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{{Christianity}}'''Pope''' (from Greek πάππας ''pappas'', father)<ref>{{cite web|url=httppope: [https://education.yahooahdictionary.com/reference/dictionary/entryword/search.html?q=pope |title=American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language |publisher=Education.yahoo.com |accessdate=11 August 2010}}]</ref> is the primary designation of the official title of each of the primary heads (''on earth'') of four Christian Churches<ref>[https://www.quora.com/How-many-popes-are-there How Many Popes Are There? (quora.com)]</ref> who exercise '''[[patriarch]]al ''' primacy(from Latin ''patriarcha'', from Greek ''patriarkhēs'' head of a family, from ''patria'' family, clan, lineage, and ''archein'' to rule):<ref>patriarch: [https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=patriarch American Heritage Dictionary]</ref>

"Pope" simply means "Father". "Patriarch" means "Father head", "Great Father".  The Lord Jesus Christ did '''''not''''' say, "''Call no man on earth, 'father' ''"—because the word "''your''" is missing (Greek ὑμῶν ''hymōn'').<br>The Lord Jesus Christ said, "'''Call no man on the earth your father'''" Matthew 23:9. <br>See the [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/23-9.htm interlinear English and Greek text].  Compare ''multiple versions'' of [http://www.biblehub.com/matthew/23-9.htm Matthew 23:9] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/23-9.htm ''multiple commentaries on'' Matthew 23:9]. <br>Jesus does '''''not''''' say, "Do not be '''called''' 'fathers'."—but in verse 10, he says, "''Neither be '''called''' masters''".

Jesus did not say, "''Call The meaning of this text within the historical and cultural context of first century Judea is that no man on earthmale parent is to be regarded as the true father of any son or daughter naturally sired by him—as middle eastern cultural tradition taught each child to regard him—with an absolute claim to personal loyalty and obedience, above and apart from any other consideration of affection, 'father' ''"respect, duty and reverence they might owe to another, to mother or sibling or spouse or children or friend or comrade-in-arms or teacher or commander or king or country, or even life itself. Tradition demanded absolute allegiance, respect and obedience. See the [http://biblehubwww.com/interlinear/matthew/23-9.htm interlinear English and Greek text] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthewexodus/2320-912.htm ''multiple Exodus 20:12 commentaries on'' Matthew 23:9]. Jesus does not say, "Do not be '''called''' fathers". In verse 10, he says, "''Neither be '''called''' masters''".

The meaning of this text within the historical and cultural context of first century Judea is that no male parent is to be regarded as the true father of any son or daughter naturally sired by him as middle eastern cultural tradition taught each child to regard him—with absolute claim to their personal loyalty and obedience, above and apart from any other consideration of affection, respect, duty and reverence they might owe to another, to mother or sibling or spouse or children or friend or comrade-in-arms or teacher or commander or king or country, or even life itself. Students who came to regard their teachers and rabbis [[rabbi]]s with reverent affection and loyalty, even [[awe]], for imparting the knowledge of [[Torah ]] to them, were traditionally encouraged to address them as "my father" and to regard them as their spiritual fathers, to whom they owed everything, honor, reverence, even their lives. The rabbi was also revered as being a figure closer to '''[[God]]''' than anyone else in the community.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Rabbis.html Jewish Concepts: Rabbi (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)]</ref> Jesus is setting them free of the tradition of unquestioning imitation of those abusers of legitimate Jewish authority , who set aside the substance of the teaching of Moses and the scriptures for the sake of their own self-promoting customs and ritual traditions.

This text in Matthew 23:9 has been cited as condemning any use of the word "father" as an address or title of respect to any man, as if it said, "''Call no man on earth, 'father'...''". However, against this is a defective reading of the meaning of the text, and apart from the fact that because a word has been ''removed'' by such a reading (interpretation) of the text. Against this reading, multiple passages in sacred scripture itself demonstrate that the apostles and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ themselves addressed others as "''father''" and were themselves called "''father''".

