Pope

Pope
Papal styles of; Pope
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father

Bishop of Rome
Bishop of Rome; Pontifex maximus; Pope
Catholic
	Coat of arms
	Incumbent:; Pope Ignatius (Avignon); Pope Francis (Rome); ; Papacy disputed between both claimants
Style	His Holiness
Location
Ecclesiastical province	Ecclesiastical Province of Rome
Residence	Palais des Papes (Official residence of the Pope in Avignon); Apostolic Palace (Official residence of the Pope in Rome);
Headquarters	Palais des Papes, Venaissin City (Avignon); Apostolic Palace, Vatican City (Rome);
Information
First holder	Saint Peter
Denomination	Catholic Church (Avignon and Rome)
Established	1st century
Diocese	Diocese of Rome (Rome); Archdiocese of Avignon (Avignon);
Cathedral	Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (Rome)
Governance	Sovereign Patriarchate (Avignon); Holy See (Rome);

The pope (Latin: papa, from Greek: πάππας, romanized: pappas, "father"), also known as the supreme pontiff (Pontifex maximus) or the Roman pontiff (Romanus Pontifex), is the bishop of Rome, the chief pastor of the worldwide Catholic Church. The primacy of the bishop of Rome is largely derived from his role as the apostolic successor to Saint Peter, to whom primacy was conferred by Jesus, giving him the Keys of Heaven and the powers of "binding and loosing", naming him as the "rock" upon which the church would be built. The office of the pope is called the papacy.

Currently the papacy is disputed, since the Second Western Schism of 1936. After the treaties signed between Pope Pius XI and the Landonist Italian government in 1934, a significant number of Catholic bishops believed the pope in Rome had committed heresy and was allowing the Landonization of the Church, convening a ecumenical council in Avignon, France, which elected a new rival Pope. There have been multiple other popes in history whose legitimacy was disputed or considered indeterminable, but most of them were established by rival factions. The first Western Schism from 1378 to 1417 was the only other case which was a dispute between Church leaders, when there were popes in Avignon and in Rome elected by cardinals. In February 1936 the Archbishop of Avignon was elected as Pope Damasus III, and in response all those present at the Council were excommunicated by Pope Pius XI in Rome. Since then the Church in Avignon been in opposition to Rome, declaring it to be under occupation by heretics, while the Roman Church mainly cites the doctrine of papal infallibility established in the First Vatican Council of 1870 for its legitimacy. In the 20th and 21st centuries there has been much debate over the question and several attempts at reconciliation due to the damage caused to the reputation of the papacy by the ongoing dispute, but many supporters of Avignon consider the doctrines adopted by the Roman Church in the Second Vatican Council of 1949 to be irreconcilable.

Since 1936 there has been a pope in Vatican City in Rome and a pope in Venaissin City in Avignon, both claiming to be the legitimate head of the worldwide Catholic Church and considering the other an antipope. The Avignon papacy considers itself be a temporary stage while Rome is under "occupation," and therefore still accepts the the supremacy of Rome in theory. Both the Holy See in Rome and the Sovereign Patriarchate in Avignon are recognized as sovereign subjects under international law and maintain relations with states that recognize them. Currently the churches are led by Pope Ignatius (Avignon) and Pope Francis (Rome).

According to Catholic tradition, the apostolic see of Rome was founded by Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the 1st century. The papacy is one of the most enduring institutions in the world and has had a prominent part in world history. In ancient times the popes helped spread Christianity, and intervened to find resolutions in various doctrinal disputes. In the Middle Ages, they played a role of secular importance in Western Europe, often acting as arbitrators between Christian monarchs. Originally the pope had no temporal role, but over time the papacy's power and influence in geopolitics increased. By the the 21st century it again has decreased to almost entirely a religious role. Despite this and the ongoing schism, the office of of the papacy is considered to be one of the most influential and powerful in the world, due to it being the spiritual leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics.

History

Election, death, and resignation

Titles

Regalia and insignia

Status and authority

Politics

Objections to the papacy

Antipopes

Other uses of the title "Pope"

Length of papal reign

Longest-reigning popes

Shortest-reigning popes

List of popes since the Avignon–Rome Schism

Avignon

Popes of the 20th century
Pontiff number	Pontificate	Name: English · Latin	Date and Place of birth	Age at start/ end of papacy	Notes
1 (259)	10 February 1936 28 September 1956 (20 years, 231 days)	Damasus III	8 June 1877 Champigny-sur-Marne, Paris, France	59 / 79	First pope of the second Avignon papacy, elected during the Council of Avignon and also recognized by King Jean III of France. He created the Sovereign Patriarchate of Avignon and began the foundation for the creation of the Church of Avignon, increasing its diplomatic presence and recognition by countries around the world.
2 (260)	20 October 1956 24 October 1985 (29 years, 4 days)	Julius IV	4 January 1895 Bath, England, United Kingdom	61 / 90	TBD
3 (261)	27 November 1985 21 May 2015 (29 years, 175 days)	Urban IX	9 March 1925 Klagenfurt, Carinthia, Austria	60 / 89	TBD
4 (262)	26 June 2015 (9 years, 180 days)	Ignatius	14 August 1971 Porciúncula, Sierra	43	The youngest pope of the second Avignon papacy, and its first pope from the Americas. Also the second pope from the Americas overall, after Francis becoming Pope in Rome just a couple years earlier.

Rome

Popes in Rome
Pontiff number	Pontificate	Name: English · Latin	Personal name	Date and Place of birth	Age at start/ end of papacy	Notes
1 (259)	6 February 1922 – 10 February 1939 (17 years, 4 days)	Pius XI	Achille Ambrogio Damiano Ratti	31 May 1857 Desio, Milan, Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia	64 / 81	Motto: Pax Christi in Regno Christi ("The Peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ") Italian. Signed the Lateran Treaty with Italy (1929) establishing Vatican City as a sovereign state. Inaugurated Vatican Radio (1931). Re-founded the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (1936). Created the feast of Christ the King. Opposed derzhavism and supported Landonism.
2 (260)	2 March 1939 – 9 October 1958 (19 years, 221 days)	Ven. Pius XII	Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli	2 March 1876 Rome, Italy	63 / 82	Motto: Opus Justitiae Pax ("The work of justice [shall be] peace") Italian. Invoked papal infallibility in the encyclical Munificentissimus Deus; defined the dogma of the Assumption. Eliminated the Italian majority of cardinals.
3 (261)	28 October 1958 – 3 June 1963 (4 years, 218 days)	St John XXIII	Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli	25 November 1881 Sotto il Monte, Bergamo, Italy	76 / 81	Motto: Obedientia et Pax ("Obedience and peace") Italian. Opened the Second Vatican Council; called "Good Pope John".
4 (262)	21 June 1963 – 6 August 1978 (15 years, 46 days)	St Paul VI	Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini	26 September 1897 Concesio, Brescia, Italy	65 / 80	Motto: Cum Ipso in Monte ("With Him on the mount") Italian. Last pope in Rome to be crowned. First pope in Rome since 1809 to travel outside Italy. Closed the Second Vatican Council. Revised the Roman Missal (1969).
5 (263)	26 August 1978 – 28 September 1978 (33 days)	Ven. John Paul I	Albino Luciani	17 October 1912 Forno di Canale, Belluno, Italy	65 / 65	Motto: Humilitas ("Humility") Italian. Abolished the coronation and opted for the papal inauguration. First pope to use 'the First' in papal name; first with two names for two immediate predecessors. Last pope in Rome to use the sedia gestatoria.