Contents 1 Chronological list of popes 1.1 1st-5th Centuries 1.1.1 1st Century 1.1.2 2nd Century 1.1.3 3rd Century 1.1.4 4th Century 1.1.5 5th Century 1.2 6th-10th Centuries 1.2.1 6th Century 1.2.2 7th Century 1.2.3 8th Century 1.2.4 9th Century 1.2.5 10th Century 1.3 11th-15th Centuries 1.3.1 11th Century 1.3.2 12th Century 1.3.3 13th Century 1.3.4 14th Century 1.3.5 15th Century 1.4 16th-20th Centuries 1.4.1 16th Century 1.4.2 17th Century 1.4.3 18th Century 1.4.4 19th Century 1.4.5 20th Century 1.5 21st Century 2 Ages of popes 2.1 Since 1400 2.2 Oldest popes 2.3 Youngest popes 3 Notes on numbering of popes 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

For a graphical representation of this list, see list of popes (graphical).

While the term “Pope” (Latin: papa “father’”) is used in several Churches to denote their high spiritual leaders (e.g. Coptic Pope), this title in English usage can by itself refer to the head of the Catholic Church. The title itself has been used officially by the head of the Catholic Church since the tenure of Pope Siricius, although it has been first used by the Copts centuries earlier.

Hermannus Contractus may have been the first historian to number the popes continuously. His list ends in 1049 with Pope Leo IX as number 154; on that basis, the current Pope Benedict XVI would be the 267th pope.

This article comprises lists of Popes of the Catholic Church.

There is no official list of popes, however the Annuario Pontificio, published every year by the Vatican, contains a list that is generally considered to be the most authoritative. Its list is the one given here. The Annuario Pontificio list gives Benedict XVI as the 265th pope of Rome.

Several changes have been made in the list during the 20th century. Antipope Christopher was considered legitimate for a long time. Pope-elect Stephen was considered legitimate under the name Stephen II until the 1961 edition and erased then. Although these changes are no longer controversial, a number of modern lists still include this “first Pope Stephen II”. It is probable that this is because they are based on the 1913 edition of the Catholic Encyclopaedia, which is in the public domain.

The Latin Episcopus Romanus translates as Bishop of Rome.

Chronological list of popes

1st-5th Centuries

1st Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
30 to 67		Peter Saint Peter	Petrus, Head of the Church	Simon Peter שמעון בן יונה (Shimon ben Yona) Shimon Kipha CΙΜΗΟΝ ΚΗΦΑC (Simeon Kephas - Simon the Rock)	Bethsaida, Galilea	Disciple of Jesus from whom he received the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, according to Matthew 16:18-19.
post42/ante57 to 64/67(?)			Petrus, Episcopus Romanus			Executed by crucifixion upside-down; feast day (Feast of Saints Peter and Paul) 29 June, (Chair of Peter) 22 February. Recognized as the first pope by the Roman Catholic Church.
64/67(?) to 76/79(?)		Linus Saint Linus	Linus, Episcopus Romanus	Linus	Tuscia (Northern Latium)	Traditionally martyred (no evidence); Feast day 23 September
76/79(?) to 88		Anacletus (Cletus) Saint Anacletus	Anacletus, Episcopus Romanus	Anacletus	Probably Greece	Martyred; feast day 26 April
88/92 to 97/101		Clement I Saint Clement	Clemens, Episcopus Romanus		Rome	Martyred; feast day 23 November
97/99 to 105/107		Evaristus (Aristus) Saint Evaristus	Evaristus, Episcopus Romanus	Aristus		Traditionally martyred (no evidence); feast day 26 October

