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Office Christianity

Pope

papa la Πάπας grc ܦܐܦܐ arc

Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic church

  • Dated from 33 CE
  • Also called Supreme Pontiff, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ
Who held it Compare

A seat,
and those
who held it.

Holders in order

Overview

Read the full article On Wikipedia ↗
In 15 other languages

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From Wikipedia, quoted unmodified under CC BY-SA 4.0; the article’s history is its list of authors.

Succession in office

Who held it, in order

A sequence of office-holders, not a family genealogy.

  • 141 holders
  • 2 overlaps
  • 37 gaps
  • 99 steps named in the records
What this means

Who held an office after whom. Not parentage, not discipleship, and not universally recognised — offices are contested.

Does not imply recognition by every tradition · an uncontested claim · parentage · discipleship · an explanation of why the succession happened

Holding an office after someone says nothing about being related to them or taught by them. Where a line is also a family, both are on the holders’ own pages as separate sections.

A gap is a vacancy, an interregnum or a hole in the record; an overlap is rival claims or an office held by more than one at once. The records do not say which, so neither is resolved here. A gap shorter than two years sits inside the precision of year-dated records and is not marked.

Why a succession happened is a historical argument. Where sources make one, it belongs in a reviewed connection with its citations — not in this order, and not in a predecessor field.

Recognition is never universal. Where a card names no recognising body, none is recorded — which is not the same as none.

Imported from Wikidata unless a card says otherwise. Nothing here has been read by an editor.

  1. 1st 33 CE – 67 CE Saint Peter apostle of Jesus Christ Disputed
  2. 2nd 67 CE – 79 CE Linus 2nd Pope of the Catholic Church

  3. Overlap held at the same time as Linus

    3rd the 70s CE – 92 CE Anacletus 3rd pope and bishop of Rome from c. 79 to c. 92 AD

  4. Overlap held at the same time as Anacletus

    4th 88 CE – 99 CE Clement 4th Pope of the Catholic Church Has references
  5. 6th the 100s CE – the 110s CE Alexander I 6th Pope of the Catholic Church from c. 107 to c. 115

  6. Gap about 21 years with no holder recorded

    10th 140 CE – 154 CE Pius I pope Has references

  7. Gap about 14 years with no holder recorded

    12th 20 April 168 CE – 174 CE Soter twelfth pope of the Catholic Church
  8. 13th 175 CE – 189 CE Eleuterus bishop of Rome from c. 174 to 189
  9. 14th 189 CE – 199 CE Victor I Pope and Bishop of Rome from 189 to 199
  10. 15th 199 CE – 20 December 217 CE Zephyrinus Pope and Bishop of Rome from 199 to 217
  11. 16th 218 CE – 222 CE Callixtus I Bishop of Rome from c. 218 to c. 223
  12. 17th 222 CE – 23 May 230 CE Urban I 3rd‑century Roman bishop of Rome, Catholic saint, pope during the reign of Alexander Severus
  13. 18th 21 July 230 CE – 28 September 235 CE Pontian pope
  14. 20th 10 January 236 CE – 20 January 250 CE Fabian pope and bishop of Rome from 236 to 250
  15. 21st March 251 CE – June 253 CE Cornelius pope Saint (251 to 253)
  16. 23rd 12 May 254 CE – 2 August 257 CE Stephen I Pope and Bishop of Rome from 254 to 257
  17. 24th 31 August 257 CE – 6 August 258 CE Sixtus II Bishop of Rome from 257 to 258
  18. 25th 22 July 259 CE – 26 December 268 CE Dionysius Pope and bishop of Rome from 259 to 268

  19. Gap about 15 years with no holder recorded

    28th 17 December 283 CE – 22 April 296 CE Caius pope of the Catholic Church from 283 to 296
  20. 29th 30 June 296 CE – 2 April 304 CE Marcellinus Pope and bishop of Rome (tenure 296-304)

  21. Gap about 4 years with no holder recorded

    30th 308 CE – 16 January 309 CE Marcellus I pope
  22. 31st 18 April 309 CE – 17 August 309 CE Eusebius Catholic pope and saint

