A Chronological List of All Popes
This chronological list of all popes begins with Peter, and it uses A.D. 30 as his start date because that is the dating used by the Roman Catholic's Annuario Pontificio, the most official list of popes that exists.
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There is, of course, no way that Peter was the bishop of Rome in A.D. 30. In fact, it's only a possibility that Jesus, who was born no later than 4 B.C., was even crucified in the year 30.
It is important to know that the pope is, by definition, the bishop of Rome. Roman Catholic theology teaches that Peter was given the keys to the kingdom by Jesus in Matthew 16:19, went to Rome later in his life, and that those keys and Peter's leadership of God's visible kingdom on earth were passed on to the bishop of Rome.
According to Roman Catholicism, each bishop of Rome inherits that authority from his predecessor.
Historically, there's no doubt this doctrine is false. (That statement may be offensive to some, but since there's no question it's true, it's important for me to tell you so.)
Most Protestants would consider Gregory the Great (590 – 604) the first pope in the list of all popes. The Institute for Catholic Culture has a very interesting series of lectures concerning the medieval papacy which argues that Pope Gregory was the first to actually possess the kind of ecclesiastic and political power that they believe the pope ought to possess.
That said, here is the chronological list of all popes, per the Roman Catholic's Annuario Pontificio. There are 263 of them, though Benedict IX is listed 3 times due to 3 non-consecutive reigns.
The dates during the 1st and 2nd centuries are very questionable. For example, Tertullian says that Clement was appointed by Peter, which would make him a bishop of Rome as of A.D. 67 at the latest.
| 30 – 64 | Peter (the apostle) |
| 64 – 78 | Linus |
| 78 – 88 | Anacletus |
| 90 – 99 | Clement I (aka Clement of Rome) |
| 99 – 106 | Evaristus |
| 106 – 116 | Alexander I |
| 116 – 125 | Sixtus I |
| 125 – 137 | Telephorus |
| 137 – 141 | Hyginus |
| 141 – 155 | Pius I |
| 155 – 166 | Anicetus |
| 166 – 175 | Soter |
| 175 – 189 | Eleutherius |
| 189 – 199 | Victor |
| 199 – 217 | Zephyrinus |
| 217 – 223 | Callistus I (Hippolytus split and formed his own congregation in Rome when Callistus took office) |
| 223 – 230 | Urban 1 |
| Jul. 230 – Sept. 235 | Pontian |
| Nov. 235 – Jan. 236 | Anterus |
| Nov. 236 – Jan. 250 | Fabian |
| Mar. 251 – Jun. 253 | Cornelius (Novatian left the church during Cornelius' reign, and Novatianism spread and lasted until late in the 4th century, when the end of persecution made their division unnecessary) |
| Jun. 253 – Mar. 254 | Lucius I |