2nd Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
105/107 to 115/116		Alexander I Saint Alexander	Alexander, Episcopus Romanus	Alexander	Rome
115/116 to 125		Sixtus I Saint Sixtus	Xystus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome or Greece
125 to 136/138		Telesphorus Saint Telesphorus	Telesphorus, Episcopus Romanus		Greece
136/138 to 140/142		Hyginus Saint Hyginus	Hyginus, Episcopus Romanus		Greece	Traditionally martyred (no evidence); feast day 11 January
140/142 to 155		Pius I Saint Pius	Pius, Episcopus Romanus		Aquileia, Friuli, Italy	Martyred by sword; feast day 11 July
155 to 166		Anicetus Saint Anicetus	Anicetus, Episcopus Romanus		Emesa, Syria	Traditionally martyred (no evidence); feast day 17 April
c.166 to 174/175		Soter Saint Soter	Soterius, Episcopus Romanus		Fondi, Latium, Italy	Traditionally martyred; feast day 22 April
174/175 to 189</small		Eleuterus Saint Eleutherus	Eleutherius, Episcopus Romanus		Nicopoli, Epyrus	Traditionally martyred; feast day 6 May
189 to 198/199		Victor I Saint Victor	Victor, Episcopus Romanus		Northern Africa
199 to 217		Zephyrinus Saint Zephyrin	Zephyrinus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome

3rd Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
c.217 to 222/223		Callixtus I Saint Callixtus	Callistus, Episcopus Romanus			Martyred; feast day 14 October
222/223 to 230		Urban I Saint Urban	Urbanus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
21 July 230 to 28 September 235		Pontian Saint Pontian	Pontianus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
28 September 235 to 21 November 235		interregnum
21 November 235 to 3 January 236		Anterus Saint Anterus	Anterus, Episcopus Romanus		Greece
10 January 236 to 20 January 250		Fabian Saint Fabian	Fabianus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
6 March/11 March 251 to June 253		Cornelius Saint Cornelius	Cornelius, Episcopus Romanus			Died a martyr, through extreme hardship; feast day 16 September
25 June 253 to 5 March 254		Lucius I Saint Lucius	Lucius, Episcopus Romanus		Rome	Feast day 4 March
12 May 254 to 2 August 257		Stephen I Saint Stephen	Stephanus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome	Martyred by beheading; feast day 2 August
30/31 August 257 to 6 August 258		Sixtus II Saint Sixtus II	Xystus Secundus, Episcopus Romanus		Greece	Martyred by beheading
22 July 259 to 26 December 268		Dionysius Saint Dionysius	Dionysius, Episcopus Romanus		Greece	Feast day 26 December
5 January 269 to 30 December 274		Felix I Saint Felix	Felix, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
4 January 275 to 7 December 283		Eutychian Saint Eutychian	Eutychianus, Episcopus Romanus
17 December 283 to 22 April 296		Caius Saint Caius	Caius, Episcopus Romanus
30 June 296 to 1 April 304		Marcellinus Saint Marcellinus	Marcellinus, Episcopus Romanus

4th Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
308 to 309		Marcellus I Saint Marcellus	Marcellus, Episcopus Romanus
c.309 to c.310		Eusebius Saint Eusebius	Eusebius, Episcopus Romanus
2 July 311 to 11 January 314		Miltiades Melchiades Saint Miltiades	Miltiades, Episcopus Romanus		Africa	First pope after the end of the persecution of Christians through the Edict of Milan (313 AD) issued by Constantine the Great
31 January 314 to 31 December 335		Sylvester I Saint Sylvester	Silvester, Episcopus Romanus
18 January 336 to 7 October 336		Mark Saint Mark	Marcus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome	Feast day 7 October
6 February 337 to 12 April 352		Julius I Saint Julius	Iulius, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
17 May 352 to 24 September 366		Liberius	Liberius, Episcopus Romanus			Earliest Pope not yet canonized
1 October 366 to 11 December 384		Damasus I Saint Damasus	Damasus, Episcopus Romanus		Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal	First Portuguese Pope
11 December 384 to 26 November 399		Siricius Saint Siricius	Papa Siricius, Episcopus Romanus			First to employ the title “Papa” (”Pope”)
27 November 399 to 19 December 401		Anastasius I Saint Anastasius	Papa Anastasius, Episcopus Romanus

