Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
Seal of the Papacy
Incumbent: Benedict XVI
Styles	His Holiness
	Holy Father
Residence	Vatican City
First Pope	Traditionally, Saint Peter
Formation	First century
Website	www.vatican.va

The Pope (from Latin: "papa" or "father" from Greek πάπας, pápas, "papa", originally written πάππας, páppas, as in Odyssey VI. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a technical theological term used in some Christian traditions primarily in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. 57;^[1] Papa in Italian) is the Bishop of Rome, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church^[2] and head of state of Vatican City. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. The Bishop of Rome is the bishop of the Holy See, more often referred to in the Catholic tradition as the Pope. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory The current (265th) pope is Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected April 19, 2005 in papal conclave. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Papal election process for 2005 See also Papal election Presiding over the conclave was the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

The office of the pope is called the Papacy; his ecclesiastical jurisdiction is called the "Holy See" (Sancta Sedes in Latin) or "Apostolic See" (the latter on the basis that both St. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Peter and St. Paul were martyred at Rome). Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2

In addition to his spiritual role, the pope is Head of State of the independent sovereign state of the Vatican City, a city-state entirely enclaved by the city of Rome. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state A city-state is a Region controlled exclusively by a City, usually having Sovereignty. Before 1870 the pope's temporal authority extended over a large area of central Italy: the territory of the Papal States. Central Italy is a geographic area in Italy that encompasses four of the country's 20 autonomous regions: Lazio Marches The Papal States, State(s of the Church or Pontifical States (in Italian Stato Ecclesiastico, Stato della Chiesa, Stati della Chiesa The papacy retained sovereign authority over the Papal States until the Italian unification of 1870; a final political settlement with the Italian government was not reached until the Lateran Treaty of 1929. Italian Unification ( Italian: il Risorgimento, or "The Resurgence" was the political and social movement that unified different states of the Italian Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Lateran Treaty is one of the Lateran Pacts of 1929 or Lateran Accords, three agreements made in 1929 between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy

For over a thousand years popes played powerful roles in Western Europe, often struggling with monarchs for power over wide-ranging affairs of church and state,^[3] crowning emperors (Charlemagne was the first emperor crowned by a pope) and regulating disputes among secular rulers. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his ^[4] The Bishop of Rome continued to be nominally allied with and part of the civil structure of the (Byzantine) Roman Empire until the 8th century, when the Donation of Pepin gave Rome and the surrounding area to the full sovereignty of the pope, over which the popes already had been de facto rulers, creating the Papal States that lasted until 1870. See also Donation of Constantine The "Donation of Pepin" in 756 provided a legal basis for the erection of the Papal States, which extended For centuries, the forged Donation of Constantine also provided the basis for the papacy's claim of political supremacy over the entire former Western Roman Empire. The Donation of Constantine ( Latin, Donatio Constantini) is a forged Roman imperial edict devised probably between 750 and 775, the

Gradually forced to give up secular power, popes have come to focus again almost exclusively on spiritual matters. ^[3] Over the centuries, popes' claims of spiritual authority have been ever more clearly expressed since the first centuries, culminating in the proclamation of the dogma of papal infallibility for those rare occasions the pope speaks ex cathedra (literally "from the chair (of Peter)") when issuing a solemn definition of faith or morals. Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or Papal infallibility is the Dogma in Catholic theology that by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of Papal infallibility is the Dogma in Catholic theology that by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or Morality (from the Latin la moralitas "manner character proper behavior" has three principal meanings ^[3] The last such occasion was in the year 1950 with the definition of the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. This article is about the theological concept For the works of art with this title see Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Art and Roman Catholic Marian art.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early Christianity (c 30 - 325) 1.2 Nicea to Great Schism (325 - 1054) 1.3 Great Schism to Reformation (1054 to 1517) 1.4 Reformation to present (1517 to today) 2 The pope in Roman Catholic theology 3 Election, death and abdication 3.1 Election 3.2 Death 3.3 Abdication 4 Titles 4.1 Current 4.2 Former 4.3 Forms of address 4.4 History 5 Regalia and insignia 6 Status and authority 6.1 First Vatican Council 6.2 Second Vatican Council 7 Political role 8 Objections to the papacy 9 Antipopes 10 Other popes 10.1 In the Roman Church 10.2 In the Eastern Churches 11 Longest-reigning Popes 12 Shortest-reigning Popes 13 See also 14 Notes 15 References 16 Further reading 17 External links

History

In the early Christian era, Rome and a few other cities had claims on the leadership of worldwide ("Catholic") church. James the Just, known as "the brother of the Lord", served as head of the Jerusalem church, which is still honored as the "Mother Church" in Orthodox tradition. Saint James the Just ( Hebrew: יעקב or Jacob ( Greek Iάκωβος (died 62AD also known as James of Jerusalem, James Adelphotheos Alexandria had been a center of Jewish learning and became a center of Christian learning. Rome's first bishop was the disciple Peter, to whom Jesus had given church authority. Paul the Apostle was also martyred there. Five bishops were recognized as patriarchs, the bishop of Rome first among them.

Early Christianity (c 30 - 325)

During the first century of the Christian Church (ca. 30-130), the Roman capital became recognized as a Christian center of exceptional importance; but there are only a few references of that time to recognition of the authoritative primacy of the Roman See outside of Rome. The primacy of the Roman Pontiff is the apostolic authority of the Pope ( Bishop of Rome) from the Holy See, over the several churches The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic ^[5]

Later in the second century AD, there were further manifestations of Roman authority over other churches. In 189, assertion of the primacy of the Church of Rome may be indicated in Irenaeus of Lyons's Against Heresies (3:3:2): "With [the Church of Rome], because of its superior origin, all the churches must agree. Saint Irenaeus (Greek Ειρηναίος (2nd century AD - c 202 was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, Roman Empire (now Lyons France On the Detection and Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis ( commonly called Against Heresies (Latin Adversus haereses,) is a five-volume work . . and it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the apostolic tradition. " And in 195, Pope Victor I, in what is seen as an exercise of Roman authority over other churches, excommunicated the Quartodecimans for observing Easter on the 14th of Nisan, the date of the Jewish Passover, a tradition handed down by St. John the Evangelist (see Easter controversy). Pope See also Easter controversy, Easter Quartodecimanism (derived from the Vulgate Latin: quarta decima, meaning fourteen Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish Saint John the Evangelist (d ca 110 יוחנן " The LORD is merciful" Standard Hebrew Yoḥanan, Tiberian Hebrew The Easter controversy is a series of controversies about the proper date to celebrate the Christian festival of Easter. Celebration of Easter on a Sunday, as insisted on by the Pope, is the system that has prevailed (see computus). Computus ( Latin for Computation) is the Calculation of the date of Easter in the Christian calendar.

Early popes helped spread Christianity and resolve doctrinal disputes. ^[3]

Nicea to Great Schism (325 - 1054)

With the conversion of Roman Emperor Constantine to Christianity and the Council of Nicea, Christian unity and Rome's primacy were well-established.

After the imperial capital was moved to Constantinople in AD 330 the eastern churches, especially the Bishop of Constantinople, started to assert pre-eminence by virtue of its imperial status. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS

The First Council of Constantinople (AD 381) suggested strongly that Roman primacy was already asserted; however, it should be noted that, because of the controversy over this claim, the pope did not personally attend this ecumenical council, which was held in the eastern capital of the Roman empire, rather than at Rome. The Second Ecumenical Council the first held in Constantinople was called by Theodosius I in 381 which confirmed the Nicene Creed and dealt with other matters such This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 It was not until 440 that Leo the Great more clearly articulated the extension of papal authority as doctrine, promulgating in edicts and in councils his right to exercise "the full range of apostolic powers that Jesus had first bestowed on the apostle Peter". Pope Saint Leo I or Pope Saint Leo the Great was Pope from September 29, 440 to November 10, 461. It was at the ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451 that Leo I (through his emissaries) stated that he was "speaking with the voice of Peter". The Council of Chalcedon was the fourth Ecumenical council. It was held from 8 October to 1 November 451 at Chalcedon (a city of At this same council, the Bishop of Constantinople was given a primacy of honour equal to that of the Bishop of Rome, because "Constantinople is the New Rome. "

Although the Website Religion Facts says that the first Bishop of Rome to style himself pope was Pope Siricius, who occupied that office at the very end of the fourth century, more weighty resources say that the title of Pope was from the early third century used for any bishop in the West. Pope It seems that in the East it was used only for the Bishop of Alexandria, but the imperial chancery of Constantinople normally reserved it for the Bishop of Rome. From the sixth century it began to be confined in the West to the Bishop of Rome, a practice that was firmly in place by the eleventh century. ^[6]

