pope, (Latinpapa, fromGreekpappas, “father”), the title, since about the 9th centuryce, of the bishop ofRome, who is the leader of theRoman Catholic Church, the largest of the three major branches ofChristianity. The title was formerly given, especially from the 3rd to the 5th century, to anybishop and sometimes topriests as anecclesiastical title expressing affectionate respect. InEastern Orthodox churches, the title is still used for thepatriarch ofAlexandria and for Orthodox priests. (See alsopapacy.)

(Read Britannica’s article “How Is the Pope Elected?”)

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Doctrinally, in the Roman Catholic Church, the pope is regarded as the successor ofSt. Peter, who was head of theApostles ofJesus. As bishop of Rome, the pope is thus seen to have full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the universal church in matters of faith andmorals, as well as in churchdiscipline and government. The basis of this doctrine ofpapal primacy is twofold, involving the place of St.Peter in theNew Testament (in which there are variousmetaphors expressing Peter’s authority) and the place of the Roman church in history. The understanding of papal primacy developed as the church developed, two notable factors being the role ofRome as theimperial city until the 5th century and the religious and political role of the bishop of Rome afterward. For more information about papal primacy,seePetrine theory.

Britannica Quiz

Pope Quiz

Why hasn’t there been an American pope?

The pope, as the bishop of Rome, is the head of theHoly See, the Roman Catholic Church’s central government, which in turn is assisted by the various departments of theRoman Curia. The pope thus makes decisions on issues of faith andmorality for Catholics throughout the world, a population of about 1.3 billion. In the 20th century the role of the pope evolved with church teaching on the role of bishops. The changes made by theecumenicalSecond Vatican Council (1962–65) counterbalanced the emphasis on papalprerogatives while maintaining the view that the authority of the bishops as a singlecollegial body cannot be separated from that of the pope as the head of that body. Although the Eastern Orthodox Church has long been willing to give the bishop of Rome the primacy of honor accorded to patriarchs, and although manyProtestants have appreciated themoral leadership shown by some recent popes, the Catholic doctrine of papal primacy was still a major obstacle toecumenical efforts that began in the 20th century. In 2025, the church made a historic choice when Cardinal Robert Prevost became the first American pope. He took the name PopeLeo XIV.

(Who are the most influential popes in the history of the Roman Catholic Church?)

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TheAnnuario Pontificio, the official directory of the Holy See, describes the office of the pope by the following titles:

• Bishop of Rome
• Vicar of Jesus Christ
• Successor of the Prince of the Apostles
• Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church
• Patriarch of the West
• Primate ofItaly
• Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Rome
• Sovereign of the State ofVatican City
• Servant of the Servants of God

The titlepope orpapa (abbreviated PP.) is officially used only as a less solemn style.Papabile refers to someone who is a likely or worthycontender for the papacy.

The pope is elected to his position by a procedure known as thepapal conclave, in whichcardinal electors gather in Vatican City and sequester themselves to vote for the next pope. This assembly takes place after a pope dies or resigns. In brief, only cardinals under 80 years old are allowed to vote in a conclave. They choose from among their fellow cardinals, although there is no rule that states a pope must be a cardinal. Typically, several rounds of voting occur before the cardinals reach the two-thirds majority required to elect a pope. After he is selected, the new pope chooses a papal name, and his election is announced to the public. For further details on this procedure,seepapal conclave andHow Is the Pope Elected?

(Read Britannica’s article “What Do Cardinals and Popes Wear?”)

The pope lives in Vatican City, an ecclesiastical state andenclave surrounded by Rome. Traditionally, the pope resides inside theVatican Palace. However, PopeFrancis (reigned 2013–25) broke from this tradition by opting for a two-room apartment in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a guesthouse in Vatican City normally used by cardinal electors during the papal conclave.Castel Gandolfo is a castle in central Italy that has been used as a summer residence by some popes.

A list ofpopes and antipopes is provided in the table.