Papacy | Definition, History, Roman Catholicism, List of Popes, & Facts

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border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/papacy">papacy</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/topic/papacy">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref214716"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/papacy#ref214716">The early papacy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref214717"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/papacy/The-medieval-papacy">The medieval papacy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref214718"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/papacy/The-Renaissance-and-Reformation-papacy">The Renaissance and Reformation papacy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref214719"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/papacy/The-Renaissance-and-Reformation-papacy#ref214719">The early modern papacy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref214720"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/papacy/The-modern-papacy">The modern papacy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref275551"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/papacy/List-of-popes-and-antipopes">List of popes and antipopes</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/papacy/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/papacy">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/papacy/images-videos">Images, Videos & Interactives</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/175196-050-EA0EF9D1/St-Peters-Basilica-Vatican-City.jpg" data-href="/media/1/441722/201314" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/96/175196-004-6ED27F79/St-Peters-Basilica-Vatican-City.jpg" alt="Vatican City: St. Peter's Basilica" height="50" /> </a> <a href="" data-href="/media/1/441722/301830" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/256102-049-C6B86C5F/pope-francis-i-life-in-pictures.jpg" alt="Pope Francis: A Life in Pictures" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/Questions-answers-St-Peter-Apostle/244434" data-href="/media/1/441722/244434" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/37/213437-138-6803E4EA/Questions-answers-St-Peter-Apostle.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Who was St. Peter the Apostle?" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/211769-050-62D1A5DF/Pope-Gregory-I-St-Gregory-the-Great.jpg" data-href="/media/1/441722/301831" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/211769-004-77850C80/Pope-Gregory-I-St-Gregory-the-Great.jpg" alt="St. Gregory the Great" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/Overview-Avignon-papacy/192029" data-href="/media/1/441722/192029" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/37/180037-138-FF516C84/Overview-Avignon-papacy.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="History of the Avignon papacy" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/video/Overview-discussion-Great-Schism-Council-of-Constance/192031" data-href="/media/1/441722/192031" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/38/180038-138-B814B8F9/Overview-discussion-Great-Schism-Council-of-Constance.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="The Western Schism and the Roman Catholic Church" 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src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/130674-004-33FD3433/cardinal-illustration-death-London-Magazine-June-1903.jpg" alt="Certifying the pope's death" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-student-links"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> For Students </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/summary/papacy"> <img 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/P/papacy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Biblical Cyclopedia - Papacy</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac65" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">History World - History of the Papacy</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/History/World_History/Western_Civilization_-_A_Concise_History_I_(Brooks)/15%3A_Early_Medieval_Europe/15.02%3A_The_Papacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Humanities Libretexts - The Papacy</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/pope/353598" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pope - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/papacy/276271" target="_blank" rel="noopener">papacy - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: bishop of Rome</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Frank-J-Coppa/4868" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Frank J. Coppa</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of History, St. Johns University, New York, New York. Author of <i>The Origins of the Italian Wars of Independence</i>. Editor of <i>Encyclopedia of the Vatican and Papacy</i>.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Frank J. Coppa</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/papacy/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/St-Gregory-the-Great" topicid="245549">St. Gregory the Great</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Cesare-Borgia" topicid="74127">Cesare Borgia</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Alexander-III-pope" topicid="14085">Alexander III</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Etienne-Francois-de-Choiseul-duc-de-Choiseul" topicid="114006">Étienne-François de Choiseul, duke de Choiseul</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Pelagius-I" topicid="449078">Pelagius I</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/antipope" topicid="28501">antipope</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/pope" topicid="469994">pope</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/papal-infallibility" topicid="441822">papal infallibility</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/allocution-papacy" topicid="2078797">allocution</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Josephinism" topicid="306433">Josephinism</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/papacy"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref137590"></span>papacy</strong>, the office and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="jurisdiction" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/jurisdiction" data-type="EB">jurisdiction</a> of the bishop of Rome, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/pope" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">pope</a> (Latin <em>papa</em>, from Greek <em>pappas</em>, “father”), who presides over the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holy-See" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Holy See</a> (the central government) of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Roman Catholic Church</a>. The term <em>pope</em> was originally applied to all the bishops in the West and also used to describe the patriarch of Alexandria, who still retains the title. In 1073, however, Pope <span id="ref704120"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Gregory-VII" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gregory VII</a> restricted its use to the bishop of Rome, confirming a practice that had existed since the 9th century.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">According to the <em>Annuario Pontificio</em>, the papal annual, there have been more than 260 popes since <span id="ref704121"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Peter-the-Apostle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">St. Peter</a>, traditionally considered the first pope. Among these, 82 have been proclaimed saints, as have some <span id="ref704122"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/antipope" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">antipopes</a> (rival claimants to the papal throne who were appointed or elected in opposition to the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="legitimate" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legitimate" data-type="MW">legitimate</a> pope). The <em>Annuario Pontificio</em> does not identify popes by consecutive number, having stated that at times the legitimate succession between multiple claimants was impossible to determine. Most holders of the office have been Roman or Italian, with a sprinkling of other Europeans, including one Pole, and one Latin American pope. All have been male, though the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="legend" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legend" data-type="MW">legend</a> of a female <span id="ref1276256"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pope-Joan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pope Joan</a> appeared in the 13th century. During the course of the 2,000 years in which the papal system and the practice of electing popes in the <span id="ref704123"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/papal-conclave" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">papal conclave</a> have evolved, the papacy has played a crucial role in both Western and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/world-history" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">world history</a>. The history of the papacy can be divided into five major periods: the early papacy, from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Peter-the-Apostle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">St. Peter</a> through <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pelagius-II" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pelagius II </a>(until 590); the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="medieval" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medieval" data-type="MW">medieval</a> papacy, from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/St-Gregory-the-Great" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">St. Gregory I</a> through <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Boniface-VIII" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Boniface VIII</a> (590–1303); the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Renaissance" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Renaissance</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Reformation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Reformation</a> papacy, from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Blessed-Benedict-XI" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Benedict XI</a> through <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pius-IV" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pius IV</a> (1303–1565); the early modern papacy, from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Pius-V" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">St. Pius V</a> through <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Clement-XIV" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Clement XIV</a> (1566–1774); and the modern papacy, from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pius-VI" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pius VI</a> (1775–99).</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="mb-20"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="301830" data-asm-type="infogram"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="infogram"><script id="infogram_0__/Va6CaeM7oBkelUOI2QyR" src="https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed.js?Itp" type="text/javascript" title="Pope Francis: A Life in Pictures"></script></div></figure></div></div></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref214716"> <h2 class="h1">The early papacy</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="244434" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="213437"><a data-id="213437" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/Questions-answers-St-Peter-Apostle/-244434"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/37/213437-138-6803E4EA/Questions-answers-St-Peter-Apostle.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="Who was St. Peter the Apostle?" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/lwGW1Vfr.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/37/213437-138-6803E4EA/Questions-answers-St-Peter-Apostle.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/V7r2b4DW", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/TamLGs3H.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="213437">Who was St. Peter the Apostle?</span><span>Questions and answers about St. Peter the Apostle.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/topic/papacy/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Apart from the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="allusion" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allusion" data-type="MW">allusion</a> to Rome in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/letters-of-Peter" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">First Letter of Peter</a>, there is no historical evidence that St. Peter was Rome’s first <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/bishop-Christianity" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">bishop</a> or that he was <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="martyred" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyred" data-type="MW">martyred</a> in Rome (according to tradition, he was crucified upside down) during a persecution of the Christians in the mid-60s <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>. By the end of the 1st century, however, his presence in the imperial capital was recognized by Christian leaders, and the city was accorded a place of honor, perhaps because of its claim to the graves of both Saints Peter and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Paul-the-Apostle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Paul</a>. In 1939 what were believed to be Peter’s bones were found under the altar of the basilica dedicated to him, and in 1965 Pope <span id="ref704281"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Blessed-Paul-VI" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Paul VI</a> (1963–78) confirmed them as such. Rome’s primacy was also fostered by its many <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="martyrs" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyrs" data-type="MW">martyrs</a>, its defense of orthodoxy, and its status as the capital of the Roman Empire. By the end of the 2nd century, Rome’s stature was further <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="bolstered" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolstered" data-type="MW">bolstered</a> by the <span id="ref704125"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Petrine-theory" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Petrine theory</a>, which claimed that <span id="ref704127"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jesus" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Jesus Christ</a> had designated Peter to be his representative on earth and the leader of the church and that this ministry was passed on to Peter’s successors as bishops of Rome. Peter received this authority, according to the theory, when Jesus referred to him as the rock of the church and said to him, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18–19). The Roman position of honor was challenged in the middle of the 3rd century when Pope <span id="ref704128"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/St-Stephen-I-pope" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Stephen I</a> (254–257) and <span id="ref704129"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Cyprian-Christian-bishop" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">St. Cyprian</a>, bishop of Carthage, clashed over Stephen’s claim to doctrinal authority over the universal church. Nonetheless, in the critical period between Popes <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Damasus-I" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Damasus I</a> (366–384) and <span id="ref704131"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Leo-I" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Leo I</a> (440–461), nine popes made a strong case for Rome’s <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="supremacy" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/supremacy" data-type="EB">supremacy</a>, despite a growing challenge from the see of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Empire.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Leo, one of only two popes accorded the appellation “the Great,” played a pivotal role in the early history of the papacy. Assuming the title <em>pontifex maximus</em>, or chief <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/priest-Christianity" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">priest</a>, he made an important distinction between the person of the pope and his office, maintaining that the office assumed the full power bestowed on Peter. Although the <span id="ref704133"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Council-of-Chalcedon" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Council of Chalcedon</a>—called and largely directed by the Eastern emperor <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marcian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Marcian</a> in 451—accorded the patriarch of Constantinople the same primacy in the East that the bishop of Rome held in the West, it acknowledged that <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leo-I-Roman-emperor" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Leo I</a> spoke with the voice of Peter on matters of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="dogma" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dogma" data-type="MW">dogma</a>, thus encouraging papal primacy. The link between Peter and the office of the bishop of Rome was stressed by Pope <span id="ref704134"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Gelasius-I" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gelasius I</a> (492–496), who was the first pope to be referred to as the “vicar of Christ.” In his “theory of the two swords,” Gelasius <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="articulated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/articulated" data-type="MW">articulated</a> a dualistic power structure, insisting that the pope embodied spiritual power while the emperor embodied temporal power. This position, which was supported by Pope <span id="ref704135"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pelagius-I" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pelagius I</a> (556–561), became an important part of medieval ecclesiology and political theory.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":5,"pageId":441722,"pageLength":866,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Papacy | Definition, History, Roman Catholicism, List of Popes, & Facts | Britannica