  23. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    32nd 2 July 311 CE – 10 January 314 CE Miltiades pope Has references
  24. 33rd 31 January 314 CE – 31 December 335 CE Sylvester I 33rd pope and saint (reigned 314-335)
  25. 34th 19 January 336 CE – 7 October 336 CE Mark 4th-century pope
  26. 35th 7 February 337 CE – 12 April 352 CE Julius I Head of the Catholic Church from 337 to 352 Has references
  27. 36th 17 May 352 CE – 24 September 366 CE Liberius Head of the Catholic Church from 352 to 366
  28. 37th 1 October 366 CE – 11 December 384 CE Damasus I pope Has references
  29. 38th December 384 CE – 26 November 399 CE Siricius pope
  30. 39th 27 November 399 CE – 19 December 401 CE Anastasius I pope
Show 111 more holders
  1. 40th 402 CE – 12 March 417 CE Innocent I early medieval pope (???-417) Has references
  2. 41st 19 March 417 CE – 27 December 418 CE Zosimus pope

  3. Gap about 4 years with no holder recorded

    43rd 11 September 422 CE – 26 July 432 CE Celestine I pope
  4. 44th 1 August 432 CE – 18 August 440 CE Sixtus III Pope and bishop of Rome from 432 to 440 Has references
  5. 45th 29 September 440 CE – 10 November 461 CE Leo I Pope from 440 to 461 (390–461) Has references

  6. Gap about 22 years with no holder recorded

    48th 14 March 483 CE – 3 January 492 CE Felix III pope (483-492)
  7. 49th 2 March 492 CE – 19 November 496 CE Gelasius I Bishop of Rome from 492 to 496 Has references

  8. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    51st 23 November 498 CE – 19 July 514 CE Symmachus Pope from 498 to 514 Has references
  9. 52nd 22 July 514 CE – 6 August 523 CE Hormisdas 6th-century Italian pope and bishop of Rome, Catholic and Orthodox saint, ended the Acacian Schism and reunited the Eastern and Western churches

  10. Gap about 12 years with no holder recorded

    57th 15 May 535 CE – 22 April 536 CE Agapetus I 6th‑century Roman pope and canonized Catholic saint, considered a confessor of the faith
  11. 58th 10 June 536 CE – March 537 CE Silverius pope

  12. Gap about 53 years with no holder recorded

    64th 3 September 590 CE – 12 March 604 CE Gregory I 6th-century Roman Pope, theologian and Church Father, Catholic and Orthodox saint, 64th Bishop of Rome and Doctor of the Church Has references

  13. Gap about 38 years with no holder recorded

    73rd 27 November 642 CE – 14 May 649 CE Theodore I pope

  14. Gap about 7 years with no holder recorded

    75th 656 CE – 1 June 657 CE Eugene I pope

  15. Gap about 15 years with no holder recorded

    77th 11 April 672 CE – 16 June 676 CE Adeodatus II pope Has references

  16. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    79th 30 June 678 CE – 10 January 681 CE Agatho pope
  17. 80th 20 August 682 CE – 28 June 683 CE Leo II pope

  18. Gap about 32 years with no holder recorded

    89th 23 May 715 CE – 11 February 731 CE Gregory II 89th Pope of the Catholic Church (from 715 to 731)
  19. 90th 15 February 731 CE – 28 November 741 CE Gregory III 90th Pope of the Catholic Church
  20. 91st 14 December 741 CE – 15 March 752 CE Zachary pope
  21. 92nd 30 March 752 CE – 26 April 757 CE Stephen II pope
  22. 93rd 2 June 757 CE – 28 June 767 CE Paul I pope (700-767) Has references
  23. 94th 11 August 768 CE – 1 February 772 CE Stephen III pope

  24. Gap about 23 years with no holder recorded

    96th 31 December 795 CE – 12 June 816 CE Leo III Pope of the Catholic Church from 795 to 816 (born 750–816) Has references
  25. 98th 29 January 817 CE – 11 February 824 CE Paschal I pope

  26. Gap about 34 years with no holder recorded

    105th 28 April 858 CE – 13 November 867 CE Nicholas I pope

  27. Gap about 132 years with no holder recorded

    139th 7 April 999 CE – 12 May 1003 CE Sylvester II Pope of the Catholic Church from 938 to 1003 Has references

  28. Gap about 46 years with no holder recorded

    152nd 18 February 1049 CE – 19 April 1054 CE Leo IX Head of the Catholic Church from 1049 to 1054 Has references

  29. Gap about 3 years with no holder recorded

    Paus Stefanus IX Stephanus nonus (titel op object) Liber Chronicarum (serietitel), RP-P-2016-49-67-5 154th 9 August 1057 CE – 29 March 1058 CE Stephen IX pope

