIFACE VIII

  1294 - 1303

 

• CELESTINE V, O.S.B.

  1294 - 1294

 

• NICHOLAS IV, O.F.M.

  1288 - 1292

 

• HONORIUS IV

  1285 - 1287

 

• MARTIN IV

  1281 - 1285

 

• NICHOLAS III

  1277 - 1280

 

• JOHN XXI

  1276 - 1277

 

• GREGORY X

  1271 - 1276

 

• INNOCENT V, O.P.

  1276 - 1276

 

• ADRIAN V

  1276 - 1276

 

• CLEMENT IV

  1265 - 1268

 

• URBAN IV

  1261 - 1264

 

• ALEXANDER IV

  1254 - 1261

 

• INNOCENT IV

  1243 - 1254

 

• GREGORY IX

  1227 - 1241

 

• CELESTINE IV

  1241 - 1241

 

• HONORIUS III

  1216 - 1227

 

• INNOCENT III

  1198 - 1216

 

• CELESTINE III

  1191 - 1198

 

• CLEMENT III

  1187 - 1191

 

• URBAN III

  1185 - 1187

 

• GREGORY VIII

  1187 - 1187

 

• LUCIUS III

  1181 - 1185

 

• ALEXANDER III

  1159 - 1181

 

• ADRIAN IV, O.S.A.

  1154 - 1159

 

• ANASTASIUS IV

  1153 - 1154

 

• EUGENE III, O.CIST.

  1145 - 1153

 

• LUCIUS II

  1144 - 1145

 

• CELESTINE II

  1143 - 1144

 

• INNOCENT II

  1130 - 1143

 

• HONORIUS II,

  1124 - 1130

 

• CALLIXTUS II

  1119 - 1124

 

• GELASIUS II, O.S.B.

  1118 - 1119

 

• PASCHAL II, O.S.B.

  1099 - 1118

 

• URBAN II, O.S.B.

  1088 - 1099

 

• VICTOR III, O.S.B.

  1086 - 1087

 

• GREGORY VII, O.S.B.

  1073 - 1085

 

• ALEXANDER II

  1061 - 1073

 

• NICHOLAS II

  1058 - 1061

 

• STEPHEN IX (X), O.S.B.

  1057 - 1058

 

• VICTOR II

  1055 - 1057

 

• LEO IX

  1049 - 1054

 

• BENEDICT IX

  1047 - 1048

 

• DAMASUS II

  1048 - 1048

 

• CLEMENT II

  1046 - 1047

 

• GREGORY VI

  1045 - 1046

 

• SYLVESTER III

  1045 - 1045

 

• BENEDICT IX

  1045 - 1045

 

• BENEDICT IX

  1032 - 1044

 

• JOHN XIX

  1024 - 1032

 

• BENEDICT VIII

  1012 - 1024

 

• SERGIUS IV

  1009 - 1012

 

• JOHN XVIII

  1003 - 1009

 

• SYLVESTER II

  999 - 1003

 

• JOHN XVII

  1003 - 1003

 

• GREGORY V

  996 - 999

 

• JOHN XV

  985 - 996

 

• JOHN XIV

  983 - 984

 

• BENEDICT VII

  974 - 983

 

• BENEDICT VI

  973 - 974

 

• JOHN XIII

  965 - 972

 

• LEO VIII

  964 - 965

 

• JOHN XII

  955 - 964

 

• BENEDICT V

  964 - 964

 

• AGAPETUS II

  946 - 955

 

• MARINUS II

  942 - 946

 

• STEPHEN VIII (IX)

  939 - 942

 

• LEO VII, O.S.B.

  936 - 939

 

• JOHN XI

  931 - 935

 

• STEPHEN VII (VIII)

  928 - 931

 

• JOHN X

  914 - 928

 

• LEO VI

  928 - 928

 

• LANDO

  913 - 914

 

• ANASTASIUS III

  911 - 913

 

• SERGIUS III

  904 - 911

 

• BENEDICT IV

  900 - 903

 

• LEO V

  903 - 903

 

• JOHN IX, O.S.B.

  898 - 900

 

• THEODORE II

  897 - 898

 

• STEPHEN VI (VII)

  896 - 897

 

• ROMANUS

  897 - 897

 

• FORMOSUS

  891 - 896

 

• BONIFACE VI

  896 - 896

 

• STEPHEN V (VI)

  885 - 891

 

• ADRIAN III

  884 - 885

 

• MARINUS I

  882 - 884

 

• JOHN VIII

  872 - 882

 

• ADRIAN II

  867 - 872

 

• NICHOLAS I

  858 - 867

 

• BENEDICT III

  855 - 858

 

• LEO IV, O.S.B.

  847 - 855

 

• SERGIUS II

  844 - 847

 

• GREGORY IV

  827 - 844

 

• EUGENE II

  824 - 827

 

• VALENTINE

  827 - 827

 

• PASCHAL I

  817 - 824

 

• STEPHEN IV (V)

  816 - 817

 

• LEO III

  795 - 816

 

• ADRIAN I

  772 - 795

 

• STEPHEN III (IV)

  767 - 772

 

• PAUL I

  757 - 767

 

• STEPHEN II (III)

  752 - 757

 

• ZACHARY

  741 - 752

 

• STEPHEN

  752 - 752

 

• GREGORY III

  731 - 741

 

• GREGORY II

  715 - 731

 

• CONSTANTINE

  708 - 715

 

• JOHN VII

  705 - 708

 

• SISINNIUS

  708 - 708

 

• JOHN VI

  701 - 705

 

• SERGIUS I

  687 - 701

 

• CONON

  686 - 687

 

• JOHN V

  685 - 686

 

• BENEDICT II

  684 - 685

 

• LEO II

  681 - 684

 

• AGATHO

  678 - 681

 

• DONUS

  676 - 678

 

• ADEODATUS II, O.S.B.

