Every Pope in History: From St. Peter to Leo

The papacy, an institution stretching back nearly two millennia, represents one of history’s longest unbroken lines of leadership. From its earliest days, guiding the faithful through empires and eras, to navigating the complexities of the modern world, each pontiff has left an indelible mark on the Church and global affairs. This expansive history, encompassing saints and scholars, reformers and peacemakers, offers a unique lens through which to view human endeavor and spiritual evolution.

While the story of the papacy is vast, this deep dive will focus on the most recent custodians of St. Peter’s chair. Join us as we explore the lives, challenges, and enduring legacies of the ten newest Popes, from the turn of the 20th century to the present day, revealing the personal journeys and pivotal decisions that shaped the Catholic Church through two world wars, technological revolutions, and an ever-changing global landscape.

The 267th pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, marks a significant milestone as the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine and the first born in the United States. A dual citizen of Peru and the U.S., he is also the second pope from the Americas, following Pope Francis.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he is the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis. His pontificate has been characterized by an emphasis on humility, social justice, care for the environment, and outreach to marginalized communities.

Born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, he was a renowned theologian prior to his election and became the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign, citing advanced age. His papacy emphasized Catholic doctrine and engaged with contemporary intellectual challenges.

Born Karol Józef Wojtyła, he was the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years and a significant figure in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. His pontificate was one of the longest in history, marked by extensive international travel and a focus on human dignity.

Born Albino Luciani, he had one of the shortest papacies in history, lasting only 33 days, earning him the nickname “The Smiling Pope.” His sudden death led to much speculation but was officially attributed to a heart attack.

Born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, he oversaw the completion of Vatican II and initiated many of its reforms, including significant changes to the Mass. He was the first pope to travel extensively outside Italy and also issued the controversial encyclical “Humanae Vitae” on birth control. Source: Vatican.va, Britannica

Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, he surprised many by calling the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), which aimed to update the Catholic Church for the modern world. He was known for his warmth, simplicity, and encyclical “Pacem in Terris,” advocating for universal peace. Source: Vatican.va, Biography.com

Born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli, his papacy spanned World War II and the beginning of the Cold War, during which he worked to aid victims of the conflict and defend the Church against Communism. He defined the dogma of the Assumption of Mary.

Born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, he is noted for establishing Vatican City as an independent state through the Lateran Treaty with Italy. His encyclicals addressed social justice (“Quadragesimo Anno”) and condemned rising totalitarian regimes like Nazism and Fascism. Source: Vatican.va, Britannica

Born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, his pontificate was dominated by World War I, during which he maintained strict neutrality and worked tirelessly for peace, prisoner exchange, and humanitarian aid. He later focused on establishing peaceful relations and codified canon law.

Born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, he is known for his strong stand against modernism in the Church and for encouraging frequent reception of Holy Communion, even for children. He also initiated significant reforms in canon law and liturgical music.

• Leo XIII (1878-1903)
• Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)
• Gregory XVI (1831-46)
• Pius VIII (1829-30)
• Leo XII (1823-29)
• Pius VII (1800-23)
• Pius VI (1775-99)
• Clement XIV (1769-74)
• Clement XIII (1758-69)
• Benedict XIV (1740-58)
• Clement XII (1730-40)
• Benedict XIII (1724-30)
• Innocent XIII (1721-24)
• Clement XI (1700-21)
• Innocent XII (1691-1700)

• Alexander VIII (1689-91)
• Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)
• Clement X (1670-76)
• Clement IX (1667-69)
• Alexander VII (1655-67)
• Innocent X (1644-55)
• Urban VIII (1623-44)
• Gregory XV (1621-23)
• Paul V (1605-21)
• Leo XI (1605)
• Clement VIII (1592-1605)
• Innocent IX (1591)
• Gregory XIV (1590-91)
• Urban VII (1590)
• Sixtus V (1585-90)
• Gregory XIII (1572-85)
• St. Pius V (1566-72)
• Pius IV (1559-65)
• Paul IV (1555-59)
• Marcellus II (1555)
• Julius III (1550-55)
• Paul III (1534-49)
• Clement VII (1523-34)
• Adrian VI (1522-23)
• Leo X (1513-21)
• Julius II (1503-13)
• Pius III (1503)
• Alexander VI (1492-1503)