| May 254 – Aug. 257 | Stephen I (had much dissension with St. Cyprian of Carthage over the rebaptism of heretics) |
| Aug. 257 – Aug. 258 | Sixtus II |
| Jul. 259 – Dec. 268 | Dionysius |
| Jan. 269 – Dec. 274 | Felix I |
| Jan. 275 – Dec. 283 | Eutychian |
| Dec. 283 – Apr. 296 | Caius (or Gaius) |
| Jun. 296 – Apr. 304 | Marcellinus |
| 308 – 309 | Marcellus I |
| 309 – 310 | Eusebius (NOT the historian, nor the Arius supporter) |
| Jul. 311 – Jan. 314 | Miltiades |
| Jan. 314 – Dec. 335 | Sylvester I (Council of Nicea happened, and he's the pope mentioned in the forged Donation of Constantine; Constantine was emperor during all of Sylvester's rule) |
| Jan. 336 – Oct. 336 | Mark |
| Feb. 337 – Apr. 352 | Julius I |
| May 352 – Sept. 366 | Liberius (was banished by Constantius II for 2 years from 355 to 357 for rejecting Arian doctrine and refusing to support the condemnation of Athanasius, during which time the deacon Felix, known to the Roman Catholic Church as "antipope" Felix II, was made bishop) |
| Oct. 366 – Dec. 384 | Damasus I (Ursicinus was elected pope at the same time as Damasus; Damasus won out with the support of the Roman prefect after rioting and bloodshed, and Ursicinus was banished) |
| Dec. 384 – Nov. 399 | Siricius (St. Augustine was bishop of Hippo in Africa during this time) |
| Nov. 399 – Dec. 401 | Anastasius I |
| Dec. 401 – Mar. 417 | Innocent I |
| Mar. 417 – Dec. 418 | Zosimus |
| Dec. 418 – Sept. 422 | Boniface I |
| Sept. 422 – Jul. 432 | Celestine I |
| Jul. 432 – 440 | Sixtus III |
| Sept. 440 – Nov. 461 | Leo I (the Great) |
| Nov. 461 – Feb. 468 | Hilarius |
| Mar. 468 – Mar. 483 | Simplicius |
| Mar. 483 – Mar. 492 | Felix III (Felix II was a temporary pope installed by the emperor Constantius II while Liberius was banished from 355 – 357, thus Schaff's History of the Christian Church lists this pope as Felix II and likewise drops the number on all subsequent Pope Felixes) |
| Jan. 492 – Nov. 496 | Gelasius I |
| Nov. 496 – Nov. 498 | Anastasius II |
| Nov. 498 – Jul. 514 | Symmachus |
| Jul. 514 – Jul. 523 | Hormisdas |
| Aug. 523 – May 526 | John I |
| Jul. 526 – Sept. 530 | Felix IV |
| Sept. 530 – Oct. 532 | Boniface II |
| Jan. 533 – May 535 | John II (Schaff's History of the Christian Church makes it 532, and the Catholic Encyclopedia lists the time with a question mark) |
| May 535 – Apr. 536 | Agapetus I |
| Jun. 536 – Nov. 537 | Silverius |
| Mar. 537 – Jun. 555 | Vigilius (obviously there's an overlap with Silverius, and Vigilius had some questionable circumstances surrounding his rise to the papacy) |
| Apr. 556 – Mar. 561 | Pelagius I |
| Jul. 561 – Jul. 574 | John III |
| Jun. 575 – Jul. 579 | Benedict I |
| Nov. 579 – Feb. 590 | Pelagius II |
| Sept. 590 – Mar. 604 | Gregory I (the Great; Protestant historians often consider him the first pope) |
