Introduction to the Popes
Welcome to this comprehensive course on the Popes, the leaders of the Catholic Church whose office is one of the oldest continuing institutions in the world.
The term Pope derives from the Greek pappas ("father") and designates the Bishop of Rome, who is seen by Catholics as the Vicar of Christ and the spiritual successor to Saint Peter, the first of the Apostles. Starting from the early years after the death of Jesus Christ, when Popes secretly ministered during Roman persecution, the institution gradually grew in power. Important figures like Leo the Great (5th Century) established papal authority, while others like Innocent III (13th Century) wielded immense political and temporal influence throughout the Middle Ages. Our journey will trace this history from the foundational Apostolic Era, through periods of schism and reformation, and into the modern age where Popes like John XXIII and John Paul II guided the Church's relationship with the contemporary world.