• Alexander VI (1492-1503)
• Innocent VIII (1484-92)
• Sixtus IV (1471-84)
• Paul II (1464-71)
• Pius II (1458-64)
• Callistus III (1455-58)
• Nicholas V (1447-55)
• Eugene IV (1431-47)
• Martin V (1417-31)
• Gregory XII (1406-15)
• Innocent VII (1404-06)
• Boniface IX (1389-1404)
• Urban VI (1378-89)
• Gregory XI (1370-78)
• Blessed Urban V (1362-70)
• Innocent VI (1352-62)
• Clement VI (1342-52)
• Benedict XII (1334-42)
• John XXII (1316-34)
• Clement V (1305-14)
• Blessed Benedict XI (1303-04)
• Boniface VIII (1294-1303)

• St. Celestine V (1294)
• Nicholas IV (1288-92)
• Honorius IV (1285-87)
• Martin IV (1281-85)
• Nicholas III (1277-80)
• John XXI (1276-77)
• Adrian V (1276)
• Blessed Innocent V (1276)
• Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)
• Clement IV (1265-68)
• Urban IV (1261-64)
• Alexander IV (1254-61)
• Innocent IV (1243-54)
• Celestine IV (1241)
• Gregory IX (1227-41)
• Honorius III (1216-27)
• Innocent III (1198-1216)
• Celestine III (1191-98)
• Clement III (1187-91)
• Gregory VIII (1187)
• Urban III (1185-87)
• Lucius III (1181-85)
• Alexander III (1159-81)
• Adrian IV (1154-59)
• Anastasius IV (1153-54)
• Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)
• Lucius II (1144-45)
• Celestine II (1143-44)
• Innocent II (1130-43)
• Honorius II (1124-30)
• Callistus II (1119-24)
• Gelasius II (1118-19)
• Paschal II (1099-1118)
• Blessed Urban II (1088-99)
• Blessed Victor III (1086-87)
• St. Gregory VII (1073-85)
• Alexander II (1061-73)
• Nicholas II (1058-61)
• Stephen X (1057-58)
• Victor II (1055-57)
• St. Leo IX (1049-54)
• Damasus II (1048)
• Benedict IX (1047-48)
• Clement II (1046-47)
• Gregory VI (1045-46)
• Benedict IX (1045)
• Sylvester III (1045)
• Benedict IX (1032-45)
• John XIX (1024-32)
• Benedict VIII (1012-24)
• Sergius IV (1009-12)
• John XVIII (1003-09)
• John XVII (1003)
• Sylvester II (999-1003)
• Gregory V (996-99)
• John XV (985-96)
• John XIV (983-84)