After the fall of Rome, the Church served as a source of knowledge, authority, and continuity. The crowning of emperors (Charlemagne was the first emperor crowned by a pope) and regulating disputes among secular rulers also became a function of the Papacy. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his ^[7] The Bishop of Rome continued to be nominally allied and part of the civil structure of the Byzantine Empire until the 8th century, when the Donation of Pepin gave Rome and the surrounding area to the full sovereignty of the pope, of which the popes already had been de facto rulers, creating the Papal States that lasted until 1870. See also Donation of Constantine The "Donation of Pepin" in 756 provided a legal basis for the erection of the Papal States, which extended For centuries, the forged Donation of Constantine also provided the basis for the papacy's claim of political supremacy over the entire former Western Roman Empire. The Donation of Constantine ( Latin, Donatio Constantini) is a forged Roman imperial edict devised probably between 750 and 775, the

Great Schism to Reformation (1054 to 1517)

In the Middle Ages, popes struggled with monarchs over power. ^[3]

Popes also contended with the cardinals, who sometimes attempted to assert the authority of councils over the pope's.

Various antipopes challenged papal authority, especially during the Western Schism (1378 - 1417). The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417

Reformation to present (1517 to today)

Protestant Reformers criticized the Papacy as corrupt and characterized the pope as the antichrist.

Popes instituted the Catholic Reformation^[3] (1560 - 1648), which addressed challenges of the Protestant Reformation and instituted internal reforms. The Counter-Reformation (also Catholic Reformation denotes the period of Catholic revival from the pontificate of Pope Pius IV in 1560 to the close of the The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time

Gradually forced to give up secular power, popes focused on spiritual issues. ^[3]

The pope's claims of spiritual authority have been ever more clearly expressed since the first centuries. In the 19th century, the church proclaimed the dogma of papal infallibility for those rare occasions the pope speaks ex cathedra (literally "from the chair (of Peter)") when issuing a solemn definition of faith or morals. Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or Papal infallibility is the Dogma in Catholic theology that by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of Papal infallibility is the Dogma in Catholic theology that by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or Morality (from the Latin la moralitas "manner character proper behavior" has three principal meanings ^[3]

In 1950, the pope defined the Assumption of Mary as dogma, the only time that a pope has spoken ex cathedra since papal infallibility was explicitly declared.

The Petrine Doctrine is still controversial as an issue of doctrine that continues to divide the eastern and western churches as well as separating Protestants from Rome. The primacy of the Roman Pontiff is the apostolic authority of the Pope ( Bishop of Rome) from the Holy See, over the several churches

The pope in Roman Catholic theology

The dogmas and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church teach that the institution of the papacy was first mandated by Biblical passages:

“

Matt. Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or 16:18-19: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. " Isaiah 22:20-22: "On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open. " (shows a parallel to Matthew 16:18-20) John 21:15-17: ". . Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. " He said to him, "Feed my lambs. " He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. " He said to him, "Tend my sheep. " He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you. " (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my sheep. " Luke 12:41: "Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?" And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper time?" (Feeding theme appears again here) Luke 22:31-32: "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers. "

”

For Catholic Apologists the most important passage used to defend the Papacy is Matthew 16:18-19. Catholics believe that this passage shows Jesus establishing his church on the shoulders of Simon son of John, whom Jesus re-named Peter (meaning rock). Thus Peter was the rock upon which Christ's Church was built, therefore Jesus established a head to his earthly Church, calling for a successor to that head and thus the Papacy was established.

However, this interpretation of events is challenged by non-Catholics. Some say it was Peter's confession of faith that Jesus referred to. However, others propose that Jesus never called Peter rock at all but instead he was called "small stone".

The names "Petros" and "Peter" are Greek and Latin translations of the Aramaic word "Cephas," spoken by Jesus Christ. "Cephas" means "rock. "

The Aramaic word for small stone is "Evna"^[8] John (1:41) is scriptural proof that, in the original Aramaic language, Jesus did not name Simon "Evna" (small stone) Christ named Simon "Cephas" (rock):

“

John 1:41-42: ”He findeth first his brother Simon, and saith to him: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter. ”

”

For the above Scripture to imply that Simon's new name was meant to be understood as "small stone," the writer would use the Latin word "calculus" which means "small stone. " However, the Scripture explicitly states that "Cephas" is interpreted as "Peter. " "Peter" means "rock" in Latin.

The translation of Matthew's Gospel into Greek named Simon "Petros" rather than "petra" because "petra" is a feminine noun and unsuitable for a man's name. The translator had no problem substituting the masculine form "Petros" because in Koine Greek, which was the dialect in use at the time of the New Testament, "petra" and "petros" both meant the same thing, "rock. "

"Petros" and "petras" meant "small stone" and "large rock" in some ancient Greek poetry, centuries before the time of Christ, but that distinction had disappeared from the language by the time Matthew’s Gospel was rendered in Greek. As Greek scholars—even non-Catholic ones—admit, the words "petros" and "petra" were synonyms in first century Greek.

The difference between "petros" and "petras" can only be found in Attic Greek, but the New Testament was written in Koine Greek—an entirely different dialect. In Koine Greek, both "petros" and "petra" simply meant "rock. " If Jesus had wanted to call Simon a small stone, the translation of Christ's Aramaic into Greek would have been "lithos," which means "small stone" in Koine Greek. ^[9]

Simon-Peter's Aramaic name given by Christ is also preserved at later points in the New Testament:

“

1 Corinthians 15:1-5: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve” (1Cor 15:3)

”

Isaiah 22:22 is used to show the Old Testament connection to the "keys. " The Bible further explains the position of Eliakim in Isaiah in the following:

"Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace. . . " (2 Kings 18:37)

Some Jewish commentators of the Old Testament understood Numbers 23:9 in a manner similar to Peter with this commentary from the Jewish Encyclopedia on Peter regarding Abraham:

"Upon Abraham as top of the rocks God said I shall build my kingdom"

The reference to the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" here are the basis for the symbolic keys often found in Catholic papal symbolism, such as in the Vatican Coat of Arms (see below). The Jewish Encyclopedia was an Encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls.

Election, death and abdication

Election

Main article: Papal election

The pope was originally chosen by those senior clergymen resident in and near Rome. A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. In 1059 the electorate was restricted to the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, and the individual votes of all Cardinal Electors were made equal in 1179. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. Pope Urban VI, elected 1378, was the last pope who was not already a cardinal at the time of his election. Pope Urban VI (c 1318 &ndash October 15, 1389) born Bartolomeo Prignano, was Pope from 1378 to 1389 Canon law requires that if a layman or non-bishop is elected, he receives episcopal consecration from the Dean of the College of Cardinals before assuming the Pontificate. Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Anglican Communion of churches The Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals is the President of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank Under present canon law, the pope is elected by the cardinal electors, comprising those cardinals who are under the age of 80.

The Second Council of Lyons was convened on May 7, 1274, to regulate the election of the pope. The First Council of Lyon, the Thirteenth Ecumenical Council took place in 1245 Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses This Council decreed that the cardinal electors must meet within ten days of the pope's death, and that they must remain in seclusion (see Papal conclave) until a pope has been elected; this was prompted by the three-year Sede Vacante following the death of Pope Clement IV in 1268. A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor Sede vacante is the vacancy of the Episcopal see of a Particular church in the Canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Clement IV ( Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, November 23, year ca 1195 &ndash November 29, 1268 in Viterbo) born Gui Faucoi By the mid-sixteenth century, the electoral process had more or less evolved into its present form, allowing for alteration in the time between the death of the pope and the meeting of the cardinal electors.