5th Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
22 December 401 to 12 March 417		Innocent I Saint Innocent	Papa Innocentius, Episcopus Romanus			Visigoth Sack of Rome (410) under Alaric
18 March 417 to 26 December 418		Zosimus Saint Zosimus	Papa Zosimus, Episcopus Romanus
28/29 December 418 to 4 September 422		Boniface I Saint Boniface	Papa Bonifacius, Episcopus Romanus
10 September 422 to 27 July 432		Celestine I Saint Celestine	Papa Coelestinus, Episcopus Romanus
31 July 432 to March/August 440		Sixtus III Saint Sixtus	Papa Xystus Tertius, Episcopus Romanus
29 September 440 to 10 November 461		Leo I Saint Leo Leo the Great	Papa Leo Magnus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome	Convinced Attila the Hun to turn back his invasion of Italy
19 November 461 to 29 February 468		Hilarius Saint Hilarius	Papa Hilarius, Episcopus Romanus
3 March 468 to 10 March 483		Simplicius Saint Simplicius	Papa Simplicius, Episcopus Romanus		Tivoli, Italy
13 March 483 to 1 March 492		Felix III Saint Felix	Papa Felix Tertius, Episcopus Romanus		Rome	Sometimes called Felix II
1 March 492 to 21 November 496		Gelasius I Saint Gelasius	Papa Gelasius, Episcopus Romanus		Africa
24 November 496 to 19 November 498		Anastasius II	Papa Anastasius Secundus, Episcopus Romanus
22 November 498 to 19 July 514		Symmachus Saint Symmachus	Papa Symmachus, Episcopus Romanus		Sardinia

6th-10th Centuries

6th Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
20 July 514 to 19 July 523		Hormisdas Saint Hormisdas	Papa Hormisdus, Episcopus Romanus		Frosinone, Southern Latium, Italy	Father of Pope Silverius
13 August 523 to 18 May 526		John I Saint John	Papa Ioannes, Episcopus Romanus		Tuscany
13 July 526 to 22 September 530		Felix IV Saint Felix	Papa Felix Quartus, Episcopus Romanus		Samnium	Sometimes called Felix III
22 September 530 to 17 October 532		Boniface II	Papa Bonifacius Secundus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome to Ostrogoth parents
2 January 533 to 8 May 535		John II	Papa Ioannes Secundus, Episcopus Romanus	Mercurius	Rome	First pope to not use personal name. This was due to Mercury being a Roman god.
13 May 535 to 22 April 536		Agapetus I Agapitus Saint Agapetus	Papa Agapetus, Episcopus Romanus			Feast days 22 April, 20 September
1 June 536 to 11 November 537		Silverius Saint Silverius	Papa Silverius, Episcopus Romanus			Exiled; feast day 20 June, son of Pope Hormisdas
29 March 537 to 7 June 555		Vigilius	Papa Vigilius, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
16 April 556 to 4 March 561		Pelagius I	Papa Pelagius, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
17 July 561 to 13 July 574		John III	Papa Ioannes Tertius, Episcopus Romanus	Catelinus
2 June 575 to 30 July 579		Benedict I	Papa Benedictus, Episcopus Romanus
26 November 579 to 7 February 590		Pelagius II	Papa Pelagius Secundus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
3 September 590 to 12 March 604		Gregory I, O.S.B. Saint Gregory Gregory the Great	Papa Gregorius Magnus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome	First to formally employ the titles “Servus servorum Dei“ and “Pontifex Maximus“