St. Paul told the Corinthians that though they had many guides, he was their father through the gospel, and he also said he was a father to Timothy. There is a substantial difference in saying "my father" [[Stephen|St. Stephen]] addressed the high priest and simply saying members of the council as fathers, and John explicitly addresses the leaders of the Christian community as "Fatherfathers". For In the same way, for example, no Catholic says to a priest, "my father, ... ", but says instead, "Father&nbsp;—&nbsp;(''insert name'')", as a title of respect. In the same way, for example, [[Stephen|St. Stephen]] addressed the high priest There is a substantial difference in saying "my father" and members of the council as fathers, and John explicitly addresses the fathers of the Christian community as simply saying "fathersFather". See Acts 7:2, 22:1; 1 John 2:12-14; 1 Corinthians 4:14-15; Philippians 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; Hebrews 13:17. Compare multiple commentaries on the divine origin of the title "father" as ''proper'' to heads of all families in [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ephesians/3-14.htm Ephesians 3:14] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ephesians/3-15.htm 15]. "''The Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named''."

Most translations of Matthew 23:9 faithfully say "''your father''"; but others explicitly omit the word '''ὑμῶν''' "''your''" in translation as an anti-Catholic reading ([[polemic]]) which has no grammatical basis and cannot be justified according to the New Testament Greek text of Matthew 23:9

Omitting to include in translation a word that is present in every extant manuscript of this verse in Matthew is a deliberate act involving substantial alteration of the meaning of the scriptural text, an act which every Bible-believing Christian condemns. <br>See [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/jeremiah/8-8.htm Jeremiah 8:8 ] and [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/revelation/22-18.htm Revelation 22:18].

In the early centuries of Christianity, the title of Father (Greek ''pappas, papa, pape'' "''pap-eh''") was applied, especially in the east, to all bishops and other senior clergy,<ref>"Pope", Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3</ref>, and later became reserved in the west to the Bishop of Rome, a reservation made official only in the 11th century.<ref>See the following five sources:*Elwell, Walter A. (2001). ''Evangelical Dictionary of Theology''. Baker Academic. p. 888. ISBN 9780801020759. Retrieved 18 February 2013.*Greer, Thomas H.; Gavin Lewis (2004). A Brief History of the Western World. Cengage Learning. p. 172. ISBN 9780534642365. Retrieved 18 February 2013.*Mazza, Enrico (2004). The Eucharistic Prayers of the Roman Rite. Liturgical Press. p. 63. ISBN 9780814660782. Retrieved 18 February 2013.*O'Malley, John W. (2009). A History of the Popes. Government Institutes. p. xv. ISBN 9781580512275. Retrieved 18 February 2013.*Schatz, Klaus (1996). Papal [[Petrine Primacy|Primacy]]. Liturgical Press. pp. 28–29. ISBN 9780814655221. Retrieved 18 February 2013.</ref>. The earliest record of the use of this title was in regard to the by then deceased Patriarch of Alexandria, Pope Heraclas of Alexandria (232–248).<ref>Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica Book VII, chapter 7.7</ref>. The earliest recorded use of the title "pope" in English dates to the mid-10th century, when it was used in reference to Pope [[Vitalian ]] in an Old English translation of Bede's ''Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum''<ref>"pope, n.1". OED Online. September 2011. Oxford University Press. 21 November 2011</ref>—however, in the particular case of Vitalian, the term was applied [[Irony|ironically]] as a form of [[sarcasm]].