Traditionally, the vote was conducted by acclamation, by selection (by committee), or by plenary vote. An acclamation, in its most common sense is a form of Election that does not use a Ballot. Acclamation was the simplest procedure, consisting entirely of a voice vote, and was last used in 1621. Pope John Paul II abolished vote by acclamation and by selection by committee, and henceforth all Popes will be elected by full vote of the Sacred College of Cardinals by ballot (see Papal election). Pope The College of Cardinals (verbose Sacred College of the Holy Roman Church, Sancta Romana Ecclesia, S A ballot is a device (originally a small ball—see blackball) used to record choices made by Voters Each voter uses one ballot and ballots are not A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor

The election of the pope almost always takes place in the Sistine Chapel, in a sequestered meeting called a "conclave" (so called because the cardinal electors are theoretically locked in, cum clave, until they elect a new pope). Konstanz (in English formerly known as Constance) is a university town of around 80000 inhabitants at the western end of Lake Constance Pope Martin V (c 1368 &ndash February 20, 1431) born Odo (or Habemus Papam is the announcement given in Latin by the senior Cardinal Deacon upon the election of a new Pope. Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina is the best-known Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor Three cardinals are chosen by lot to collect the votes of absent cardinal electors (by reason of illness), three are chosen by lot to count the votes, and three are chosen by lot to review the count of the votes. The ballots are distributed and each cardinal elector writes the name of his choice on it and pledges aloud that he is voting for "one whom under God I think ought to be elected" before folding and depositing his vote on a plate atop a large chalice placed on the altar (in the 2005 conclave, a special urn was used for this purpose instead of a chalice and plate). The plate is then used to drop the ballot into the chalice, making it difficult for any elector to insert multiple ballots. Before being read, the number of ballots are counted while still folded; if the total number of ballots does not match the number of electors, the ballots are burned unopened and a new vote is held. Otherwise, each ballot is read aloud by the presiding Cardinal, who pierces the ballot with a needle and thread, stringing all the ballots together and tying the ends of the thread to ensure accuracy and honesty. Balloting continues until a Pope is elected by a two-thirds majority (with the promulgation of Universi Dominici Gregis in 1996, a simple majority after a deadlock of twelve days was allowed, but this was revoked by Pope Benedict XVI by motu proprio in 2007). Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger A motu proprio ( Latin "on his own impulse" is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him

One of the most famous aspects of the papal election process is the means by which the results of a ballot are announced to the world. Once the ballots are counted and bound together, they are burned in a special stove erected in the Sistine Chapel, with the smoke escaping through a small chimney visible from St. Peter's Square. Saint Peter's Square, or Saint Peter's Piazza ( Italian: Piazza San Pietro) is located directly in front of St The ballots from an unsuccessful vote are burned along with a chemical compound in order to produce black smoke, or fumata nera. (Traditionally, wet straw was used to help create the black smoke, but a number of "false alarms" in past conclaves have brought about this concession to modern chemistry. ) When a vote is successful, the ballots are burned alone, sending white smoke (fumata bianca) through the chimney and announcing to the world the election of a new pope. At the end of the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI, church bells were also rung to signal that a new pope had been chosen. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger

The Dean of the College of Cardinals then asks the cardinal who has been successfully-elected two solemn questions. First he asks, "Do you freely accept your election?" If he replies with the word "Accepto", his reign as Pope begins at that instant, not at the inauguration ceremony several days afterward. The Dean then asks, "By what name shall you be called?" The new pope then announces the regnal name he has chosen for himself. A regnal name, or reign name, is a formal name used by some Popes and Monarchs during their Reigns Since Medieval times monarchs (If the Dean himself is elected pope, the Vice Dean performs this duty).

The new pope is led through the "Door of Tears" to a dressing room in which three sets of white papal vestments (immantatio) await: small, medium, and large. Donning the appropriate vestments and reemerging into the Sistine Chapel, the new pope is given the "Fisherman's Ring" by the Cardinal Camerlengo, whom he first either reconfirms or reappoints. Ring of the Fisherman, also known as the Piscatory Ring and the Pescatorio (in Italian) is an official part of the regalia worn by the The pope then assumes a place of honor as the rest of the cardinals wait in turn to offer their first "obedience" (adoratio) and to receive his blessing.

The senior Cardinal Deacon then announces from a balcony over St. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. Peter's Square the following proclamation: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum! Habemus Papam! ("I announce to you a great joy! We have a pope!"). Habemus Papam is the announcement given in Latin by the senior Cardinal Deacon upon the election of a new Pope. He then announces the new pope's Christian name along with the new name he has adopted as his regnal name.

Until 1978 the pope's election was followed in a few days by the Papal Coronation. The Papal Coronation is the ceremony in which a new Pope is crowned as earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church, sovereign of Vatican City A procession with great pomp and circumstance formed from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica, with the newly elected pope borne in the sedia gestatoria. Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina is the best-known Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St The sedia gestatoria is the portable Throne on which Popes were once carried There, after a solemn Papal Mass, the new pope was crowned with the triregnum (papal tiara) and he gave for the first time as pope the famous blessing Urbi et Orbi ("to the City [Rome] and to the World"). A Papal Mass is the Solemn Pontifical High Mass when celebrated by the Pope. The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the ' Triregnum', and in Italian as the ' Triregno', is the three-tiered Urbi et Orbi, literally "to the City Rome and to the World," was a standard opening of Another renowned part of the coronation was the lighting of a bundle of flax at the top of a gilded pole, which would flare brightly for a moment and then promptly extinguish, with the admonition Sic transit gloria mundi ("Thus passes worldly glory"). Flax (also known as common flax or linseed) (binomial name Linum usitatissimum) is a member of the genus Linum Sic transit gloria mundi is a Latin phrase that means "Thus passes the glory of the world" A similar sombre warning against papal hubris made on this occasion was the ritual exclamation "Annos Petri non videbis", reminding the newly crowned Pope that he would not live to see his rule lasting as long as that of St. Peter, who according to tradition headed the church for 35 years and has thus far been the longest reigning Pope in the history of the Catholic Church.

A traditionalist Catholic belief claims the existence of the Papal Oath (not to be confused with the Oath Against Modernism mandated by Pope Pius X), which the popes from John Paul I on are said to have refused to swear, but there is no reliable authority for this claim. Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical The Papal Oath is an oath (see text below that some Traditionalist Catholics say was taken by the Popes of the Catholic Church, starting with Pope The Oath against Modernism was issued by the Roman Catholic Pope Saint Pius X, on September 1, 1910, and mandated that "all clergy pastors Saint Pius X ( Latin: Pius PP X) ( June 2, 1835 &mdash August 20, 1914) born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the Pope John Paul I ( Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP I, Italian: Giovanni Paolo I) born Albino Luciani, ( October 17 1912

The Latin term sede vacante ("vacant seat") refers to a papal interregnum, the period between the death of a pope and the election of his successor. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity of a government organization or social order From this term is derived the term sedevacantism, which designates a category of dissident, Catholics who maintain that there is no canonically and legitimately elected Pope, and that there is therefore a Sede Vacante. Sedevacantism is the position held by a minority of Traditionalist Catholics who claim that the Papal See has been vacant since the death of Pope Pius XII One of the most common reasons for holding this belief is the idea that the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and especially the replacement of the Tridentine Mass with the Mass of Paul VI are heretical, and that, per the dogma of papal infallibility, it is impossible for a valid Pope to have done these things. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. The Tridentine Mass (Missa Tridentina is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass see Mass (Catholic Church. Secevacantists are considered to be schismatics by the mainstream Roman Catholic Church.

For centuries, the papacy was an institution dominated by Italians. The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging Prior to the election of the Polish cardinal Karol Wojtyla as Pope John Paul II in 1978, the last non-Italian was Pope Adrian VI of the Netherlands, elected in 1522. Pope Pope Adrian VI ( Utrecht, March 2, 1459 &ndash September 14, 1523) born Adriaan Florenszoon Boeyens, son of John Paul II was followed by the German-born Benedict XVI, leading some to believe the Italian domination of the papacy to be over.

Death

The current regulations regarding a papal interregnum — that is, a sede vacante ("vacant seat") — were promulgated by John Paul II in his 1996 document Universi Dominici Gregis. An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity of a government organization or social order Sede vacante is the vacancy of the Episcopal see of a Particular church in the Canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. Universi Dominici Gregis is an Apostolic Constitution of the Roman Catholic Church issued by Pope John Paul II on February 22, During the "Sede Vacante", the Sacred College of Cardinals, composed of the pope's principal advisors and assistants, is collectively responsible for the government of the Church and of the Vatican itself, under the direction of the Cardinal Chamberlain; however, canon law specifically forbids the cardinals from introducing any innovation in the government of the Church during the vacancy of the Holy See. The College of Cardinals (verbose Sacred College of the Holy Roman Church, Sancta Romana Ecclesia, S The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Any decision that requires the assent of the pope has to wait until the new pope has been elected and accepts office.