| Sept. 604 – Feb. 606 | Sabinian |
| Feb. 607 – Nov. 607 | Boniface III |
| Aug. 608 – May 615 | Boniface IV |
| Oct. 615 – Nov. 618 | Adeodatus I |
| Dec. 619 – Oct. 625 | Boniface V |
| Oct. 625 – Oct. 638 | Honorius I |
| Oct. 638 – Aug. 640 | Severinus |
| Dec. 640 – Oct. 642 | John IV |
| Nov. 642 – May 649 | Theodore I |
| Jul. 649 – Sept. 655 | Martin I (exiled in 653 by Emperor Constans II for opposing the monothelitism—one will rather than a divine and human will in Christ—espoused by the patriarchs of Constantinople) |
| Aug. 654 – Jun. 657 | Eugene I (the overlap between Eugene and Martin is because a successor was chosen before Pope Martin I died in exile—Maybe the emperor should have had the title of pope!) |
| Jul. 657 – Jan. 672 | Vitalian |
| Apr. 672 – Jun. 676 | Adeodatus II |
| Nov. 676 – Apr. 678 | Donus |
| Jun. 678 – Jan. 681 | Agatho |
| Dec. 681 – Jul. 683 | Leo II |
| Jun. 684 – May 685 | Benedict II (Emperor Constantine IV was unavailable to approve the nomination of Benedict, so it was many months before he could be ordained) |
| Jul. 685 – Aug. 686 | John V |
| Oct. 686 – Sept. 687 | Conon |
| Dec. 687 – Sept. 701 | Sergius I |
| Oct. 701 – Jan. 705 | John VI |
| Mar. 705 – Oct. 707 | John VII |
| Jan. 708 – Feb. 708 | Sisinnius |
| Mar. 708 – Apr. 715 | Constantine |
| May 715 – Feb. 731 | Gregory II |
| Mar. 731 – Nov. 741 | Gregory III |
| Dec. 741 – Mar. 752 | Zachary |
| Mar. 752 – Mar. 752 | Pope-elect Stephen was elected but died before he could take office; included just for your information |
| Mar. 752 – Apr. 757 | Stephen II |
| May 757 – Jun. 767 | Paul I |
| Aug. 767 – Jan. 772 | Stephen III |
| Feb. 772 – Dec. 795 | Adrian I |
| Dec. 795 – Jun. 816 | Leo III |
| Jun. 816 – Jan. 817 | Stephen IV |
| Jan. 817 – Feb. 824 | Paschal I |
| May 824 – Aug. 827 | Eugene II |
| Aug. 827 – Sep. 827 | Valentine |
| 827 – Jan. 844 | Gregory IV |
| Jan. 844 – Jan. 847 | Sergius II |
| Jan. 847 – Jul. 855 | Leo IV |
| 855 – Apr. 858 | Benedict III |
| Apr. 858 – Nov. 867 | Nicholas I (the Great) |
| Dec. 867 – Dec. 872 | Adrian II |
| Dec. 872 – Dec. 882 | John VIII |
| Dec. 882 – May 884 | Marinus I |
| May 884 – Sept. 885 | Adrian III |
| 885 – Sept. 891 | Stephen V |
| Sept. 891 – Apr. 896 | Formosus |
| Apr. 896 – Apr. 896 | Boniface VI |
| May 896 – Aug. 897 | Stephen VI |
| Aug. 897 – Nov. 897 | Romanus |
| Dec. 897 – Dec. 897 | Theodore II |
| Jan. 898 – Jan. 900 | John IX |
| 900 – 903 | Benedict IV |
| Jul. 903 – Sept. 903 | Leo V |
| Jan. 904 –Apr. 911 | Sergius III (This began an awful time for the papacy, that non-Catholic historians have referred to as "the rule of the harlots"; it continued through John XII, who died in 964—link coming) |
| Apr. 911 – Jun. 913 | Anastasius III |