  30. Gap about 15 years with no holder recorded

    157th 22 April 1073 CE – 25 May 1085 CE Gregory VII Pope of the Catholic Church from 1073 to 1085 Has references
  31. 158th 30 May 1086 CE – 16 September 1087 CE Victor III head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1086 to 1087 Has references
  32. 159th 18 March 1088 CE – 29 July 1099 CE Urban II 11th century pope and initiator of the Crusades Has references

  33. Gap about 20 years with no holder recorded

    162nd 8 February 1119 CE – 13 December 1124 CE Callixtus II Pope from 1119 to 1124

  34. Gap about 6 years with no holder recorded

    164th 21 February 1130 CE – 24 September 1143 CE Innocent II Pope of the Catholic Church (1130–1143) Has references

  35. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    167th 22 February 1145 CE – 8 July 1153 CE Eugene III pope of the Catholic Church from 1145 to 1153
  36. 169th 11 December 1154 CE – 1 September 1159 CE Adrian IV Pope from 1154 to 1159
  37. 170th 14 September 1159 CE – 30 August 1181 CE Alexander III pope of the Catholic Church from 1159 to 1181 Has references

  38. Gap about 6 years with no holder recorded

    173rd 1 November 1187 CE – 17 December 1187 CE Gregory VIII Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in 1187 Has references

  39. Gap about 11 years with no holder recorded

    176th 15 January 1198 CE – 16 July 1216 CE Innocent III Head of the Catholic Church from 1198 to 1216 Has references
  40. 177th 25 July 1216 CE – 18 March 1227 CE Honorius III head of the Catholic Church from 1216 to 1227
  41. 178th 26 March 1227 CE – 22 August 1241 CE Gregory IX pope of the Catholic Church from 1227 to 1241 Has references

  42. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    180th 25 June 1243 CE – 7 December 1254 CE Innocent IV pope of the Catholic Church from 1243 to 1254 Has references
  43. 181st 19 December 1254 CE – 25 May 1261 CE Alexander IV pope of the Catholic Church from 1254 to 1261 Has references
  44. 182nd 5 September 1261 CE – 2 October 1264 CE Urban IV Head of the Catholic Church from 1261 to 1264 (1185–1264) Has references
  45. 183rd 5 February 1265 CE – 29 November 1268 CE Clement IV Pope (1265-1268) Has references

  46. Gap about 3 years with no holder recorded

    184th 8 September 1271 CE – 10 January 1276 CE Gregory X Pope from 1271 to 1276
  47. 185th 28 January 1276 CE – 22 June 1276 CE Innocent V 185th Pope of the Catholic Church Has references
  48. 187th 20 September 1276 CE – 20 May 1277 CE John XXI pope (1276-1277) Has references

  49. Gap about 17 years with no holder recorded

    192nd 12 July 1294 CE – 20 December 1294 CE Celestine V 13th‑century Italian hermit and founder of the Celestines, Catholic saint, first pope to resign
  50. 193rd 31 December 1294 CE – 11 October 1303 CE Boniface VIII pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303 Has references
  51. 194th 30 October 1303 CE – 7 July 1304 CE Benedict XI pope of the Catholic Church from 1303 to 1304 Has references
  52. 195th 13 June 1305 CE – 20 April 1314 CE Clement V pope of the Catholic Church from 1305 to 1314 (1264–1314) Has references

  53. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    196th 15 August 1316 CE – 4 December 1334 CE John XXII pope of the Catholic Church from 1316 to 1334 Has references

  54. Gap about 8 years with no holder recorded

    198th 15 May 1342 CE – 6 December 1352 CE Clement VI Pope of the Catholic Church and the fourth Avignon Pope (1342–1352) Has references
  55. 199th 26 December 1352 CE – 12 September 1362 CE Innocent VI pope of the Catholic Church from 1353 to 1362 Has references
  56. 200th 6 October 1362 CE – 19 December 1370 CE Urban V pope of the Catholic Church from 1362 to 1370
  57. 201st 7 January 1371 CE – 27 March 1378 CE Gregory XI pope of the Catholic Church from 1370 to 1378 Has references

  58. Gap about 28 years with no holder recorded

    205th 9 December 1406 CE – 13 July 1415 CE Gregory XII pope of the Catholic Church from 1406 to 1415