It has long been claimed that a pope's death is officially determined by the Cardinal Chamberlain by gently tapping the late pope's head thrice with a silver hammer and calling his birth name three times, though this is disputed and has never been confirmed by the Vatican; there is general agreement that even if this procedure ever actually occurred, it was likely not employed upon the death of John Paul II. A doctor may or may not have already determined that the pope had died before this point. A physician, medical practitioner or medical doctor who practices Medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human Health The Cardinal Chamberlain then retrieves the Ring of the Fisherman. Ring of the Fisherman, also known as the Piscatory Ring and the Pescatorio (in Italian) is an official part of the regalia worn by the Usually the ring is on the pope's right hand. But in the case of Paul VI, he had stopped wearing the ring during the last years of his reign. In other cases the ring might have been removed for medical reasons. The Chamberlain cuts the ring in two in the presence of the Cardinals. The deceased pope's seals are defaced, to keep them from ever being used again, and his personal apartment is sealed.

The body then lies in state for a number of days before being interred in the crypt of a leading church or cathedral; the popes of the 20th century were all interred in St. Peter's Basilica. In terms of European architecture a crypt (from the Latin crypta and the Greek κρυπτη, kryptē) is a stone chamber or The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St A nine-day period of mourning (novem dialis) follows after the interment of the late Pope. Vatican tradition holds that no autopsy is to be performed on the body of a dead Pope. An autopsy, also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy, or obduction, is a Medical procedure that consists of a thorough Examination

Abdication

Main article: Papal abdication

The Code of Canon Law 332 §2 states, "If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone. Papal abdication occurs in the Catholic Church when the Pope resigns his office Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated Papal abdication occurs in the Catholic Church when the Pope resigns his office "

This right has been exercised by Pope Celestine V in 1294 and Pope Gregory XII in 1409, Gregory XII being the last to do so. Pope Gregory XII (died October 18, 1417) born Angelo Correr or Corraro, Pope from 1406 to 1415 succeeded Pope

It was widely reported in June and July 2002 that Pope John Paul II firmly refuted the speculation of his resignation using Canon 332, in a letter to the Milan daily newspaper Corriere della Sera. Corriere della Sera ("Evening Courier" is an Italian daily Newspaper (first in sales) published in Milan.

Nevertheless, 332 §2 caused speculation that:

• Pope John Paul II would have resigned as his health failed, or
• a properly manifested legal instrument had been prepared which effected his resignation if he could not perform his duties. Pope

Pope John Paul II, however, did not resign. He died on 2 April 2005 after a long period of ill-health and was buried on 8 April 2005. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. After his death, it was reported in his last will and testament that he considered abdicating in 2000 as he neared his 80th birthday. The Testament of Pope John Paul II is a Document written by Pope John Paul II, and is similar to a Civilian last will and testament. That portion of the will, however, is unclear and others interpret it differently.

Titles

Styles of The Pope
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father
Posthumous style	NA

Current

The titles of the Pope, in the order they are used in the Annuario Pontificio:

• Bishop of Rome
• Vicar of Christ
• Successor of the Prince of the Apostles
• Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church
• Primate of Italy
• Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province
• Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City
• Servant of the Servants of God

Former

• Patriarch of the West (dropped 2006)
• Vicar of the Apostolic See
• Vicar of Peter

Forms of address

• "Your Holiness"
• "Holy Father"
• "Il Papa"

History

Marcellinus (d. A style of office, or honorific, is a term which by Tradition or Law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or Title, or to the His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups The Bishop of Rome is the bishop of the Holy See, more often referred to in the Catholic tradition as the Pope. Vicar of Christ (Latin Vicarius Christi) has been used since Pope Gelasius I (served 492 - 496 alongside a few rarer 'vicarial' titles as one of the titles A number of Christian denominations and scholars hold that Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles, favored by Jesus of Nazareth with the first The Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the Ancient Roman College of Pontiffs. Primate (from the Latin Primus, "first" is a title or rank bestowed on some Bishops in certain Christian churches Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government so named by analogy with a secular Province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory Servus Servorum Dei is a Latin phrase meaning Servant of the Servants of God. Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family In the broadest sense a vicar (from the Latin Vicarius) is a representative anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior 304) is the first Bishop of Rome whom sources show used the title of pope. In the 11th century, after the East-West Schism, Gregory VII declared the term "Pope" to be reserved for the Bishop of Rome.

Early bishops occupying the See of Rome were designated "Vicar of Peter" (St. In the Catholic Church, a Bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the priesthood. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic In the broadest sense a vicar (from the Latin Vicarius) is a representative anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior Peter being considered "Prince of the Apostles" or leader of the apostolic Church); for later popes the more authoritative-sounding Vicar of Christ was substituted. The designation "Vicar of Christ" was first used by the Roman Synod of 495 to refer to Pope Gelasius I, an advocate of papal supremacy among the patriarchs. A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application Pope The primacy of the Roman Pontiff is the apostolic authority of the Pope ( Bishop of Rome) from the Holy See, over the several churches Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family The title "Vicar of Christ" refers to the Pope's claims of divine commission. The Christian Church prior to Constantine reserved the titles, "Vicar of Christ" and "Vicar of the Lord" exclusively for the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to His Apostles to complete their training (John 16:12-15). Tertullian demonstrates this fact in the following quotes:

"Grant, then, that all have erred; that the apostle was mistaken in giving his testimony; that the Holy Ghost . . . He, the Steward of God, the Vicar of Christ . . . "^[10]

"For what kind of (supposition) is it, that, while the devil is always operating and adding daily to the ingenuities of iniquity, the work of God should either have ceased, or else have desisted from advancing? whereas the reason why the Lord sent the Paraclete was, that, since human mediocrity was unable to take in all things at once, discipline should, little by little, be directed, and ordained, and carried on to perfection, by that Vicar of the Lord, the Holy Spirit. "^[11]

The Second Vatican Council confirmed the titles "Vicar of Christ" and "Successor of Peter" as titles of the pope. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church.

The use of the term "Supreme Pontiff" (Pontifex Maximus) by the pope can be traced back to the end of the fourth century. The Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the Ancient Roman College of Pontiffs. This ancient title of the Roman High-Priest, whose origins date from the foundation of Rome, was assumed by the Bishops of Rome after being relinquished by the Emperor Gratian. For other figures with this name see Gratian (disambiguation. The term has also been applied to other metropolitan bishops, although examples are limited (see Pontifex Maximus). The Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the Ancient Roman College of Pontiffs. It was in the eleventh century that the title came to be applied exclusively to the Bishop of Rome. The addition of the phrase "of the Universal Church" is a more recent alteration of this title.

Finally, the title attached to the pope, "Servant of the Servants of God", although used by Church leaders including St. Augustine and St. Benedict, was first used by Pope St. Gregory the Great in his dispute with the Patriarch of Constantinople after the latter assumed the title Ecumenical Patriarch. "Saint Benedict" redirects here This article is about the founder of Western monasticism for other saints named Benedict see Benedict. "Patriarch of Constantinople" redirects here For the institutional church itself see Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It was not reserved for the pope until the thirteenth century. The documents of Vatican II reinforced the understanding of this title as a reference to the pope's role as a function of collegial authority, in which the Bishop of Rome serves the world's bishops.

The titles "Primate of Italy", "Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman province", and "Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City" are references to the legal and canonical authority of the pope as defined by the laws of the Church and the Lateran Treaty of 1929. The Lateran Treaty is one of the Lateran Pacts of 1929 or Lateran Accords, three agreements made in 1929 between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy

The pope's signature is usually in the format NN. PP. x (e. g. , Pope Paul VI signed his name as "Paulus PP. Pope VI"), the "PP. " standing for Papa ("Pope"), and his name is frequently accompanied in inscriptions by the abbreviation Pont. Max. or P. M. (abbreviation of the Latin title Pontifex Maximus, usually translated as "Supreme Pontiff"). The signature of papal bulls is customarily NN. A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope. Episcopus Ecclesiae Catholicae ("NN. Bishop of the Catholic Church"), while the heading is NN. Episcopus Servus Servorum Dei ("NN. Servus Servorum Dei is a Latin phrase meaning Servant of the Servants of God. Bishop and Servant of the Servants of God"). Other titles used in some official capacity in the past include Summus Pontifex ("Highest Pontiff"), Sanctissimus Pater and Beatissimus Pater ("Most Holy Father" and "Most Blessed Father"), Sanctissimus Dominus Noster ("Our Most Holy Lord"), and, in the Medieval period, Dominus Apostolicus ("Apostolic Lord"). This title, however, was not abandoned altogether: the pope is still referred to as "Dominum Apostolicum" in the Latin version of the Litany of the Saints, a solemn Catholic prayer. The Litany of the Saints ( Latin, Litania Sanctorum) is a sacred Prayer of the Roman Catholic Church. Writing informally, Catholics will often use the abbreviation H. H. (His Holiness), as in H. H. , Benedict XVI.