[[File:Pope John XII.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|thumbnail|Pope John XII]]The Pope and Ecumenical Patriarch of the Catholic Church is the head of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] (Catholic - the Latin Riteof the [[Catholic Church]]). Throughout the world "'''The Pope'''" (as a title, without specification) is universally understood to designate the Patriarch of the West. His Catholic titles include Bishop of Rome, in which position he is considered by Roman Catholics to be the successor of [[Saint Peter|St. Peter]]. The Pope is the chief pastor of the whole Church Catholic, the "[[Vicar ]] of Christ upon earth." <ref>Until 1870 he also was the secular ruler of an independent country in central Italy, the Papal States. Since 1929 the Pope rules Vatican City, an independent country inside the city of Rome.</ref> The titles ''Summus pontifex'' and ''Pontifex maximus (Supreme Pontiff)'' are titles of dignity.<ref>[http://www.liquisearch.com/pontifex_maximus/roman_catholic_use_of_the_title Pontifex Maximus - Roman Catholic Use of The Title (liquisearch.com)]</ref>In ancient Rome ''pontifex maximus'' was the title of the chief priest of Rome, the Roman Pontiff.

The Pope's ecclesiastical seat of jurisdictional authority is called the [[Holy See]]. Since 1059 The Pope has always been chosen by the Cardinals of the Roman [[Catholic Church ]] meeting in secret. When they have not reached a decision they burn the ballots and black smoke emerges; when a pope is chosen the smoke is white.  [[File:Card. Jorge Bergoglio SJ, 2008.jpg|right|200px|thumb|His Holiness, [[Pope Francis]].]]

The pope is was once distinguished by the use of the tiara or triple crownat his coronation. No pope has worn an actual triple tiara since [[Pope Paul VI]] at the end of the [[Second Vatican Council]] in 1965.  At what date the custom of crowning the pope was introduced is unknown. It was certainly previous to the forged donation [[Donation of Constantine]], which dates from the commencement of the ninth century, for mention is there made of the pope's coronation. The triple crown is of much later origin. (it remains only a symbol)

No pope has worn an actual The triple tiara since [[Pope Paul VI]] at the end crown is of the [[Second Vatican Council]] in 1965much later origin.(it remains only a symbol)

 [[File:Card. Jorge Bergoglio SJ, 2008.jpg|right|200px|thumb|His Holiness, [[Pope Francis]].]] Today the Pope is [[Pope Francis]], (formerly Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina) who became the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013. Pope Francis, elected as 266th Roman Catholic pontiff, is the first Jesuit and the first Latin American pope; First non-European pope in 1300 years. He succeeded [[Pope Benedict XVI]], to whom he was reportedly the runner-up in the papal election of 2005.<ref>http[https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/13/us-pope-succession-bergoglio-idUSBRE92C15X20130313Reuters article: Argentina's pope a modest man focused on the poor (reuters.com)]</ref>

The Pope is claimed to be infallible in matters of doctrine (see [.<ref>See [http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/halsall/source/g7-dictpap.asp ''Dictatus Papae]])''. Medieval Sourcebook: Gregory VII: Dictatus Papae 1090]</ref> The concept of [[Papal Infallibility]] (1870) is used to proclaim articles of faith, which are essential for adherents to be truly Catholic. These articles are therefore considered to be a Dogmatic definition. Such pronouncements are rare, and the concept does not mean that Catholics are to believe everything that the Pope says is correct. The last issue was asserting the [[Assumption of Mary]].

The [[First Vatican Council]], of 1870, anathematized all who dispute the [[Petrine Primacy|Pope's primacy ]] of honor and of jurisdiction (it is lawful to discuss the precise nature of that primacy, provided that such discussion does not violate the terms of the Council's Dogmatic Constitution). The [[Second Vatican Council]] of 1965 '''modified''' many of the dictates of 1870.