| Jul. 913 – Feb. 914 | Lando |
| Mar. 914 – May 928 | John x |
| May 928 – Dec. 928 | Leo VI |
| Dec 928 – Feb. 931 | Stephen VII |
| Feb. 931 – Dec. 935 | John XI |
| Jan 936 – Jul. 939 | Leo VII O. S. B. |
| Jul. 939 – Oct 942 | Stephen VIII |
| Oct 942 – May 946 | Marinus II |
| May 946 – Dec 955 | Agapetus II |
| Dec 955 – May 964 | John XII |
| May 964 – Jun 964 | Benedict V |
| July 964 – Mar 965 | Leo VIII |
| Oct 965 – Sept 972 | John XIII |
| Jan 973 – Jun 974 | Benedict VI |
| Oct 974 – Jul 983 | Benedict VII |
| Dec 983 – Aug 984 | John XIV |
| Aug 985 – Mar 996 | John XV |
| May 996 – Feb 999 | Gregory V |
| Apr 999 – May 1003 | Sylvester II |
| Jun 1003 – Dec 1003 | John XVII |
| Dec 1003 – 1009 | John XVIII |
| Jul 1009 – May 1012 | Sergius IV |
| May 1012 – Apr. 1024 | Benedict VIII |
| April 1024 – Oct 1032 | John XIX |
| 1032 – 1044 | Benedict IX |
| 1045 | Sylvester III |
| 1045 –1046 | Benedict IX |
| Apr. 1045 – Dec 1046 | Gregory VI |
| Dec 1046 – Oct 1047 | Clement II |
| Nov. 1047 – 1048 | Benedict IX |
| Jul. 1048 – Aug 1048 | Damasus II |
| Feb. 1049 – Apr. 1054 | Leo IX |
| Aug. 1057 – Mar. 1058 | Stephen IX |
| Dec 1058 – Jul. 1061 | Nicholas II |
| Sep. 1061 – Apr. 1073 | Alexander II |
| Apr. 1073 – May 1085 | Gregory VII |
| May 1086 – Sep. 1087 | Victor III |
| March 1088 – Jul. 1090 | Urban II |
| Aug 1099 –Jan 1118 | Paschal II |
| Jan 1118 – Jan. 1119 | Gelasius II |
| Feb 1119 – Dec 1124 | Calllixitus II |
| Dec 1124 – Feb. 1130 | Honorius II |
| Feb 1130 – Sep. 1143 | Innocent II |
| Sep. 1143 – Mar. 1144 | Celestine II |
| Mar. 1144 – Feb. 1145 | Lucius II |
| Feb 1145 – Jul. 1153 | Eugene III |
| Jul. 1153 – Dec. 1154 | Anastasius IV |
| Dec 1154 – Sep. 1159 | Adrian IV |
| Sept 1159 – Aug. 1181 | Alexander III |
| Sep. 1181 – Nov. 1185 | Lucius III |
| Nov. 1185 – Oct 1187 | Urban III |
| Oct 1187 – Dec 1187 | Gregory VIII |
| Dec. 1187 – Mar. 1191 | Clement III |
| Mar. 1197 – Jan. 1198 | Celestine III |
| Jan 1198 – Jul. 1216 | Innocent III |
| Jul. 1216 – Mar. 1227 | Honorius III |
| Mar. 1227 – Aug 1241 | Gregory IX |
| Oct 1241 – Nov. 1241 | Celestine IV |
| Jun. 1243 – Dec. 1254 | Innocent IV |
| Dec. 1254 – May 1261 | Alexander IV |
| Aug. 1261 – Oct 1264 | Urban IV |
| Feb. 1265 – Nov. 1268 | Clement IV |
| Sep. 1271 – Jan 1276 | Gregory X |
| Jan. 1276 – Aug. 1276 | Adrian V |
| Sep. 1276 – May 1277 | John XXI |
| Nov. 1277 – 1280 | Nicholas III |
| Feb. 1281 – Mar. 1285 | Martin IV |
| Apr. 1285 – Apr. 1287 | Honorius IV |
| Feb 1288 – Apr. 1292 | Nicholas IV |
| Jul. 1294 – Dec. 1294 | Celestine V |
| Dec. 1294 – Oct.1303 | Boniface VIII |
| Oct. 1303 – Jul. 1304 | Benedict XI |
| Jun. 1305 – Apr. 1314 | Clement V |
| Aug. 1316 – Dec 1334 | John XXII |
| Dec. 1334 – Apr. 1342 | Benedict XII |