The pope's official seat or cathedral is the Basilica of St. John Lateran, and his official residence is the Palace of the Vatican. A cathedra ( Latin, "chair" from Greek, kathedra, "seat" is the Chair or Throne of a Bishop This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral The Basilica of St John Lateran ( Italian: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano) is the Cathedral of the church of Rome and the official He also possesses a summer palace at Castel Gandolfo (situated on the site of the ancient city-state Alba Longa). Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 30 km south-east of Rome, on the Alban Alba Longa (in Italian sources occasionally written Albalonga) was an ancient city of Latium in central Italy southeast of Rome in the Alban Historically, the official residence of the Pope was the Lateran Palace, donated by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. The Lateran Palace, sometimes more formally known as the Apostolic Palace of the Lateran (Italian Palazzo Laterano) is an ancient Palace of the Roman The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine

The Pope's ecclesiastical jurisdiction (the Holy See) is distinct from his secular jurisdiction (Vatican City). The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic It is the Holy See which conducts international relations; for hundreds of years, the papal court (the Roman Curia) has functioned as the government of the Catholic Church. The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Roman Catholic Church, together with the Pope

The names "Holy See" and "Apostolic See" are in ecclesiastical terminology the ordinary jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome (including the Roman Curia); the pope's various honors, powers, and privileges within the Catholic Church and the international community derive from his Episcopate of Rome in lineal succession from the Apostle St. Peter (see Apostolic Succession). Ecclesiastical jurisdiction in its primary sense does not signify Jurisdiction over ecclesiastics ("church leadership" but jurisdiction exercised by church leaders The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e Consequently, Rome has traditionally occupied a central position in the Catholic Church, although this is not necessarily so. The pope derives his Pontificate from being Bishop of Rome but is not required to live there; according to the Latin formula ubi Papa, ibi Curia, wherever the Pope resides is the central government of the Church, provided that the pope is Bishop of Rome. As such, between 1309 and 1378, the popes lived in Avignon (see Avignon Papacy), a period often called the Babylonian Captivity in allusion to the Biblical exile of Israel. Avignon (/aviɲɔ̃/ in French) ( Provençal: Avinhon in classical norm or Avignoun in Mistralian norm is a commune In the History of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1377 during which seven Popes all French, resided in Avignon The Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile, is the name typically given to the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Exile means to be away from one's home (ie city state or country while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

The title "Patriarch of the West" did not appear in the 2006 pontifical yearbook, and this led to considerable media speculation. The title Patriarch of the West was first used by Pope Theodore in 642, and was only used occasionally. Pope Theodore may refer to Pope Theodore I Pope Theodore II Antipope Theodore Indeed, it did not begin to appear in the pontifical yearbook until 1863. On 22 March 2006, the Vatican released a statement explaining this omission on the grounds of expressing a "historical and theological reality" and of "being useful to ecumenical dialogue". Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The title Patriarch of the West symbolized the pope's special relationship with, and jurisdiction over, the Latin Church — and the omission of the title neither symbolizes in any way a change in this relationship, nor distorts the relationship between the Holy See and the Eastern Churches, as solemnly proclaimed by Vatican II. Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about ^[12]

Since in the Eastern Churches the title "pope" does not unambiguously refer to the Bishop of Rome, within them the construction "Pope of Rome" is frequently used whether they are in communion with Rome or not.

Regalia and insignia

Main article: Papal regalia and insignia

• "Triregnum", also called the "tiara" or "triple crown", represents the pope's three functions as "supreme pastor", "supreme teacher" and "supreme priest". The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the ' Triregnum', and in Italian as the ' Triregno', is the three-tiered Recent popes have not, however, worn the triregnum, though it remains the symbol of the papacy and has not been abolished. In liturgical ceremonies Popes wear an episcopal mitre (an erect cloth hat). The mitre (sometimes also spelled miter from the Greek μίτρα, 'headband' or 'turban' is a type of headgear now known as the traditional ceremonial head-dress of
• Pastoral Staff topped by a crucifix, a custom established before the 13th century (see papal cross). A crosier ( crozier, pastoral staff, paterissa, pósokh) is the stylized staff of office ( Pastoral staff) carried by high-ranking A crucifix (from Latin cruci fixus meaning "(one fixed to a cross" is a cross with a representation of Jesus ' body or corpus The papal cross or ferula is an emblem of the papal office As a material cross it was carried before the Roman pontiff in processions or was used by him as
• Pallium, or pall, a circular band of fabric worn around the neck over the chasuble. This article refers to the religious garment called a "pallium" The chasuble is the outermost liturgical Vestment worn by Clergy for the celebration of the Eucharist in Western-tradition Christian It forms a yoke about the neck, breast and shoulders and has two pendants hanging down in front and behind, and is ornamented with six crosses. Previously, the pallium worn by the pope was identical to those he granted to the primates, but in 2005 Pope Benedict XVI began to use a distinct papal pallium that is larger than the primatial, and was adorned with red crosses instead of black. Primate (from the Latin Primus, "first" is a title or rank bestowed on some Bishops in certain Christian churches
• "Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven", the image of two keys, one gold and one silver. The silver key symbolizes the power to bind and loose on Earth, and the gold key the power to bind and loose in Heaven.
• Ring of the Fisherman, a gold ring decorated with a depiction of St. Ring of the Fisherman, also known as the Piscatory Ring and the Pescatorio (in Italian) is an official part of the regalia worn by the Peter in a boat casting his net, with the name of the reigning Pope around it.
• Umbraculum (better known in the Italian form ombrellino) is a canopy or umbrella consisting of alternating red and gold stripes, which used to be carried above the pope in processions. The Umbraculum — Italian: Ombrellino (from Latin umbra 'shade' for a sun-umbrella—is an historic piece of the Papal regalia and insignia
• Sedia gestatoria, a mobile throne carried by twelve footmen (palafrenieri) in red uniforms, accompanied by two attendants bearing flabella (fans made of white ostrich feathers), and sometimes a large canopy, carried by eight attendants. The sedia gestatoria is the portable Throne on which Popes were once carried A footman (plural -men) is a Male Servant, notably as Domestic staff. A flabellum (plural flabella) in Catholic liturgical use is a fan made of metal leather silk parchment or feathers intended to keep away insects from the consecrated The use of the flabella was discontinued by Pope John Paul I. Pope John Paul I ( Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP I, Italian: Giovanni Paolo I) born Albino Luciani, ( October 17 1912 The use of the sedia gestatoria was discontinued by Pope John Paul II, being replaced by the so-called Popemobile. Pope The Popemobile is an informal name for the specially designed Motor vehicles used by the Pope during outdoor public appearances

In heraldry, each pope has his own Papal Coat of Arms. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. For at least 800 years each Pope has had his own personal Coat of arms that serves as a symbol of his papacy Though unique for each pope, the arms are always surmounted by the aforementioned two keys in saltire (i. St Andrew's Cross redirects here For the item of BDSM furniture see Saint Andrew's Cross (BDSM A saltire, Saint Andrew's Cross e. , crossed over one another so as to form an X) behind the escutcheon (shield) (one silver key and one gold key, tied with a red cord), and above them a silver triregnum with three gold crowns and red infulae (lappets—two strips of fabric hanging from the back of the triregnum which fall over the neck and shoulders when worn). A lappet is a decorative flap or fold in a ceremonial Headdress or garment This is blazoned: "two keys in saltire or and argent, interlacing in the rings or, beneath a tiara argent, crowned or"). In Heraldry and heraldic Vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of most often a Coat of arms or Flag, which enables a person to With the recent election of Benedict XVI in 2005, his personal coat of arms eliminated the papal tiara; a mitre with three horizontal lines is used in its place, with the pallium, a papal symbol of authority more ancient than the tiara, the use of which is also granted to metropolitan archbishops as a sign of communion with the See of Rome, was added underneath of the shield. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger The mitre (sometimes also spelled miter from the Greek μίτρα, 'headband' or 'turban' is a type of headgear now known as the traditional ceremonial head-dress of In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated Bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others this means that they lead The distinctive feature of the crossed keys behind the shield was maintained. The omission of the tiara in the Pope's personal coat of arms, however, did not mean the total disappearance of it from papal heraldry, since the coat of arms of the Holy See was kept unaltered.