Critics of the papacy claim that past Popes who claimed successorship to St. Peter, such as == The [[Pope Callixtus IIIScandal]] and [[Pope Alexander VI]] from the Borgia family, were so corrupt as to be unfit to wield power. An just and loving [[God]], they claim, would not have given those people the powers claimed for them by the Catholic Church. Opponents of these critics reply that even the worst Bad Popes failed to wreck the traditions of the Church.==

==History==The '''history Critics of the papacyclaim that past popes who claimed successorship to St. Peter, such as [[Pope Callixtus III]] and [[Pope Alexander VI]] from the Borgia family, were so corrupt as to be unfit to wield power. A just and loving [[God]], they claim, would not have given such people the powers claimed for them by the Catholic Church, if the Holy Spirit were truly in the Catholic Church and infallibly guiding it by His divine power: such men would never have been elected. Opponents of these critics reply that even the worst popes failed to wreck the apostolic traditions of the Church, which have been faithfully handed down and preserved intact and defended and rightly interpreted by the Church''' is s Living [[Magisterium]]. They point out that Jesus even knowingly chose [[Judas Iscariot]] (one of the [[Twelve Apostles|Twelve]] whom Jesus said was "a major factor in European historydevil", especially John 6:70-71), and not even the Middle Ages[[sin]] and betrayal of this validly appointed apostle could invalidate his work and teaching.

Professional historians are generally agreed that at least four or five Popes were guilty of serious moral lapses, perhaps more. Some critics of the Church have tried to use this documented factual information to undermine the Catholic teaching on infallibility by confusing ''infallibility'' with ''impeccability''. Infallibility is the divinely imposed inability of the Holy Father to teach error when he speaks [[ex cathedra]] on a matter of faith and morals which must be finally clearly defined and settled, but impeccability would be a divinely imposed inability of the Holy Father to commit any sin. The Church has never claimed impeccability for any Pope , although many of them have lived lives of extraordinary [[Saint|holiness]], because we are all sinners,<ref>Romans 3:23-26; 1 Timothy 1:16.</ref> but it has been claimed the head unmerited [[Charism|charism]] of ''infallibility of teaching'' for every Pope, because of Christ's promises of the abiding presence and guidance of the [[Roman Catholic ChurchHoly Spirit]] for over 1600 years. The Eastern Orthodox churches reject his claims to primacy. Even more vigorously lead us into all truth forever, the Protestant Reformation rejected Papal claims commandment to primacy. As secular "''obey your leaders the Popes controlled Rome and the Papal States in central Italy until 1870submit to them''", <ref>[http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/13-17.htm Hebrews 13:17]</ref> and especially in his promises to be with His Church all days, and that the 16th century were notable patrons gates of the artsHell shall never prevail against it, turning St. Petereven if "'s Church 'fierce wolves will come in Rome into an architectural wonderamong you, especially notable for not sparing the artwork in its Sistine Chapelflock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.''".<ref>Famous patrons Acts 20:29-30</ref> The established fact that some popes were wicked in their private lives is no argument against the truth of the arts include Sixtus IV (1471-1484)doctrine and dogma of the Catholic Church, no more than proven immoral conduct by an American president is an argument against the goodness of the United States and the validity of the [[Julius IIUnited States Constitution|Constitution]] (1503-1513). This historically documented fact is actually presented as an argument for the reliability of the Church, since it continued during the reign of those unworthy Popes to teach faithfully the truths handed down by Christ and Clement VII (1523-1534)the Apostles and, while wounded by their evident wickedness, suffered no lasting harm from the immoral conduct of a tiny percentage of its more than 265 leaders.<ref>"tiny percentage". Less than 3 percent = at most 10 popes. See [[Pope#External links|External links, below]]. Estimates range from 5 to 10 truly corrupt popes in the entire history of the Church.</ref>

