The pope (Latin: papa, from Ancient Greek: πάππας, romanized: páppas, lit. 'father') [2][3] is the bishop of Rome and the visible head [a] of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, [b] Roman pontiff, [c] or sovereign pontiff.

Pope during the First Council of Constantinople (381), the second ecumenical council, and the Council of Rome (382). First pope to be the official head of the church after the Emperor Gratian abdicates the title of " Pontifex Maximus ".

Pope Francis (Latin: Franciscus; Italian: Francesco; Spanish: Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; [b] 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State.

Jan 11, 2025 · Pope is the title, since about the 9th century, of the bishop of Rome, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The pope is regarded as the successor of St. Peter and has supreme power of jurisdiction over the Catholic Church in matters of faith and morals, as well as in church discipline and government.

Jan 23, 2025 · Follow Vatican News for updates and information on the daily activities of Pope Francis.

Visiting the official website of the Holy See one can browse: the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs (from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Francis); the fundamental texts of Catholicism in various languages (the Sacred Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Code of Canon Law); the documents of ...

Mar 13, 2013 · Francis (born December 17, 1936, Buenos Aires, Argentina) ushered in a new era of leadership in the Roman Catholic Church when he was elected pope in 2013. As the first pope from the Western Hemisphere, the first from South America, and the first from the Jesuit order, Francis has brought many reforms to the church and a reputation for humility.

Dec 20, 2024 · Papacy is the office and jurisdiction of the bishop of Rome, the pope, who presides over the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest of the three major branches of Christianity.

Nov 19, 2018 · The title pope, once used with far greater latitude (see below, section V), is at present employed solely to denote the Bishop of Rome, who, in virtue of his position as successor of St. Peter, is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth.

During this time, there was a pope in Rome, an Antipope in Avignon, and for some time, a second antipope. Each of the three was recognised as legitimate pope by different European powers.