The flag most frequently associated with the pope is the yellow and white flag of Vatican City, with the arms of the Holy See (blazoned: "Gules, two keys in saltire or and argent, interlacing in the rings or, beneath a tiara argent, crowned or") on the right-hand side (the "fly") in the white half of the flag (the left-hand side—the "hoist"—is yellow). A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification The pope's escucheon does not appear on the flag. This flag was first adopted in 1808, whereas the previous flag had been red and gold, the traditional colors of the papacy. Although Pope Benedict XVI replaced the triregnum with a mitre on his personal coat of arms, it has been retained on the flag.

Status and authority

Main articles: Primacy of the Roman Pontiff and Papal infallibility

First Vatican Council

The status and authority of the Pope in the Catholic Church was dogmatically defined by the First Vatican Council on 18 July 1870. Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or In Catholicism, a dogmatic definition is an extraordinary infallible statement published by a Pope or an Ecumenical council concerning a matter The First Vatican Council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Pastor Aeternus of June 29, 1868. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, In its Dogmatic Constitution of the Church of Christ, the Council established the following canons:^[14]

"If anyone says that the blessed Apostle Peter was not established by the Lord Christ as the chief of all the apostles, and the visible head of the whole militant Church, or, that the same received great honour but did not receive from the same our Lord Jesus Christ directly and immediately the primacy in true and proper jurisdiction: let him be anathema. The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e Anathema (in Greek Ανάθεμα meaning originally something lifted up as an offering to the gods later with evolving meanings it came to mean to be formally ^[15]

If anyone says that it is not from the institution of Christ the Lord Himself, or by divine right that the blessed Peter has perpetual successors in the primacy over the universal Church, or that the Roman Pontiff is not the successor of blessed Peter in the same primacy, let him be anathema. ^[16]

If anyone thus speaks, that the Roman Pontiff has only the office of inspection or direction, but not the full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the universal Church, not only in things which pertain to faith and morals, but also in those which pertain to the discipline and government of the Church spread over the whole world; or, that he possesses only the more important parts, but not the whole plenitude of this supreme power; or that this power of his is not ordinary and immediate, or over the churches altogether and individually, and over the pastors and the faithful altogether and individually: let him be anathema. ^[17]

We, adhering faithfully to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, to the glory of God, our Saviour, the elevation of the Catholic religion and the salvation of Christian peoples, with the approbation of the sacred Council, teach and explain that the dogma has been divinely revealed: that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when carrying out the duty of the pastor and teacher of all Christians by virtue of his supreme apostolic authority he defines a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, through the divine assistance promised him in blessed Peter, operates with that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer wished that His church be instructed in defining doctrine on faith and morals; and so such definitions of the Roman Pontiff from himself, but not from the consensus of the Church, are unalterable. But if anyone presumes to contradict this definition of Ours, which may God forbid: let him be anathema. "^[18]

Second Vatican Council

In its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (1964), the Second Vatican Council declared:

"Among the principal duties of bishops the preaching of the Gospel occupies an eminent place. For an English translation of the text see Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ''Lumen Gentium'' The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. For bishops are preachers of the faith, who lead new disciples to Christ, and they are authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach to the people committed to them the faith they must believe and put into practice, and by the light of the Holy Spirit illustrate that faith. They bring forth from the treasury of Revelation new things and old, making it bear fruit and vigilantly warding off any errors that threaten their flock. Bishops, teaching in communion with the Roman Pontiff, are to be respected by all as witnesses to divine and Catholic truth. In matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent. This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking.

… this infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer willed His Church to be endowed in defining doctrine of faith and morals, extends as far as the deposit of Revelation extends, which must be religiously guarded and faithfully expounded. And this is the infallibility which the Roman Pontiff, the head of the college of bishops, enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith, by a definitive act he proclaims a doctrine of faith or morals. And therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly styled irreformable, since they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, promised to him in blessed Peter, and therefore they need no approval of others, nor do they allow an appeal to any other judgment. For then the Roman Pontiff is not pronouncing judgment as a private person, but as the supreme teacher of the universal Church, in whom the charism of infallibility of the Church itself is individually present, he is expounding or defending a doctrine of Catholic faith. The infallibility promised to the Church resides also in the body of Bishops, when that body exercises the supreme magisterium with the successor of Peter. To these definitions the assent of the Church can never be wanting, on account of the activity of that same Holy Spirit, by which the whole flock of Christ is preserved and progresses in unity of faith. "^[19]

Political role

Main article: Politics of the Vatican City

Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City
Coat of Arms of the Vatican
Incumbent: Benedict XVI
Style	His Holiness
Residence	Papal Palace
First Sovereign	Pope Pius XI
Formation	February 11, 1929
Website	http://www.va

Though the progressive Christianisation of the Roman Empire in the fourth century did not confer upon bishops civil authority within the state, the gradual withdrawal of imperial authority during the fifth century left the pope the senior imperial civilian official in Rome, as bishops were increasingly directing civil affairs in other cities of the Western Empire. Politics of Vatican City takes place in a framework of an absolute theocratic monarchy, in which the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups Pope Pius XI ( Latin: Pius PP XI; Italian: Pio XI; May 31 1857 &ndash February 10 1939) born Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The historical phenomenon of Christianization (or Christianisation &mdash see spelling differences) the conversion of individuals to Christianity The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial This status as a secular and civil ruler was vividly displayed by Pope Leo I's confrontation with Attila in 452. Pope Saint Leo I or Pope Saint Leo the Great was Pope from September 29, 440 to November 10, 461. The first expansion of papal rule outside of Rome came in 728 with the Donation of Sutri, which in turn was substantially increased in 754, when the Frankish ruler Pippin the Younger gave to the pope the land from his conquest of the Lombards. The Donation of Sutri was an agreement reached at Sutri by Liutprand King of the Lombards and Pope Gregory II in 728. The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group Pepin or Pippin (714 &ndash 24 September 768) called the Short, and often known as Pepin the Younger or Pepin III, was The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from The pope may have utilized the forged Donation of Constantine to gain this land, which formed the core of the Papal States. The Donation of Constantine ( Latin, Donatio Constantini) is a forged Roman imperial edict devised probably between 750 and 775, the The Papal States, State(s of the Church or Pontifical States (in Italian Stato Ecclesiastico, Stato della Chiesa, Stati della Chiesa This document, accepted as genuine until the 1400s, states that Constantine I placed the entire Western Empire of Rome under papal rule. Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine In 800 Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish ruler Charlemagne as Roman Emperor, a major step toward establishing what later became known as the Holy Roman Empire; from that date onward the popes claimed the prerogative to crown the Emperor, though the right fell into disuse after the coronation of Charles V in 1530. Pope Leo III (died June 12, 816) was Pope from 795 to 816 Protected by Charlemagne from his enemies in Rome he subsequently strengthened A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Pope Pius VII was present at the coronation of Napoleon I in 1804, but did not actually perform the crowning. Pope Pius VII, OSB (August 14 1740&mdashAugust 20 1823 born Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was Pope from March 14 1800 to August Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. As mentioned above, the pope's sovereignty over the Papal States ended in 1870 with their annexation by Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

Popes like Alexander VI, an ambitious if spectacularly corrupt politician, and Pope Julius II, a formidable general and statesman, were not afraid to use power to achieve their own ends, which included increasing the power of the papacy. Pope Alexander VI ( 1 January 1431 &ndash 18 August 1503) born Roderic Llançol, later Roderic de Borja i Borja ( Pope Julius II (5 December 1443 &ndash 21 February 1513 born Giuliano Della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513 This political and temporal authority was demonstrated through the papal role in the Holy Roman Empire (especially prominent during periods of contention with the Emperors, such as during the Pontificates of Pope Gregory VII and Pope Alexander III). Pope Pope Alexander III (c 1100/1105 &ndash August 30, 1181) born Rolando (or Orlando) Bandinelli, was Pope from 1159 Papal bulls, interdict, and excommunication (or the threat thereof) have been used many times to increase papal power. A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope. In the Roman Catholic Church, the word interdict (in’tér-dikt usually refers to an Ecclesiastical penalty Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community The Bull Laudabiliter in 1155 authorized Henry II of England to invade Ireland. Laudabiliter was a Papal bull issued in 1155 by the English Pope Adrian IV purporting to give the Angevin King Henry II of England Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world In 1207, Innocent III placed England under interdict until King John made his kingdom a fiefdom to the Pope, complete with yearly tribute, saying, "we offer and freely yield. Pope Innocent III ( February 22, 1161 &ndash June 16, 1216) born Lotario de' Conti di Segni, was Pope from January John (24 December 1167 &ndash 19 October 1216 reigned as a King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing A tribute (from Latin tribulum, contribution is wealth one party gives to another as a sign of respect or as was often case in historical contexts of submission . . to our lord Pope Innocent III and his catholic successors, the whole kingdom of England and the whole kingdom of Ireland with all their rights and appurtenences for the remission of our sins". ^[20] The Bull Inter Caeteras in 1493 led to the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, which divided the world into areas of Spanish and Portuguese rule. The Treaty of Tordesillas ( Portuguese: Tratado de Tordesilhas, Spanish: Tratado de Tordesillas) signed at Tordesillas (now in Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Bull Regnans in Excelsis in 1570 excommunicated Elizabeth I of England and declared that all her subjects were released from all allegiance to her. Regnans in Excelsis was a Papal bull issued on February 25, 1570 by Pope Pius V declaring " Elizabeth, the pretended The Bull Inter Gravissimas in 1582 established the Gregorian Calendar. Inter gravissimas was a Papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII on February 24, 1582. The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used Calendar in the world today ^[21]