Since 1929 One of the Pope controls only the small Vatican Cityprayer-state petitions of the Catholic [[Mass (located inside Romeliturgy)|Mass]] says, "Look not on our sins, but has diplomatic relations with most nations. The Pope's power comes from his appointment of all on the bishops in the Catholic Faith of Your Church..." According to Catholic teaching, a man who professes the Catholic Faith whole and from his ability (since 1870) to proclaim entire, no matter how wicked he may be, remains a theological doctrine infallibly. The history of the Popes is interwoven with the history member of the Catholic Church and the history Body of EuropeChrist, even if he hates God, even if he commits murder, even if he commits [[Sodom#Sodom and homosexuality|sodom]]y—but such a man will be condemned to an eternity of suffering in [[hell]] if he does not repent before death. In terms Being a baptized member of personalities and moralityChrist's Church will not profit such a man, because professing a correct faith alone, without charity (the 262 Popes were saints exercise of goodness and sinners who ranged very widely indeedcompassion), will not save him.<ref>They were all men. The story James 2:14-26</ref> His knowledge of Joan who disguised herself as a the True Faith will only increase his misery because he will have sinned ''freely'', without any internal or external coercion against his will, with ''full knowledge'' of the ''sinfulness'' of his deeds against man and became Pope sometime God<ref>Catholic doctrine distinguishes between 850 mortal and 1050 was exposed as venial sins according to [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/1_john/5-16.htm 1 John 5:16-17] and [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/john/19-11.htm John 19:11]. Three elements must be present for a false myth in 1650sin to be deadly: Serious Matter, but still circulates. Kelly Full Knowledge of its evil, and Complete Consent (1998freely acting without any compulsion) 331-32.</ref> In recent centuries most have been holy men Such a vile man can still be a valid pope and in recent decades they have been linguists able to speak to Catholics in many languages. In recent centuries most Popes have been scions proclaimer of Italian nobility; notable exceptions are Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) the first Polish PopeCatholic Faith, Benedict XVI because it is not the commission of sins against morals that invalidates his papacy (2005-2013and we are all sinners) , but the commission of sins against the Faith (the first German since 1523 holding and teaching of [[Pope Francisheresy]] (2013- ) from , or the ultimate act of committing formal [[Argentinaapostasy]] , which is not heresy but the first Pope from either utter renunciation of the American continentsentire Christian religion and total rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and God and Savior: for example the emperor [[Julian|Julian the Apostate]].

Catholic tradition argues that Christ told Peter to found a church, that he built one in Rome, that all Popes [[Apostolic succession|descend ]] from him, and that the bishop of Rome has always implicitly had the divine authority to rule over the Church.  Protestants say the Biblical texts are silent concerning any grant of universal leadership, let alone an infallible one. It was asserted centuries after Christ, when eastern bishops began claiming that primacy of rule in the Empire properly belonged to [[Constantinople]]. Protestants often insist also that the relationship between Christ and the sinner is interrupted by the imposition of an Earthly intercessor. However, this objection is based on a mistaken belief that "intercessor" and "mediator" are synonyms which always mean exactly the same thing, but this is not accurate (see [[Intercession of the saints]], [[Mediation]], and [[Intercession]]).

:thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.<ref>Gospel of Matthew: Chapter 16, Verse 18; see also 1 Corinthians 3:11, Ephesians 2:20, [[1 Peter]] 2:5–6, and Revelations Revelation 21:14.</ref>  :Feed my lambs...Feed my sheep...Feed my sheep<ref>John 21:15, 16, 17. See [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/john/21-15.htm commentaries on 15], [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/john/21-16.htm commentaries on 16], [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/john/21-17.htm commentaries on 17].</ref>

"'''I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven'''" Matthew 16:19. The Greek word '''σοι''' "''to you''" here is singular, not the plural '''ὑμῖν''' "''to you''", and therefore this declaration was not addressed to the entire immediate group of his assembled disciples, ''[[Eisegesis|as some would have it]]'', but only to Peter. The structure of Greek grammar in this text clearly permits no other reading.

