List of popes

Updated on Dec 04, 2023

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This chronological list of popes corresponds to that given in the Annuario Pontificio under the heading "I Sommi Pontefici Romani" (The Supreme Pontiffs of Rome), excluding those that are explicitly indicated as antipopes. Published every year by the Roman Curia, the Annuario Pontificio attaches no consecutive numbers to the popes, stating that it is impossible to decide which side represented at various times the legitimate succession, in particular regarding Pope Leo VIII, Pope Benedict V and some mid-11th-century popes. The 2001 edition of the Annuario Pontificio introduced "almost 200 corrections to its existing biographies of the popes, from St Peter to John Paul II". The corrections concerned dates, especially in the first two centuries, birthplaces and the family name of one pope.

The term pope (Latin: papa "father") is used in several Churches to denote their high spiritual leaders (for example Coptic Pope). This title in English usage usually refers to the head of the Catholic Church. The Catholic pope uses various titles by tradition, including Summus Pontifex, Pontifex Maximus, and Servus servorum Dei. Each title has been added by unique historical events and unlike other papal prerogatives, is not incapable of modification.

Hermannus Contractus may have been the first historian to number the popes continuously. His list ends in 1049 with Pope Leo IX as number 154. Several changes were made to the list during the 20th century. Antipope Christopher was considered legitimate for a long time. Pope-elect Stephen was considered legitimate under the name Stephen II until the 1961 edition, when his name was erased. Although these changes are no longer controversial, a number of modern lists still include this "first Pope Stephen II". It is probable that this is because they are based on the 1913 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia, which is in the public domain.

A significant number of these popes have been recognized as saints, including 48 out of the first 50 consecutive popes, and others are in the sainthood process. The first 31 popes, with the exception of Zephyrinus, died as martyrs (see List of murdered popes).

15th century

^R This pope resigned his office.

^B The exact birth date of Innocent VIII and almost all popes prior to Eugene IV is unknown, therefore the lowest probable age has been assumed for this table.

Religious orders

38 popes have been members of religious orders. These have included:

Benedictines (18):

Gregory I, Boniface IV, Adeodatus II, Leo IV, John IX, Leo VII, Sergius IV, Stephen IX, Gregory VII, Victor III, Urban II, Paschal II, Gelasius II, Celestine V, Clement VI, Urban V, Pius VII

and including Camaldolese (1): Gregory XVI

Augustinians (6):

Eugene IV

and including Canons Regular (5): Honorius II, Innocent II, Lucius II, Gregory VIII, Adrian IV

Dominicans (5):

Innocent V, Benedict XI, Nicholas V, Pius V, Benedict XIII

Franciscans (5):

Nicholas IV, Sixtus IV, Julius II

and including Conventual Franciscans (2): Sixtus V, Clement XIV

Cistercians (2):

Eugene III, Benedict XII

Theatines (1):

Paul IV

Jesuits (1):

Francis

12 popes have been members of third orders, also called "tertiaries" or "Third Order Secular," and all of them of the Secular Franciscans:

Gregory IX, Gregory X, Martin V, Innocent XII, Clement XII, Pius IX, Leo XIII, Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII

References

List of popes Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

15th century

Religious orders

References