  59. Gap about 16 years with no holder recorded

    207th 12 March 1431 CE – 23 February 1447 CE Eugene IV pope of the Catholic Church from 1431 to 1447
  60. 208th 6 March 1447 CE – 24 March 1455 CE Nicholas V pope of the Catholic Church from 1447 to 1455
  61. 209th 17 April 1455 CE – 6 August 1458 CE Callixtus III pope of the Catholic Church from 1455 to 1458 from the Borgia family
  62. 210th 19 August 1458 CE – 14 August 1464 CE Pius II pope of the Catholic Church from 1458 to 1464 (1405–1464) Has references
  63. 211th 30 August 1464 CE – 26 July 1471 CE Paul II pope of the Catholic Church from 1464 to 1471
  64. 212th 9 August 1471 CE – 12 August 1484 CE Sixtus IV pope of the Catholic Church from 1471 to 1484 (1414-1484)

  65. Gap about 8 years with no holder recorded

    214th 20 August 1492 CE – 28 August 1503 CE Alexander VI pope of the Catholic Church 1492–1503 from the Borgia family (1430/32-1503)
  66. 216th 11 November 1503 CE – 21 February 1513 CE Julius II pope of the Catholic Church from 1503 to 1513 (1443–1513) Has references
  67. 217th 19 March 1513 CE – 1 December 1521 CE Leo X pope from 1513 to 1521 (1475-1521) Has references
  68. 218th 19 January 1522 CE – 14 September 1523 CE Adrian VI pope of the Catholic Church from 1522 to 1523 (1459–1523)
  69. 219th 29 November 1523 CE – 25 September 1534 CE Clement VII pope of the Catholic Church from 1523 to 1534 (1478–1534) Has references
  70. 220th 13 October 1534 CE – 10 November 1549 CE Paul III pope of the Catholic Church from 1534 to 1549 (1468–1549) Has references
  71. 221st 17 February 1550 CE – 23 March 1555 CE Julius III pope of the Catholic Church from 1550 to 1555
  72. 222nd 19 April 1555 CE – 1 May 1555 CE Marcellus II pope of the Catholic Church and bishop of Rome from 9 April to 1 May 1555
  73. 223rd 23 May 1555 CE – 18 August 1559 CE Paul IV pope of catholic church 1555-1559 Has references
  74. 224th 4 January 1560 CE – 9 December 1565 CE Pius IV pope of the Catholic Church from 1559 to 1565 Has references
  75. 225th 17 January 1566 CE – 1 May 1572 CE Pius V 16th‑century Italian pope and Catholic saint, leading Counter‑Reformation reformer Has references
  76. 226th 23 May 1572 CE – 10 April 1585 CE Gregory XIII pope of the Catholic Church from 1572 to 1585 (1502–1585) Has references
  77. 227th 24 April 1585 CE – 27 August 1590 CE Sixtus V pope of the Catholic Church from 1585 to 1590 Has references

  78. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    231st 30 January 1592 CE – 3 March 1605 CE Clement VIII pope of the Catholic Church from 1592 to 1605 (1536–1605) Has references
  79. 232nd 1 April 1605 CE – 27 April 1605 CE Leo XI pope of the Catholic Church in April 1605 (1535-1605)
  80. 233rd 16 May 1605 CE – 28 January 1621 CE Paul V 233rd pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1605 to 1621 Has references

  81. Gap about 2 years with no holder recorded

    235th 6 August 1623 CE – 29 July 1644 CE Urban VIII 235 pope of the Catholic Church from 1623 to 1644 (1568–1644) Has references
  82. 236th 15 September 1644 CE – 7 January 1655 CE Innocent X pope from 1644 to 1655 Has references
  83. 237th 7 April 1655 CE – 22 May 1667 CE Alexander VII pope of the Catholic Church from 1655 to 1667 Has references
  84. 238th 20 June 1667 CE – 9 December 1669 CE Clement IX pope from 1667, lived 1600-1669 Has references
  85. 239th 29 April 1670 CE – 22 July 1676 CE Clement X pope of the Catholic Church from 1670 to 1676 (1590-1676)
  86. 240th 21 September 1676 CE – 12 August 1689 CE Innocent XI pope of the Catholic Church from 1676 to 1689 Has references
  87. 241st 6 October 1689 CE – 1 February 1691 CE Alexander VIII pope of the Catholic Church from 1689 to 1691 Has references
  88. 242nd 12 July 1691 CE – 27 September 1700 CE Innocent XII pope of the Catholic Church from 1691 to 1700 Has references
  89. 243rd 23 November 1700 CE – 19 March 1721 CE Clement XI pope of the Catholic Church from 1700 to 1721 Has references
  90. 244th 8 May 1721 CE – 7 March 1724 CE Innocent XIII pope of the Catholic Church from 1721 to 1724 Has references
  91. 245th 29 May 1724 CE – 23 February 1730 CE Benedict XIII pope of the Catholic Church from 1724 to 1730 Has references
  92. 246th 12 July 1730 CE – 6 February 1740 CE Clement XII pope of the Catholic Church from 1730 to 1740 Has references
  93. 247th 17 August 1740 CE – 3 May 1758 CE Benedict XIV pope of the Catholic Church from 1740 to 1758 Has references
  94. 248th 6 July 1758 CE – 2 February 1769 CE Clement XIII pope of the Catholic Church from 1758 to 1769 Has references

