Pope

The pope is the bishop of Rome and the <a href="/facts/Head_of_the_Church/zs3sfm0E">visible head</a> of the worldwide <a href="/facts/Catholic_Church/rJ4F4gqH">Catholic Church</a>. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the <a href="/facts/Sovereign/bt1FQuQD">sovereign</a> or <a href="/facts/Head_of_state/U2QzdE4a">head of state</a> of the <a href="/facts/Papal_States/536PqTjo">Papal States</a>, and since 1929 of the much smaller <a href="/facts/Vatican_City/JTKnEt6J">Vatican City</a> state. From a Catholic viewpoint, the <a href="/facts/Primacy_of_the_bishop_of_Rome/tMdDmzSB">primacy of the bishop of Rome</a> is largely derived from his role as the <a href="/facts/Apostolic_successor/nayTFdFC">apostolic successor</a> to <a href="/facts/Saint_Peter/50X8naSm">Saint Peter</a>, to whom <a href="/facts/Petrine_primacy/zQAcArHC">primacy</a> was conferred by <a href="/facts/Jesus/Hcd9hEzI">Jesus</a>, who gave Peter the <a href="/facts/Keys_of_Heaven/VaaNn0gk">Keys of Heaven</a> and the powers of "binding and loosing", naming him as the "rock" upon which the Church would be built. The current pope is <a href="/facts/Leo_XIV/TUoPfvIa">Leo XIV</a>, who was elected on 8 May 2025 on the second day of the <a href="/facts/2025_papal_conclave/HHF9lUoB">2025 papal conclave</a>.
Although his office is called the papacy, the <a href="/facts/Ecclesiastical_jurisdiction/Dev4qFXd">jurisdiction</a> of the <a href="/facts/Episcopal_see/8QWylVcN">episcopal see</a> is called the <a href="/facts/Holy_See/7tK8AceC">Holy See</a>. The word "see" comes from the Latin for 'seat' or 'chair' (sede, referring in particular to the one on which the newly elected pope sits during the enthronement ceremony). It is the Holy See that is the <a href="/facts/Sovereign_entity/QnYhTTem">sovereign entity</a> under <a href="/facts/International_law/WJEPeq44">international law</a> headquartered in the distinctively independent Vatican City, a <a href="/facts/City-state/aj1EjbYy">city-state</a> which forms a geographical <a href="/facts/Enclave/AFKB4LW6">enclave</a> within the conurbation of <a href="/facts/Rome/bh1Ttx3T">Rome</a>, established by the <a href="/facts/Lateran_Treaty/GMN1qXYV">Lateran Treaty</a> in 1929 between <a href="/facts/Fascist_Italy/6LEsbKQM">Fascist Italy</a> and the Holy See to ensure its temporal and spiritual independence. The Holy See is recognized by its adherence at various levels to international organizations and by means of its diplomatic relations and political accords with many independent states.
According to <a href="/facts/Catholic_tradition/vtW0aGNY">Catholic tradition</a>, the <a href="/facts/Apostolic_see/5pwxzsqK">apostolic see</a> of <a href="/facts/Diocese_of_Rome/l6Qwj9S4">Rome</a> was founded by <a href="/facts/Saint_Peter/50X8naSm">Saint Peter</a> and <a href="/facts/Saint_Paul/mIAFgUw7">Saint Paul</a> in the first century. The papacy is one of the most enduring institutions in the world and has had a prominent part in <a href="/facts/Human_history/uB3yXt4H">human history</a>. In ancient times, the popes helped spread Christianity and intervened to find resolutions in various doctrinal disputes. In the <a href="/facts/Middle_Ages/RqzEKB9v">Middle Ages</a>, they played a role of secular importance in Western Europe, often acting as arbitrators between Christian monarchs. In addition to the expansion of <a href="/facts/Christian_theology/sLefEsAd">Christian faith and doctrine</a>, modern popes are involved in <a href="/facts/Ecumenism/1Yyzv1zM">ecumenism</a> and <a href="/facts/Interfaith_dialogue/m4KHVY6x">interfaith dialogue</a>, <a href="/facts/Catholic_charities/eT6t1moB">charitable work</a>, and the defence of human rights.
Over time, the papacy accrued <a href="/facts/Temporal_power_of_the_Holy_See/8Fad3sf3">broad secular and political influence</a>, eventually rivalling those of territorial rulers. In recent centuries, the temporal authority of the papacy has declined and the office is now largely focused on religious matters. By contrast, papal claims of spiritual authority have been increasingly firmly expressed over time, culminating in 1870 with the proclamation of the <a href="/facts/Catholic_dogma/kb15cG7Y">dogma</a> of <a href="/facts/Papal_infallibility/zvPVHNkh">papal infallibility</a> for rare occasions when the pope speaks <a href="/facts/Ex_cathedra/zvPVHNkh">ex cathedra</a>—literally 'from the <a href="/facts/Chair_of_Saint_Peter/THMUW9KJ">chair (of Saint Peter)</a>'—to issue a formal definition of <a href="/facts/Dogma/vl3H3Y6C">faith</a> or morals. The pope is considered one of the world's most powerful people due to the extensive diplomatic, cultural, and spiritual influence of his position on both 1.3 billion Catholics and those outside the Catholic faith, and because he heads the world's largest non-government provider of <a href="/facts/Catholic_school/TaBj1ptS">education</a> and <a href="/facts/Catholic_Church_and_health_care/PGhXQV32">health care</a>, with a vast network of charities.

Pope open-in-new

Pope