Objections to the papacy

The Pope's claim of being the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church is recognized as dogmatic and not considered open to debate within the Roman Church. Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or The term Holy Roman Church refers strictly to the Church of Rome, the Diocese of Rome, the Holy See or the Apostolic See — they are all one The First Vatican Council anathematized all who dispute the pope's claims of primacy of honor and of jurisdiction. Anathema (in Greek Ανάθεμα meaning originally something lifted up as an offering to the gods later with evolving meanings it came to mean to be formally

The Pope's claim to authority is disputed outside the Roman Church. The term Holy Roman Church refers strictly to the Church of Rome, the Diocese of Rome, the Holy See or the Apostolic See — they are all one These objections differ from denomination to denomination, but can roughly be outlined as objections to the extent of the primacy of the pope and to the institution of the papacy itself. ^[22]

Some Christian communities (Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Old Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Independent Catholic Churches, etc. The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches Independent Catholic Churches are Christian denominations (or congregations) which claim apostolic succession ) accept the doctrine of Apostolic Succession, and to varying extents, Papal claims to a primacy of honour while generally rejecting that the pope is the successor to Peter in any unique sense not true of any other bishop. Primacy is regarded as a consequence of the pope's position as bishop of the original capital city of the Roman Empire, a definition explicitly spelled out in the 28th canon of the Council of Chalcedon. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Anglican Communion of churches The Council of Chalcedon was the fourth Ecumenical council. It was held from 8 October to 1 November 451 at Chalcedon (a city of These churches see no foundation to papal claims of universal immediate jurisdiction, or to claims of papal infallibility. Papal infallibility is the Dogma in Catholic theology that by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of Several of these communities refer to such claims as ultramontanism. Ultramontanism is a religious philosophy within the Catholic Church that places strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope.

Some Christian denominations reject the doctrine of Apostolic Succession,^[23] and thereby also reject the claims of Petrine primacy of honor, Petrine primacy of jurisdiction, and papal infallibility. A number of Christian denominations and scholars hold that Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles, favored by Jesus of Nazareth with the first These denominations vary from simply not accepting the Pope's claim to authority as legitimate and valid, to believing that the Pope is the Antichrist^[24] from 1 John 2:18,^[25] the Man of Sin from 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12,^[26] and the Beast out of the Earth from Revelation 13:11-18. For other uses see Antichrist (disambiguation In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist or anti-Christ means a person office ^[27] Confessional Lutherans hold that the pope is the Antichrist, stating that this article of faith is part of a quia rather than quatenus subscription to the Book of Concord. Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord The Book of Concord or Concordia (1580 is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal In 1932, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) adopted A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod, which a number of Lutheran church bodies now hold. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest ^[28] Statement 43, Of the Antichrist:^[29]

43. As to the Antichrist we teach that the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures concerning the Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2:3-12;1 John 2:18, have been fulfilled in the Pope of Rome and his dominion. All the features of the Antichrist as drawn in these prophecies, including the most abominable and horrible ones, for example, that the Antichrist "as God sitteth in the temple of God," 2 Thess. 2:4; that he anathematizes the very heart of the Gospel of Christ, that is, the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins by grace alone, for Christ's sake alone, through faith alone, without any merit or worthiness in man (Rom. 3:20-28; Gal. 2:16); that he recognizes only those as members of the Christian Church who bow to his authority; and that, like a deluge, he had inundated the whole Church with his antichristian doctrines till God revealed him through the Reformation -- these very features are the outstanding characteristics of the Papacy. (Cf. Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 515, Paragraphs 39-41; p. 401, Paragraph 45; M. pp. 336, 258.) Hence we subscribe to the statement of our Confessions that the Pope is "the very Antichrist. " (Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 475, Paragraph 10; M., p. 308.)

The claim of temporal power over all secular governments, including territorial claims in Italy, raises objection. ^[30] The papacy's complex relationship with secular states such as the Roman and Byzantine Empires are also objections. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Some disapprove of the autocratic character of the papal office. ^[31] In Western Christianity these objections both contributed to and are products of the Protestant Reformation. Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time

Some objectors to the papacy use empirical arguments, pointing out that popes Callixtus III(recognized by the Roman Catholic Church to be an anti-pope) and Alexander VI were so corrupt as to be unfit to wield power to bind and loose on Earth or in Heaven. In Philosophy, empiricism is a theory of Knowledge which asserts that knowledge arises from Experience. Pope Calixtus III ( December 31, 1378 &ndash August 6, 1458) né Alfonso de Borja, was Pope from April Pope Alexander VI ( 1 January 1431 &ndash 18 August 1503) born Roderic Llançol, later Roderic de Borja i Borja ( An omniscient and omnibenevolent God, some argue, would not have given those people the powers claimed for them by the Roman Catholic Church. Omniscience (ɒm'nɪsɪəns (or Omniscient Point-of-View in writing is the capacity to know everything infinitely or at least everything that can be known about a character Omnibenevolence is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "unlimited or infinite Benevolence " Defenders of the papacy counter that the Bible shows God as willingly giving privileges even to corrupt men, citing examples like some of the kings of Israel and the apostle Judas Iscariot, as well as St. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Judas Iscariot, יהודה איש־קריות Yəhûḏāh ʾΚ-qəriyyôṯ was according to the New Testament, one of the twelve original apostles Peter's rejection of Jesus during the period leading up to the crucifixion.

Antipopes

Main articles: Antipope and Western Schism

Groups sometimes form around antipopes, who claim the Pontificate without being canonically and properly elected to it. An antipope ( Latin: antipapa) is a person who makes a widely accepted claim to be the lawful Pope, in opposition to the pope recognised by the Roman The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 An antipope ( Latin: antipapa) is a person who makes a widely accepted claim to be the lawful Pope, in opposition to the pope recognised by the Roman

Traditionally, this term was reserved for claimants with a significant following of cardinals or other clergy. The existence of an antipope is usually due either to doctrinal controversy within the Church (heresy) or to confusion as to who is the legitimate pope at the time (see schism). Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief especially a religion that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief Briefly in the 1400s, three separate lines of Popes claimed authenticity (see Papal Schism). The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 Even Catholics don't all agree whether certain historical figures were Popes or antipopes. Though antipope movements were significant at one time, they are now overwhelmingly minor fringe causes.

Other popes

In the earlier centuries of Christianity, the title "Pope," meaning "father," had been used by all bishops. Some popes used the term and others didn't. Eventually, the title became associated especially with the Bishop of Rome. In a few cases, the term is used for other Christian clerical authorities.