  95. Gap about 6 years with no holder recorded

    250th 15 February 1775 CE – 29 August 1799 CE Pius VI Pope of the Catholic Church from 1775 to 1799 Has references
  96. 251st 14 March 1800 CE – 20 August 1823 CE Pius VII head of the Catholic Church, ruler of the Papal States from 1800 to 1823 (1742–1823) Has references
  97. 252nd 28 September 1823 CE – 10 February 1829 CE Leo XII Pope of the Catholic Church from 1823 to 1829 Has references
  98. 253rd 31 March 1829 CE – 30 November 1830 CE Pius VIII Pope of the Catholic Church from 1829 to 1830 Has references
  99. 254th 2 February 1831 CE – 1 June 1846 CE Gregory XVI Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846 (1765–1846) Has references
  100. 255th 16 June 1846 CE – 7 February 1878 CE Pius IX Pope of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878 Has references
  101. 256th 20 February 1878 CE – 20 July 1903 CE Leo XIII Pope of the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903 (1810–1903) Has references
  102. 257th 4 August 1903 CE – 20 August 1914 CE Pius X Pope of the Catholic Church from 1903 to 1914, saint Has references
  103. 258th 3 September 1914 CE – 22 January 1922 CE Benedict XV Pope of the Catholic Church from 1914 to 1922 Has references
  104. 259th 6 February 1922 CE – 10 February 1939 CE Pius XI pope of the Catholic Church from 1922 to 1939 Has references
  105. 260th 2 March 1939 CE – 9 October 1958 CE Pius XII pope of the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958 Has references
  106. 261st 28 October 1958 CE – 3 June 1963 CE John XXIII priest, bishop, cardinal, pope Has references
  107. 262nd 21 June 1963 CE – 6 August 1978 CE Paul VI pope of the Catholic Church from 1963 to 1978 (1897–1978) Has references
  108. 263rd 26 August 1978 CE – 28 September 1978 CE John Paul I pope of the Catholic Church in 1978 Has references
  109. 264th 16 October 1978 CE – 2 April 2005 CE John Paul II pope, cardinal, bishop, priest, author Has references
  110. 265th 19 April 2005 CE – 28 February 2013 CE Benedict XVI 265 th pope of the Catholic Church (2005–2013) Has references
  111. 266th 13 March 2013 CE – 21 April 2025 CE Pope Francis 266th pope of the Catholic Church from 2013 to 2025 (1936–2025) Has references

Chronology is not a full explanation

Why one holder followed another takes evidence beyond the order of their dates.

Connections

How Pope connects

Grouped by the kind of relationship, because a successor is not a son and a shared symbol is not an influence.

Affiliation 1

What this means

Association with a tradition or school. Traditions branch, overlap and re-merge; this is not a clean single-origin tree.

Does not imply a fixed roster · that every account of the tradition knows this figure

Imported from Wikidata unless a tile says otherwise. Nothing here has been read by an editor.

Sources

Sources and evidence

Where every statement on this page comes from, and how each one stands.

How this site reads its sources

4 statements on this record

  • 4 Imported Taken from Wikidata as it stands. Nobody here has read it.

Only this record’s own statements. What other records say about it is counted on theirs.

Three layers, three licences

Data
Wikidata · CC0 1.0
Text
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0, quoted, not merged
Pictures
Wikimedia Commons · each file’s own terms

Review

Not yet read by an editor here. Every relationship on this page is an import.

Disagreements are kept, not resolved, and a count of sources is not a confidence score.

Arild Vågen · CC BY-SA 3.0

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