7th Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
13 September 604 to 22 February 606		Sabinian Saint Sabinian	Papa Sabinianus, Episcopus Romanus		Blera
19 February 607 to 12 November 607		Boniface III	Papa Bonifacius Tertius, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
25 August 608 to 8 May 615		Boniface IV, O.S.B. Saint Boniface	Papa Bonifacius Quartus, Episcopus Romanus		Marsi	First Pope to bear the same name as his predecessor
19 October 615 to 8 November 618		Adeodatus I	Papa Adeodatus, or Papa Deusdedit Episcopus Romanus		Rome	Sometimes called Deusdedit, and then Pope Adeodatus II is called Pope Adeodatus without a number
23 December 619 to 25 October 625		Boniface V	Papa Bonifacius Quintus, Episcopus Romanus		Naples
27 October 625 to 12 October 638		Honorius I	Papa Honorius, Episcopus Romanus
October 638 to 2 August 640	No image available	Severinus	Papa Severinus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
24 December 640 to 12 October 642		John IV	Papa Ioannes Quartus, Episcopus Romanus		Zadar, Dalmatia, now Croatia
24 November 642 to 14 May 649		Theodore I	Papa Theodorus, Episcopus Romanus		Palestine
July 649 to 16 September 655		Martin I Saint Martin	Papa Martinus, Episcopus Romanus			Feast Day 12 November
10 August 654 to 2 June 657		Eugene I Saint Eugene	Papa Eugenius, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
30 July 657 to 27 January 672		Vitalian Saint Vitalian	Papa Vitalianus, Episcopus Romanus
11 April 672 to 17 June 676		Adeodatus II, O.S.B.	Papa Adeodatus Secundus, Episcopus Romanus			Sometimes called Pope Adeodatus (without a number) when Pope Adeodatus I is called Pope Deusdedit
2 November 676 to 11 April 678		Donus	Papa Donus, Episcopus Romanus
27 June 678 to 10 January 681		Agatho Saint Agatho	Papa Agatho, Episcopus Romanus		Sicily
December 681 to 3 July 683		Leo II Saint Leo	Papa Leo Secundus, Episcopus Romanus		Sicily	Feast day 3 July
683/26 June 684 to 8 May 685		Benedict II Saint Benedict	Papa Benedictus Secundus, Episcopus Romanus			Feast day 7 May
12 July 685 to 2 August 686		John V	Papa Ioannes Quintus, Episcopus Romanus		Syria
21 October 686 to 22 September 687		Conon	Papa Conon, Episcopus Romanus
15 December 687 to 8 September 701		Sergius I Saint Sergius	Papa Sergius, Episcopus Romanus		Sicily

8th Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
30 October 701 to 11 January 705		John VI	Papa Ioannes Sextus, Episcopus Romanus		Greece
1 March 705 to 18 October 707		John VII	Papa Ioannes Septumus, Episcopus Romanus		Greece	Second Pope to bear the same name as his predecessor
15 January 708 to 4 February 708		Sisinnius	Papa Sisinnius, Episcopus Romanus		Syria
25 March 708 to 9 April 715		Constantine	Papa Constantinus, Episcopus Romanus		Syria	Last Pope to visit Greece until John Paul II in 2001
19 May 715 to 11 February 731		Gregory II Saint Gregory	Papa Gregorius Secundus, Episcopus Romanus			Feast day 11 February
18 March 731 to 28 November 741		Gregory III	Papa Gregorius Tertius, Episcopus Romanus		Syria	Third Pope to bear the same name as his predecessor
3 December 741 to 14 March/22 March 752		Zachary Saint Zachary	Papa Zacharias, Episcopus Romanus		Greece	Feast day 15 March
23 March 752 to 25 March 752 Never took office as Pope.		(Pope-Elect Stephen)	Papa Scelga Stephanus			Sometimes known as Stephen II. Died three days after his election and was never consecrated into the office of Pope as such debate remains over whether he was Pope or not. The Vatican sanctioned his addition to the list of Popes in the sixteenth century, however he was removed in 1961. As such he is not considered a Pope by the Catholic Church.
26 March 752 to 26 April 757	No image available	Stephen II	Papa Stephanus Secundus, Episcopus Romanus			Sometimes called Stephen III
29 May 757 to 28 June 767		Paul I Saint Paul	Papa Paulus, Episcopus Romanus
1 August 767 to 24 January 772		Stephen III	Papa Stephanus Tertius, Episcopus Romanus			Sometimes called Stephen IV
1 February 772 to 26 December 795		Adrian I	Papa Hadrianus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
26 December 795 to 12 June 816		Leo III	Papa Leo Tertius, Episcopus Romanus			Crowned Charlemagne Imperator Augustus on Christmas Day, 800, thereby initiating what would become the office of Holy Roman Emperor requiring the imprimatur of the pope for its legitimacy

9th Century

Pontificate	Portrait	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Notes
12 June 816 to 24 January 817		Stephen IV	Papa Stephanus Quartus, Episcopus Romanus			Sometimes called Stephen V
25 January 817 to 11 February 824		Paschal I Saint Paschal	Papa Paschalis, Episcopus Romanus		Rome
8 May 824 to August 827		Eugene II	Papa Eugenius Secundus, Episcopus Romanus		Rome