  672 - 676

 

• VITALIAN

  657 - 672

 

• EUGENE I

  654 - 657

 

• MARTIN I

  649 - 654

 

• THEODORE I

  642 - 649

 

• JOHN IV

  640 - 642

 

• SEVERINUS

  638 - 640

 

• HONORIUS I

  625 - 638

 

• BONIFACE V

  619 - 625

 

• ADEODATUS I

  615 - 619

 

• BONIFACE IV, O.S.B.

  608 - 615

 

• BONIFACE III

  607 - 608

 

• SABINIAN

  604 - 607

 

• GREGORY I, O.S.B.

  590 - 604

 

• PELAGIUS II

  579 - 590

 

• BENEDICT I

  575 - 579

 

• JOHN III

  561 - 575

 

• PELAGIUS I

  556 - 561

 

• VIGILIUS

  537 - 555

 

• SILVERIUS

  536 - 537

 

• AGAPETUS I

  535 - 536

 

• JOHN II

  533 - 535

 

• BONIFACE II

  530 - 533

 

• FELIX IV (III)

  526 - 530

 

• JOHN I

  523 - 526

 

• HORMISDAS

  514 - 523

 

• SYMMACHUS

  498 - 514

 

• ANASTASIUS II

  496 - 498

 

• GELASIUS I

  492 - 496

 

• FELIX III (II)

  483 - 492

 

• SIMPLICIUS

  468 - 483

 

• HILARIUS

  461 - 468

 

• LEO I

  440 - 461

 

• SIXTUS III

  432 - 440

 

• CELESTINE I

  422 - 432

 

• BONIFACE I

  418 - 422

 

• ZOSIMUS

  417 - 418

 

• INNOCENT I

  401 - 417

 

• ANASTASIUS I

  399 - 401

 

• SIRICIUS

  384 - 399

 

• DAMASUS I

  366 - 384

 

• LIBERIUS

  352 - 366

 

• JULIUS I

  337 - 352

 

• MARK

  336 - 337

 

• SYLVESTER I

  314 - 336

 

• MILTIADES

  311 - 314

 

• EUSEBIUS

  309 - 311

 

• MARCELLUS I

  308 - 309

 

• MARCELLINUS

  296 - 308

 

• CAIUS

  283 - 296

 

• EUTYCHIAN

  275 - 283

 

• FELIX I

  269 - 274

 

• DIONYSIUS

  259 - 268

 

• SIXTUS II

  257 - 258

 

• STEPHEN I

  254 - 257

 

• LUCIUS I

  253 - 254

 

• CORNELIUS

  251 - 253

 

• FABIAN

  236 - 250

 

• ANTERUS

  235 - 236

 

• PONTIAN

  230 - 235

 

• URBAN I

  222 - 230

 

• CALLIXTUS I

  217 - 222

 

• ZEPHYRINUS (ZEPHYRIN)

  199 - 217

 

• VICTOR I

  189 - 198

 

• ELEUTHERIUS

  174 - 189

 

• SOTER

  166 - 174

 

• ANICETUS

  155 - 166

 

• PIUS I

  140 - 142

 

• HYGINUS

  136 - 140

 

• TELESPHORUS

  125 - 136

 

• SIXTUS I

  115 - 125

 

• ALEXANDER I

  105 - 115

 

• EVARISTUS (ARISTUS)

  97 - 105

 

• CLEMENT I

  88 - 97

 

• ANACLETUS (CLETUS)

  76 - 92

 

• LINUS

  64 - 76

 

• PETER

  30 - 64

WHO IS THE POPE?

The word pope means father. In ancient Greek it was a child’s term of affection for the father of the family, but was borrowed by later Latin as an honorific. Both Greek-speaking Eastern and Latin-speaking Western Catholics then applied it to priests, bishops and patriarchs as heads of their spiritual families. Today, priests of the Orthodox Churches of Greece, Russia and Serbia still call their parish priest pope.

Gradually, however, Latin Christianity began to restrict its usage. At the beginning of the 3rd century, papa was a term of respect for clergy in high positions. By the 5th century, it was applied particularly to the Bishop of Rome, without excluding other usages. After the 8th century, however, as far the West was concerned the title was exclusively used of the Bishop of Rome. Indeed, the great reforming Pope, Gregory VII (1073-1085), officially restricted its use to the Bishop of Rome.

As the Council of Florence affirmed in 1439, defined as a matter of faith by the First Vatican Council in 1870, and endorsed by the Second Vatican Council in 1964, Jesus Christ conferred the position of primacy in the church upon Peter alone. In solemnly defining the Petrine primacy, the First Vatican Council cited the three classical New Testament texts long associated with it: John 1:42, John 21:15 ff., and, above all, Matthew 16:18 ff. The council understood these texts, along with Luke 22:32, to signify that Christ himself constituted Saint Peter as prince of the apostles and visible head of the church, possessed of a primacy of jurisdiction that was to pass down in perpetuity to his papal successors, along with the authority to pronounce infallibly on matters of faith or morals.

The importance of Peter in the Church Christ established is also affirmed by the more numerous mentions of this apostle in the New Testament and the evident authority of Peter on those occasions. At the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15), it was Peter who decided what was to be done with Gentile converts and states that choice as a matter of firm policy. Indeed, it was to Peter that God revealed that the gentiles were to be evangelized, even though it would be Paul who would become their most-fervent apostle.