In the Roman Church

"The Black Pope" is a derogatory name given to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus due to the Jesuits' practice of wearing black cassocks (the Pope wears white), to the order's specific allegiance to the Roman pontiff, and the alleged power the order exercised within the church. The Superior General of the Society of Jesus is the official title of the leader of the Society of Jesus &mdashthe Roman Catholic religious order also known The Superior General of the Society of Jesus is the official title of the leader of the Society of Jesus &mdashthe Roman Catholic religious order also known The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order

The Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (formerly the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith) is known as the "Red Pope": "red", because he is a cardinal; "Pope", because he has almost absolute power over mission territories for Catholicism, essentially the Churches of Africa and Asia". The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples ( Congregatio pro Gentium Evangelisatione) is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for ^[32]

In the Eastern Churches

Today, the heads of the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria continue to be called "Pope", the former being called "Coptic Pope" or, more properly, "Pope and Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Orthodox and Apostolic Throne of Saint Mark the Evangelist and Holy Apostle" and the last called "Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa". History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the The Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, also known as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa ( Greek:) is one of the autocephalous The following is a list of all the Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria who have led the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and have succeeded the Apostle Mark The Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria has the title Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa

In the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church and Serbian Orthodox Church, it is not unusual for a village priest to be called a "pope" ("поп"). The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (Българска православна църква Bălgarska pravoslavna cărkva) is an Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure The Serbian Orthodox Church ( Serbian: Српска Православна Црква / Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva; СПЦ / SPC) or the However, this should be differentiated from the words used for the head of the Catholic Church (Bulgarian "папа", Russian "папа римский").

Longest-reigning Popes

Although the average reign of the pope from the middle ages was a decade, a number of those whose reign lengths can be determined from contemporary historical data are the following:

1. Pius IX (1846–1878): 31 years, 7 months and 23 days (11,560 days). Blessed Pope Pius IX (May 13 1792 &ndash February 7 1878 born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from June 16 1846 until 1878 Blessed Pope Pius IX (May 13 1792 &ndash February 7 1878 born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from June 16 1846 until 1878
2. John Paul II (1978–2005): 26 years, 5 months and 18 days (9,665 days). Pope
3. Leo XIII (1878–1903): 25 years, 5 months and 1 day (9,281 days). Pope Leo XIII ( March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903) born Count Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was the 256th Pope
4. Pius VI (1775–1799): 24 years, 6 months and 15 days (8,962 days). Pope Pius VI (December 27 1717 &ndash August 29 1799 born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, Pope from 1775 to 1799 was born at Cesena.
5. Adrian I (772–795): 23 years, 10 months and 25 days (8,729 days). Pope Adrian, or Hadrian I, (d December 25, 795) was Pope from February 9 772 to December 25 795
6. Pius VII (1800–1823): 23 years, 5 months and 7 days (8,560 days). Pope Pius VII, OSB (August 14 1740&mdashAugust 20 1823 born Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was Pope from March 14 1800 to August
7. Alexander III (1159–1181): 21 years, 11 months and 24 days (8,029 days). Pope Alexander III (c 1100/1105 &ndash August 30, 1181) born Rolando (or Orlando) Bandinelli, was Pope from 1159
8. St. Sylvester I (314–335): 21 years, 11 months and 1 day (8,005 days).
9. St. Leo I (440–461): 21 years, 1 month, and 13 days. Pope Saint Leo I or Pope Saint Leo the Great was Pope from September 29, 440 to November 10, 461. (7,713 days).
10. Urban VIII (1623–1644): 20 years, 11 months and 24 days (7,664 days). Pope

Saint Peter is thought to have reigned for over thirty years (AD 29 - 64?/67?), but the exact length is not reliably known.

Shortest-reigning Popes

Conversely, there have been a number of popes whose reign lasted less than a month. Pope In the following list the number of calendar days includes partial days. Thus, for example, if a pope's reign commenced on 1 August and he died on 2 August, this would count as having reigned for two calendar days.

1. Urban VII (September 15–September 27 , 1590): reigned for 13 calendar days, died before consecration. Pope Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious ^[33]
2. Boniface VI (April, 896): reigned for 16 calendar days
3. Celestine IV (October 25–November 10, 1241): reigned for 17 calendar days, died before consecration. Boniface VI, Pope, a native of Rome, was elected in April 896 as a result of riots soon after the death of Pope Formosus. Pope Celestine IV (died November 10, 1241 in Rome) born Goffredo da Castiglione, was Pope from October 25, 1241 Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Events 1444 - Battle of Varna: The crusading forces of King Vladislaus III of Varna (aka Ulaszlo I of Hungary and Wladyslaw Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious
4. Theodore II (December, 897): reigned for 20 calendar days
5. Sisinnius (January 15–February 4, 708): reigned for 21 calendar days
6. Marcellus II (April 9–May 1, 1555): reigned for 22 calendar days
7. Damasus II (July 17–August 9, 1048): reigned for 24 calendar days
8. Pius III (September 22–October 18, 1503): reigned for 27 calendar days
9. Leo XI (April 1–April 27, 1605): reigned for 27 calendar days
10. Benedict V (May 22–June 23, 964): reigned for 33 calendar days. Theodore II was the son of Photius, the Patriarch of Constantinople. Sisinnius (d February 4, 708) was Pope for about three weeks in 708 Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Events By Place Asia August 29 — Copper Coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date Pope Marcellus II (6 May 1501 &ndash 1 May 1555 born Marcello Cervini degli Spannochi was Pope from 5 April 1555 succeeding Pope Julius III. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Damasus II (died August 9, 1048) born Poppo, Pope from July 17, 1048 to August 9, 1048, was Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Pope Pius III ( May 29, 1439 &ndash October 18, 1503) born Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, was Pope from September Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Pope Leo XI ( June 2, 1535 &ndash April 27, 1605) born Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici, was Pope from April 1 Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Benedict V (born in Rome; died July 4, 966) Pope from 964 to 966 was elected by the Romans on the death of Pope John XII Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish 964 was a year in the 10th century. Events By Place Asia Nicephorus II begins a campaign to recapture

Note: Stephen (March 23–March 26, 752), died of apoplexy three days after his election, and before his consecration as a bishop. Stephen was a priest of Rome elected Pope in March of 752 to succeed St Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Events By Place Europe Cuthred of Wessex leads a successful rebellion against Aethelbald of Mercia at Battle Edge, Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious He is not recognized as a valid Pope, but was added to the lists of popes in the fifteenth century as Stephen II, causing difficulties in enumerating later Popes named Stephen. He was removed in 1961 from the Vatican's list (see "Pope-elect Stephen" for detailed explanation). Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory While the term " Pope " ( Latin: papa "father'" is used in several Churches to denote their high spiritual leaders ( e Stephen was a priest of Rome elected Pope in March of 752 to succeed St

See also

Notes

References

• Loomis, Louise Ropes (2006). The Book of the Popes (Liber Pontificalis): To the Pontificate of Gregory I. Evolution Publishing: Merchantville, NJ. Merchantville is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. ISBN 1-889758-86-8.  . Reprint of an English translation originally published in 1916.
• Ludwig von Pastor, History of the Popes from the Close of the Middle Ages; Drawn from the Secret Archives of the Vatican and other original sources, 40 vols. Ludwig Pastor, later Freiherr von Campersfelden ( January 31, 1854 – September 30, 1928) was a German historian and a diplomat The Vatican Secret Archives ( Latin: Archivum Secretum Apostolicum Vaticanum) located in Vatican City, is the central repository for all of the acts promulgated St. Louis, B. Herder 1898 - (World Cat entry)
• Hartmann Grisar (1845-1932), History of Rome and the Popes in the Middle Ages, AMS Press; Reprint edition (1912). ISBN 0-404-09370-1
• James Joseph Walsh, The Popes and Science; the History of the Papal Relations to Science During the Middle Ages and Down to Our Own Time, Fordam University Press, 1908, reprinted 2003, Kessinger Publishing. James Joseph Walsh MD LLD LittD ScD (1865&ndash1942 was an American physician and author born in New York City. ISBN 0-7661-3646-9

Further reading

• Brusher, Joseph H. Popes Through The Ages. Princeton: D. Van Nostland Company, Inc. 1959.
• Chamberlain, E. R. The Bad Popes. 1969. Reprint: Barnes and Noble. 1993.
• Dollison, John Pope - Pourri. New York: Simon & Schuster. 1994.
• Kelly, J. N. D. The Oxford Dictionary of Popes. Oxford: University Press. 1986. ISBN 0-19-213964-9
• Maxwell-Stuart, P. G. Chronicles of the Popes - The Reign By Reign Record of The Papacy From St. Peter To The Present. London: Thames and Hudson. 1997. ISBN 0-500-01798-0

External links

• The Holy See - The Holy Father – website for the past and present Holy Fathers (since Leo XIII)
• The Holy Father's 2008 Prayer Intentions
• Catholic Encyclopedia entry
• The Pope Blog – Unofficial weblog about the Pope
• Pope Endurance League - Sortable list of Popes
• Scholarly articles on the Roman Catholic Papacy from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Library
• Data Base of more than 23,000 documents of the Popes in latin and modern languages

Pope Leo XIII ( March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903) born Count Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was the 256th Pope

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