English 
Chinese 
Dutch 
Arabic 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
Russian 
French 
Italian 
German 
Japanese 
Continue reading with a subscription
Get unlimited access to all our premium content and exclusive features.
Enjoy unlimited access, cancel anytime.
Summary
- The word “pope” is not in the Bible; it comes from the Latin papa, from a Greek word for father, and was once used of many bishops.
- Catholics find the office in Peter, to whom Jesus said, “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,” and gave the keys of the kingdom.
- The Catechism reads Matthew 16, Luke 22:32 and “Feed my sheep” in John 21 together as Christ making Peter the shepherd of the whole flock.
- The New Testament never calls Peter bishop of Rome. Irenaeus and Eusebius name Linus as the first bishop after the apostles; Catholics count Peter first, as Irenaeus does when he calls Hyginus the ninth bishop.
- Orthodox Christians read the rock as Peter’s confession and give Rome a primacy of honour, not of jurisdiction; Lutherans and Calvin read Peter as speaking for all the apostles, and both traditions reject papal infallibility.
- The pope is a Christian and the head of the Catholic Church, which counted just over 1.422 billion members at the end of 2024.
- Leo XIV, elected on 8 May 2025, is the 267th pope in the Holy See’s list.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Scripture is quoted from the King James Version via BibleGateway: Matthew 10:2, 16:13–19 and 23:8–10; Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:31–32; John 21:15–19; Acts 15:6–11 and 15:13–19; 1 Corinthians 4:15 and 10:4; Galatians 2:11; 2 Timothy 4:21; 1 Peter 5:1–4.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 424, 552–553 and 880–891, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, English text at vatican.va.
- The Holy See, list of the Supreme Pontiffs, and Biography of the Holy Father Leo XIV, vatican.va.
- Vatican News, “New data of Annuario Pontificio 2026 shows Catholics growing in Africa”, March 2026.
- Pew Research Center, “Global Christianity: Christian Traditions”, 19 December 2011.
- G. H. Joyce, “The Pope”, The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 12 (1911), New Advent.
- Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 5 (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 9), New Advent.
- Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 3 (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1), New Advent.
- Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, Book III, chapter 2, tr. A. C. McGiffert, New Advent.
- Orthodox Church in America, “On this Rock I will build my church”, Questions and Answers.
- Orthodox Church in America, Questions and Answers: “The Pope & Christian Unity” and “Infallibility”.
- Philip Melanchthon, Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope (1537), paragraphs 23 and 25, in the Lutheran Book of Concord, Concordia Publishing House edition.
- John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, on Matthew 16:13–19, tr. William Pringle, Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
- Church of England, Articles of Religion (the Thirty-nine Articles), Article XIX.
- The Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 25.6, as adopted by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
- Catholic News Agency, “What is ‘papal infallibility?’ CNA explains an often-misunderstood Church teaching”, via Catholic World Report, 2025.
Leave a Reply