| May 1342 – Dec. 1352 | Clement VI |
| Dec. 1252 – Sep. 1362 | Innnocent VI |
| Sep. 1362 – Dec. 1370 | Urban V |
| Dec 1370 – Mar. 1378 | Gregory XI |
| Apr. 1378 – Oct. 1389 | Urban VI |
| Nov. 1389 – Oct. 1404 | Boniface IX |
| Oct. 1404 – Nov. 1406 | Innocent VIi |
| Nov. 1406 – Jul. 1415 | Gregory XII |
| Nov. 1407 – Feb. 1431 | Martin V |
| Mar. 1432 – Feb. 1447 | Eugene IV |
| Mar. 1447 – Mar. 1455 | Nicholas V |
| Apr. 1455 – Aug. 1458 | Callixtus III |
| Aug. 1458 – Aug. 1464 | Pius II |
| Aug. 1464 – Jul. 1471 | Paul II |
| Aug. 1471 – Aug. 1484 | Sixtus IV |
| Aug. 1484 – Jul. 1492 | Innocent VIII |
| Sep. 1503 – Oct. 1503 | Pius III |
| Oct. 1503 – Feb. 1513 | Julius II |
| Mar. 1513 – Dec 1521 | Leo X |
| Jan. 1522 – Sep. 1523 | Adrian VI |
| Nov. 1523 – Sep. 1534 | Clement VII |
| Oct. 1534 – Nov. 1549 | Paul III |
| Feb. 1550 – Mar. 1555 | Julius III |
| Apr. 1555 – May 1555 | Marcellus II |
| May 1555 – Aug. 1559 | Paul IV |
| Dec. 1559 – Dec. 1565 | Pius IV |
| Jan 1566 – May 1572 | St Pius V |
| May 1572 – Apr. 1585 | Gregory XIII |
| Apr. 1585 – Aug. 1590 | Sixtus V |
| Sep. 1590 – Sep. 1590 | Urban VII |
| Dec. 1590 – Oct. 1591 | Gregory XIV |
| Oct. 1591 – Dec. 1591 | Innocent IX |
| Jan. 1592 – Mar. 1605 | Clement VIII |
| Apr. 1605 – Apr. 1605 | Leo XI |
| May 1605 – Jan. 1621 | Paul V |
| Feb. 1621 – Jul. 1623 | Gregory XV |
| Aug. 1623 – Jul. 1624 | Urban VIII |
| Sept. 1644 – Jan. 1655 | Innocent X |
| Apr. 1655 – May 1667 | Alexander VII |
| Jun. 1667 – Dec. 1669 | Clement IX |
| Apr. 1670 – Jul. 1676 | Clement X |
| Sep. 1676 – Aug. 1689 | Innocent XI |
| Oct. 1689 – Feb. 1691 | Alexander VIII |
| Jul. 1691 – Sep. 1700 | Innocent XII |
| Nov. 1700 – Mar. 1721 | Clement XI |
| May 1721 – Mar. 1724 | Innocent XIII |
| May 1724 – Feb. 1730 | Benedict XIII |
| Jul. 1730 – Feb. 1740 | Clement XII |
| Aug. 1740 – May 1758 | Benedict XIV |
| Jul. 1758 – Feb. 1769 | Clement XIII |
| May 1769 – Sep. 1774 | Clement XIV |
| Feb. 1775 – Aug. 1799 | Pius VI |
| Mar. 1800 – Aug. 1823 | Pius VII |
| Sep. 1823 – Feb. 1829 | Leo XII |
| Mar. 1829 – Dec. 1830 | Pius VIII |
| Feb. 1831 – Jun. 1846 | Gregory XVI |
| Feb. 1846 – Feb. 1878 | Pius IX |
| Feb. 1878 – Jul. 1903 | Leo XIII |
| Aug. 1903 – Aug. 1914 | St. Pius X |
| Sep. 1914 – Jan 1922 | Benedict XV |
| Feb. 1922 – Feb. 1939 | Pius XI |
| Mar. 1939 – Oct. 1958 | Pius XII |
| Oct. 1958 – Jun. 1963 | John XXIII |
| Jun. 1963 – Aug. 1978 | Paul VI |
| Aug. 1978 – Sept. 1978 | John Paul I |
| Oct. 1978 – Apr. 2005 | John Paul II |
| Apr. 2005 – Feb. 28, 2013 | Benedict XVI |
| Mar. 13, 2013 – present | Francis |
That's the chronological list of all popes. The links above are for the more controversial or more interesting stories.
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