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Popes of the Roman Catholic Church
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According to Catholic tradition, Jesus founded the papacy in the first century, when he chose St. Peter, the leader of the apostles, to be his earthly representative. "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church," he states in chapter 16 of Matthew. "I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Those words, which now circle the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, serve as the biblical mandate for the papacy. All popes are considered symbolic descendants of Peter and are thought to hold "Peter's Chair"
Since then, there have been more than 260 occupants of the papal office. The institution has endured through the defining moments of European history, including the split of the Roman Empire, the bloodbath of the crusades and the rise of the Italian Renaissance. More recently, popes have struggled to reconcile the strict traditions of doctrinaire Catholicism with the realities of modern life, including defending firm stances against abortion and the death penalty. Here, a short history of some of the most notable occupants of "St. Peter's Chair."
Pope
Years
2013 - Current
2005 - 2013
1978 - 2005
John Paul I
1978 - 1978
Paul VI
1963 - 1978
Saint John XXIII
1958 - 1963
Pius XII
1939 - 1958
Pius XI
1922 - 1939
Benedict XV
1914 - 1922
1903 - 1914
1878 - 1903
Blessed Pius IX
1846 - 1878
1831 - 1846
1829 - 1830
1823 - 1829
1800 - 1823
1775 - 1799
1769 - 1774
1758 - 1769
1740 - 1758
1730 - 1740
1724 - 1730
1721 - 1724
1700 - 1721
1691 - 1700
1689 - 1691
Blessed Innocent XI
1676 - 1689
1670 - 1676
1667 - 1669
1655 - 1667
1644 - 1655
1623 - 1644
1621 - 1623
1605 - 1621
1605 - 1605
1592 - 1605
1591 - 1591
1590 - 1591
1590 - 1590
1585 - 1590
1572 - 1585
1566 - 1572
1559 - 1565
1555 - 1559
1555 - 1555
1550 - 1555
1534 - 1549
1523 - 1534
1522 - 1523
1513 - 1521
1503 - 1513
1503 - 1503
1492 - 1503
1484 - 1492
1471 - 1484
1464 - 1471
1458 - 1464
1455 - 1458
1447 - 1455
1431 - 1447
Martin V
1417 - 1431
1406 - 1415
1404 - 1406
1389 - 1404
1378 - 1389
1370 - 1378
Blessed Urban V
1362 - 1370
1352 - 1362
1342 - 1352
1334 - 1342
1316 - 1334
1305 - 1314
Blessed Benedict XI
1303 - 1304
1294 - 1303
1294 - 1294
1288 - 1292
1285 - 1287
1281 - 1285
1277 - 1280
1276 - 1277
1276 - 1276
Blessed Innocent V
1276 - 1276
Blessed Gregory X
1271 - 1276
1265 - 1268
1261 - 1264
1254 - 1261
1243 - 1254
1241 - 1241
1227 - 1241
1216 - 1227
1198 - 1216
1191 - 1198
1187 - 1191
1187 - 1187
1185 - 1187
1181 - 1185
1159 - 1181
1154 - 1159
1153 - 1154
Blessed Eugene III
1145 - 1153
1144 - 1145
1143 - 1144
1130 - 1143
1124 - 1130
1119 - 1124
1118 - 1118
1099 - 1118
Blessed Urban II
1088 - 1099
Blessed Victor III
1086 - 1087
1073 - 1085
1061 - 1073
1058 - 1061
1057 - 1058
1055 - 1057
1049 - 1054
1048 - 1048
1046 - 1047
1045 - 1046
1045 - 1045
1032 - 1045
1024 - 1032
1012 - 1024
1009 - 1012
1003 - 1009
1003 - 1003
999 - 1003
996 - 999
985 - 996
983 - 984
974 - 983
973 - 974
965 - 972
964 - 964
963 - 964
955 - 963
946 - 955
942 - 946
939 - 942
936 - 939
931 - 935
929 - 931
928 - 928
914 - 928
913 - 914
911 - 913
904 - 911
903 - 903
900 - 903
898 - 900
897 - 897
897 - 897
896 - 897
896 - 896
891 - 896
885 - 891
884 - 885
882 - 884
872 - 882
867 - 872
St. Nicholas I (the Great)
858 - 867
855 - 858
847 - 855
844 - 847
827 - 844
827 - 827
824 - 827
817 - 824
816 - 817
795 - 816
772 - 795
767 - 772
757 - 767
752 - 757
752 - 752
741 - 752
731 - 741
715 - 731
708 - 715
708 - 708
705 - 707
701 - 705
687 - 701
686 - 687
685 - 686
684 - 685
682 - 683
678 - 681
676 - 678
672 - 676
657 - 672
655 - 657
649 - 655
642 - 649
640 - 642
640 - 640
625 - 638
619 - 625
615 - 618
608 - 615
607 - 607
604 - 606
590 - 604
579 - 590
575 - 579
561 - 574
556 - 561
537 - 555
536 - 537
535 - 536
533 - 535
530 - 532
526 - 530
523 - 526
514 - 523
498 - 514
496 - 498
492 - 496
483 - 492
468 - 483
461 - 468
440 - 461
432 - 440
422 - 432
418 - 422
417 - 418
401 - 417
399 - 401
384 - 399
366 - 383
352 - 366
337 - 352
336 - 336
314 - 335
311 - 314
309 - 310
308 - 309
296 - 304
283 - 296
275 - 283
269 - 274
260 - 268
257 - 257
254 - 257
253 - 254
251 - 253
236 - 250
235 - 236
230 - 235
222 - 230
217 - 222
199 - 217
189 - 199
175 - 189
166 - 175
155 - 156
140 - 155
136 - 140
125 - 136
115 - 125
105 - 115
97 - 105
88 - 97
76 - 88
67 - 76
32 - 67
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