• St. Celestine V (1294)
• Nicholas IV (1288-92)
• Honorius IV (1285-87)
• Martin IV (1281-85)
• Nicholas III (1277-80)
• John XXI (1276-77)
• Adrian V (1276)
• Blessed Innocent V (1276)
• Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)
• Clement IV (1265-68)
• Urban IV (1261-64)
• Alexander IV (1254-61)
• Innocent IV (1243-54)
• Celestine IV (1241)
• Gregory IX (1227-41)
• Honorius III (1216-27)
• Innocent III (1198-1216)
• Celestine III (1191-98)
• Clement III (1187-91)
• Gregory VIII (1187)
• Urban III (1185-87)
• Lucius III (1181-85)
• Alexander III (1159-81)
• Adrian IV (1154-59)
• Anastasius IV (1153-54)
• Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)
• Lucius II (1144-45)
• Celestine II (1143-44)
• Innocent II (1130-43)
• Honorius II (1124-30)
• Callistus II (1119-24)
• Gelasius II (1118-19)
• Paschal II (1099-1118)
• Blessed Urban II (1088-99)
• Blessed Victor III (1086-87)
• St. Gregory VII (1073-85)
• Alexander II (1061-73)
• Nicholas II (1058-61)
• Stephen X (1057-58)
• Victor II (1055-57)
• St. Leo IX (1049-54)
• Damasus II (1048)
• Benedict IX (1047-48)
• Clement II (1046-47)
• Gregory VI (1045-46)
• Benedict IX (1045)
• Sylvester III (1045)
• Benedict IX (1032-45)
• John XIX (1024-32)
• Benedict VIII (1012-24)
• Sergius IV (1009-12)
• John XVIII (1003-09)
• John XVII (1003)
• Sylvester II (999-1003)
• Gregory V (996-99)
• John XV (985-96)
• John XIV (983-84)
• Benedict VII (974-83)
• Benedict VI (973-74)
• John XIII (965-72)
• Benedict V (964)
• Leo VIII (963-64)
• John XII (955-63)
• Agapetus II (946-55)
• Marinus II (942-46)
• Stephen IX (939-42)
• Leo VII (936-39)
• John XI (931-35)
• Stephen VIII (929-31)
• Leo VI (928)
• John X (914-28)
• Lando (913-14)
• Anastasius III (911-13)
• Sergius III (904-11)
• Leo V (903)
• Benedict IV (900-03)
• John IX (898-900)
• Theodore II (897)
• Romanus (897)
• Stephen VI (VII) (896-97)
• Boniface VI (896)
• Formosus (891-96)
• Stephen V (VI) (885-91)
• St. Adrian III (884-85)
• Marinus I (882-84)
• John VIII (872-82)
• Adrian II (867-72)
• St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)
• Benedict III (855-58)
• St. Leo IV (847-55)
• Sergius II (844-47)
• Gregory IV (827-44)
• Valentine (827)
• Eugene II (824-27)
• St. Paschal I (817-24)
• Stephen IV (V) (816-17)
• St. Leo III (795-816)
• Adrian I (772-95)
• Stephen III (IV) (767-72)
• St. Paul I (757-67)
• Stephen II (III) (752-57)
• St. Zachary (741-52)
• St. Gregory III (731-41)
• St. Gregory II (715-31)
• Constantine (708-15)
• Sisinnius (708)
• John VII (705-07)
• John VI (701-05)
• St. Sergius I (687-701)
• Conon (686-87)
• John V (685-86)
• St. Benedict II (684-85)
• St. Leo II (682-83)
• St. Agatho (678-81)
• Donus (676-78)
• Adeodatus (II) (672-76)
• St. Vitalian (657-72)
• St. Eugene I (655-57)
• St. Martin I (649-55)
• Theodore I (642-49)
• John IV (640-42)
• Severinus (640)
• Honorius I (625-38)
• Boniface V (619-25)
• St. Deusdedit, also known as St. Adeodatus I (615-18)
• St. Boniface IV (608-15)
• Boniface III (607)
• Sabinian (604-606)
• St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)
• Pelagius II (579-90)
• Benedict I (575-79)
• John III (561-74)
• Pelagius I (556-61)
• Vigilius (537-55)
• St. Silverius (536-37)
• St. Agapetus I/Agapitus I (535-36)
• John II (533-35)
• Boniface II (530-32)
• St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)
• St. John I (523-26)
• St. Hormisdas (514-23)
• St. Symmachus (498-514)
• Anastasius II (496-98)
• St. Gelasius I (492-96)
• St. Felix III (II) (483-92)
• St. Simplicius (468-83)
• St. Hilarius (461-68)
• St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61)
• St. Sixtus III (432-40)
• St. Celestine I (422-32)
• St. Boniface I (418-22)
• St. Zosimus (417-18)
• St. Innocent I (401-17)
• St. Anastasius I (399-401)
• St. Siricius (384-99)
• St. Damasus I (366-84)
• Liberius (352-66)
• St. Julius I (337-52)
• St. Marcus (336)
• St. Sylvester I (314-35)
• St. Miltiades (311-14)
• St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
• St. Marcellus I (308-309)
• St. Marcellinus (296-304)
• St. Caius/Gaius (283-296)
• St. Eutychian (275-283)
• St. Felix I (269-274)
• St. Dionysius (260-268)
• St. Sixtus II (257-258)
• St. Stephen I (254-257)
• St. Lucius I (253-54)
• St. Cornelius (251-53)
• St. Fabian (236-50)
• St. Anterus (235-36)
• St. Pontian (230-35)
• St. Urban I (222-30)
• St. Callistus I (217-22)
• St. Zephyrinus (199-217)
• St. Victor I (189-199)
• St. Eleutherius (175-189)
• St. Soter (166-175)
• St. Anicetus (155-166)
• St. Pius I (140-155)
• St. Hyginus (136-140)
• St. Telesphorus (125-136)
• St. Sixtus I/Xystus I (115-125)
• St. Alexander I (105-115)
• St. Evaristus (97-105)
• St. Clement I (88-97)
• St. Anacletus, also known as Pope Cletus (76-88)
• St. Linus (67-76)
• St. Peter (32-67)

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