"'''...thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church.'''" There is a minor linguistic difference in Matthew 16:18 in the Greek words for "stone" and "rock". '''''Petros'' Πέτρος''' is the masculine form, meaning "stone", "boulder" or "large rock", and '''''petra'' πέτρα''' is the feminine form, meaning "stone", "boulder" or "massive rock". They essentially mean the same thing.In distinct contrast to ''petros'' and ''petra'', the Greek word for "pebble", "small stone" or "(piece of) rock" is λίθος ''lithos''.<ref>The KJV translation of John 1:42 says, "...when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." The entries under "stone" in Strong's Concordance for almost all of the New Testament verses are keyed to numbers [http://biblehub.com/greek/3034.htm ''3034'' '''λίθος''' ''lithos''], [http://biblehub.com/greek/3035.htm ''3035'' '''λιθάζω''' ''lithazo''], [http://biblehub.com/greek/3036.htm ''3036'' '''λίθινος''' ''lithinos'']. [http://biblehub.com/greek/3037.htm ''3037'' '''λίθος''' ''lithos'']. In contrast, '''John 1:42''' KJV "A stone" is keyed to number [http://biblehub.com/greek/4074.htm ''4074'' '''Πέτρος''' ''rock'', '''larger''' than ''3037 lithos'']. The King James translators chose to not render the Greek word in this passage as Rock. Had they done so the entry for this word in John 1:42 would have appeared in Strong's Concordance included under "rock" with all of the other 13 verses the KJV translators had consistently and unequivocally rendered as "rock", all of them keyed to number [http://biblehub.com/greek/4073.htm ''4073'' '''πέτρα''' ''petra'']: Mt 7:24, 25; Mt 16:18; Mt 27:60; Mk 15:46; Lu 6:48 (twice); Lu 8:6, 13; Ro 9:33; 1Co 10:4 (twice); 1Pe 2:8. See [http://www.biblehub.com/john/1-42.htm other translations of John 1:42] and [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/john/1-42.htm commentaries].</ref>

:λίθος, λίθου, ὁ, the Sept. for אֶבֶן (from Homer down); a stone: of small stones. Protestant Greek scholars like [[D.A. Carson]] and [[Joseph Thayer]] admit there is no distinction in meaning between petros and petra in the [[Greek language|Koine Greek]] of the New Testament.<ref>Joseph H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996), 507; D.A. Carson, “Matthew,” in Frank E. Gaebelein, ed., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), vol. 8, 368.</ref><ref>[http://patrickmadrid.com/bam-bam-the-%e2%80%9cpebbles%e2%80%9d-argument-goes-down-2/ Bam! Bam! The "Pebbles" Argument Goes Down, Patrick Madrid (patrickmadrid.com)]. Compare [[Falsehood]].</ref> See Strong's numbers [http://biblehub.com/greek/4074.htm ''4074''] and [http://biblehub.com/greek/4073.htm ''4073'']. Compare [http://biblehub.com/greek/3037.htm ''3037'']. See also [http://biblehub.com/greek/2786.htm ''2786'']. :Κεφας, κεφα, ὁ (Chaldean כֵּיפָא, '''a rock'''), Cephas (equivalent to Πέτρος), the surname of Simon the apostle.(Jesus did not give Simon Bar Jonah a feminine name.) A more literal translation of verse 18 is, "''I tell you, you are Rock, and on this Rock I will build my gathering (my assembly)''". Linguistically, according to the Greek construction, and Greek grammar, the person indicated by the phrase "''on this rock''" is Peter, not Jesus.

The equivalent Aramaic term in the [[Aramaic Church#The Peshitta|Syriac ''[[Peshitta]]'' ]] translation of the New Testament is '''κεφα''' ''Kepa / Cep-ha'', simply "rock": :"''I tell you, you are ''Kepha'', and on this ''Kepha'' I will build my church.'' "

Peter (and Paul) did found firmly establish and confirm a church founded in Rome in 42 A.D.42<ref>Archaeological evidence cited:

*[https://www.catholic.com/tract/was-peter-in-rome Was Peter in Rome? (catholic.com)]</ref><ref>Paul was not the original founder of the church in Rome. See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans1:8-15&version=KJV Romans 1:8-15].</ref> and he Peter served as the bishop for 25 years until 67 A.D. 67 when he was martyred[[martyr]]ed. Paul's [[Epistle to the Romans]] most clearly and plainly is written to an already established Christian community that he himself had never before seen or visited, and is therefore written to a church obviously founded by someone other than himself.<ref>See '''Romans 1:11-13; 15:22-24'''. Writers who assert that the Apostle Paul is actually the one who founded the church in Rome are either ignorant of scripture, or they are lying. If they have in fact actually read the Bible, especially ''Romans'', but still insist beyond any doubt that Paul himself by the Holy Spirit originally founded the church in Rome, and they are not lying, but only unknowingly repeating a [[falsehood]], then they are blinded by a false doctrine which teaches that Paul was the real founder of the Christian community of believers in Rome, a doctrine in opposition to the clear teaching of the Bible. Writers and denominations that teach this false doctrine should be avoided, but if they are unavoidable, then they should be calmly and gently corrected by simply pointing out and emphasizing these passages in ''Romans''. See Titus 3:10-11; James 5:19-20; 2 Peter 3:15-18. <br>Compare [[Falsehood]], [[Lie]] and [[Deceit]].<br>See also [[Cafeteria Christianity#Proof texts|Proof text]].<br> See the following articles: :*[https://bible.org/article/origins-church-rome '''Origins of the Church at Rome''', Greg MaGee (bible.org)]:*[http://www.babylonforsaken.com/romepeter.html '''Was Peter the founder and Bishop of the Church of Rome.''' (babylonforsaken.com/romepeter) <br>—"'''Point Two. The Bible teaches that Paul established the Church at Rome.'''"]The argument of the author of the above article promoting Paul as sole founder of the church in Rome [[Confirmation bias|utterly ignores]] the clear teaching in the Bible itself that Peter was chosen to give the Gospel to the Gentiles, as can be plainly seen in Acts 11:12-18 and 15:7 in which Peter testifies "''that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe.''" KJV. Any reader of the Bible can see this. Besides the constant witness of apostolic tradition, this scripture is the primary basis for the assertion that Peter preached the Gospel to the uncircumcised Gentiles as well as to the circumcised Jews (see [[sola scriptura]]). Compare 2 Peter 1:1, in which Peter universally addresses "them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ." (KJV) — "to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ." (RSV). While the First Epistle of Peter explicitly addresses the Christian Jews of the [[Diaspora|''diaspora'', "the dispersion"]], if he was not addressing together as one persecuted people those Gentile and Jewish Christians who were both alike scattered abroad because of the persecution of the church (Acts 8:1; 9:31; 11:19-26), here in the Second Epistle of Peter he does not exclude the Gentiles, but addresses all Christians without any distinction whatever. This emphatically affirms the statement in Acts 11:18 "then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life"—"a like precious faith"—and reaffirms the teaching that Peter preached to the Gentiles. Acts 11:19-26 shows that after Peter had begun preaching that to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto salvation, some men of Cyprus and Cyrene, when they came to Antioch now began speaking the Gospel of the Lord Jesus to the Greeks; and when news of this came to Jerusalem, Barnabas was sent to Antioch, and a large company of people was added to the Lord; and only then did Barabas go to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch, and then for a whole year they met with the church and taught a large company of people. Up to that point the Bible says that Paul had been preaching only to the Jews. Acts 9:20-30; 11:25-26. Greg MaGee points out in the article above, ''Origins of the Church at Rome'', that Peter need not have been always residing in Rome to be the chief bishop or pastor, and may well have been traveling around to the other Christian communities ("in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia") when Paul was imprisoned there.</ref> However, the primacy of the bishop of Rome as patriarch in the Western Roman Empire, always acknowledged as "first in dignity" , was not unequivocally established as having ''[[Jurisdiction|juridical]]'' primacy for several centuries, and even then a claim to universal primacy "based on history, reason and scripture"<ref>[[First Vatican Council]] of 1870</ref> was rejected by eastern bishops who guide the Eastern Orthodox Church under the leadership of the Patriarch of Constantinople<ref>[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Primacy_and_Unity_in_Orthodox_Ecclesiology Primacy and Unity in Orthodox Ecclesiology (orthodoxwiki.org)]</ref>.

Catholics recognize the pope as the successor to [[Saint Peter]], whom [[Jesus of Nazareth|Jesus]] designated as the "rock" upon which the Church was to be built.<ref>The Hierarchical Constitution of the Church, §881</ref><ref name=Kirsch>Kirsch, Johann Peter. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11744a.htm "St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles."] The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 21 Jul. 2014</ref> Although Peter never bore the title of "pope" (Latin papa), Catholics recognize him as the first pope and Bishop of Rome, because he had the office, but not the title. Official declarations of the Church speak of the popes as holding within the college of the bishops a position analogous to that held by Peter within the college of the [[Twelve Apostles]], namely Prince of the Apostles, of which the college of the Bishops, a distinct entity, is the successor.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html | title = Second Vatican Council | contribution = Lumen Gentium | page = 22 | postscript = <!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}}}}.</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url = [http://wwww2.vatican.va/holy_fathercontent/john_paul_iijohn-paul-ii/audiencesen/alphaencyclicals/datadocuments/aud19921007enhf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor.html | author = Pope ''Veritatis Splendor'' 3, John Paul II | title = Talk | date = 7 , October 6, 1992 | postscript = <!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}}}}.]</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=j8-GHiYUSX8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=Dulles+catholicity#v=onepage&q=episcopal%20college&f=false | author = Avery Dulles | title = The Catholicity of the Church | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 1987 | isbn = 0-19-826695-2 | page = 140 | postscript = <!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}}}}.</ref>

Many popes in the first three centuries of the Christian era are obscure figures. Several suffered martyrdom [[martyr]]dom along with members of their flock in periods of persecution. Most of them engaged in intense theological arguments with other bishops.

See [[Ante-Nicene Fathers]] and [[Biblical Canon#Historical development]].

The 14th century was the scene of dramatic humiliations that reduced the secular power and religious prestige of the papacy. The French king made his man Pope and moved the papal court to Avignon in France, 1309-1377. During the "Babylonian Captivity" of the papacy, seven French popes were seen as mere tools of France. Avignon was not a holy city, like Rome, and the men there were scarcely concerned with holiness; the papal entourage demanded bribes and fees to deal with terns of thousands of petitions that flooded in. As the paperwork and expenses multiplied and the prestige of the Papacy slipped.<ref>Ullmann (2002) p. 287</ref> The return to Rome in 1378 was followed by an even greater catastrophe. A split between French and Italian factions in the Curia resulted in the "Great Schism" of 1378-1417, during which Rome and Avignon each had their own series of popes, who claimed legitimacy and authority over the church. After enormous confusion the decision was made to appeal to a church council. The [[Council of Constance ]] healed the schism in 1415.

Gallicanism in France was damaged by the rise of ultramontanism in the 1850s and the devotional revolution that shifted [[piety ]] to devotions sponsored by Rome. Gallicanism was officially suppressed by the First Vatican Council in 1870, which established the paramount authority of the pope as a matter of dogma. However informal manifestations of Gallicanism continue in some countries, especially China. In Canada, the Irish clergy fought for ultramontanism against the French clergy, who were Gallican. The [[Catholicism in Ireland|Irish]] won out with the support of the Vatican.

* Pastor, Ludwig von. ''History of the Popes From the Close of the Middle Ages'', (1894-1930), 16 vol, older Catholic history [httphttps://books.google.com/books?spell=1&lr=&q=pastor+history+popes&as_brr=1 online from books.google.com]

#[[Pope Clement|Pope Clement I]] (88)

#[[Pope Adrian VI ]] (1522)