[[Europe]] | [[Vatican City (Rome, Italy)]] | [[Italy]] | [[Washington, D.C.]] | [[London]] | [[The Roman Catholic Church]] | [[Black Nobility]] | [[The Apocrypha]] | [[The Bible]] | [[Sistine Chapel]] | [[Rome]] | [[Michelangelo (1475-1564)]] | [[The Council of Rome]] | [[1920s]] | [[St Peter's Basilica]] # The Vatican: The World's Smallest Country That Runs a Global Empire The Vatican City State is 109 acres of Renaissance architecture, priceless art, bureaucratic intrigue, and concentrated political power sitting in the middle of Rome. It's the world's smallest independent country by both area and population (around 800 people), yet it governs 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, controls wealth estimated in the tens of billions, operates one of the world's most sophisticated diplomatic networks, and has been at the center of scandals ranging from Nazi gold to child abuse cover-ups to financial corruption that would make a Wall Street banker blush. The Vatican is simultaneously a museum, a government, a church headquarters, and a medieval theocracy that somehow survived into the 21st century while maintaining enough political relevance that world leaders still show up to kiss the Pope's ring. What makes the Vatican genuinely bizarre is the gap between its physical insignificance and its global influence. This tiny city-state has no military worth mentioning, no natural resources, no industry, and fewer people than most American high schools. Yet it maintains embassies in over 180 countries, its leader addresses the UN General Assembly, and when the Pope speaks on moral issues, hundreds of millions of people at least pretend to listen. The Vatican is proof that soft power, accumulated over two millennia, can matter more than hard power—and also proof that institutional inertia can keep fundamentally medieval power structures functioning long after they should have collapsed into irrelevance. ## How the Vatican Became a Country The Vatican as an independent state is shockingly recent—it only dates to 1929. But to understand how we got there requires going back to when the Catholic Church went from being a persecuted sect to controlling half of Italy. For Christianity's first three centuries, there was no Vatican, no papal state, and no political power—just persecuted communities scattered across the Roman Empire. Then Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 CE, and within decades it became the empire's favored religion. The Bishop of Rome—the Pope—gained increasing prestige as the successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus supposedly appointed as the church's foundation. When the Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476 CE, the papacy filled the power vacuum. The Donation of Constantine, a document supposedly from Emperor Constantine giving the Pope sovereignty over Rome and the western empire, was used to justify papal political power. Problem: the Donation was a forgery, proven fake in the 15th century, but by then the Papal States had existed for centuries and the forgery's exposure didn't undo them. The Papal States at their peak controlled roughly 16,000 square miles across central Italy—about the size of Denmark. Popes were simultaneously spiritual leaders of Catholicism and temporal monarchs ruling actual territory with armies, taxes, courts, and all the apparatus of government. They fought wars, formed alliances, schemed, murdered rivals, fathered illegitimate children they appointed to positions of power, and generally behaved like any other Renaissance prince except with more impressive hats. This dual role created constant tensions. Should the Pope focus on spiritual leadership or territorial defense? Should he forgive enemies as Christ commanded or execute them for treason? Should he model humility or maintain the magnificence expected of a major monarch? Different popes answered differently, but the political responsibilities often overwhelmed the spiritual ones. Italian unification in the 19th century destroyed the Papal States. Between 1859 and 1870, the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont, led by figures like Cavour and Garibaldi, conquered and unified Italy. The Papal States were absorbed piece by piece. In 1870, Italian forces captured Rome itself, and Pope Pius IX retreated into the Vatican, declaring himself a "prisoner" and refusing to recognize the Italian state's legitimacy. For 59 years, from 1870 to 1929, there was no Vatican City State. The Pope controlled only the Vatican buildings themselves through a sort of mutual understanding with Italy, but there was no formal arrangement and the "Roman Question" of the Pope's political status remained unresolved. Enter Benito Mussolini. Il Duce, despite being an atheist, recognized the political value of resolving the conflict. In 1929, the Lateran Treaty between Mussolini's Italy and Pope Pius XI created Vatican City State as an independent entity. Italy recognized the Vatican's sovereignty and paid compensation for the Papal States' loss. The Pope recognized the Kingdom of Italy and accepted confinement to 109 acres. Why did the Pope accept this? Because having a tiny independent state provided international legal standing, guaranteed the Pope's freedom to govern the worldwide church without Italian interference, and restored (in miniature) the temporal sovereignty the papacy had lost. Vatican City exists not because it makes sense as a country but because it solved a political problem neither side could resolve any other way. ## What the Vatican Actually Controls Vatican City State proper is absurdly small—you can walk across it in 20 minutes. It contains: **St. Peter's Basilica**, the world's largest church, built over the tomb where Peter was supposedly buried. The current building, completed in 1626, took over 120 years to build and involved architects including Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini. The dome, designed by Michelangelo, dominates Rome's skyline. The basilica can hold 60,000 people and contains masterpieces including Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's baldacchino over the high altar. **The Sistine Chapel**, where popes are elected and where Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes and Last Judgment wall painting represent some of Western art's highest achievements. The chapel serves as the papal chapel and the conclave meeting place. When white smoke emerges from its chimney, it means a new pope has been elected. **The Apostolic Palace**, the Pope's official residence, though the current Pope Francis lives in a Vatican guesthouse, rejecting the palace's luxury. The palace contains the papal apartments, offices of Vatican administration, and various museums and galleries. **Vatican Museums**, containing one of the world's greatest art collections—works by Raphael, Caravaggio, Leonardo, Giotto, and countless others, plus Egyptian and Etruscan antiquities, classical sculptures, and religious artifacts. The museums attract over 6 million visitors annually, generating significant revenue. **Vatican Gardens**, covering over half the Vatican's territory, containing fountains, monuments, and Renaissance through modern landscaping. These are private, not open to public without special permission. **Vatican Radio**, **Vatican Television Center**, and **Vatican Publishing House**, which produce and distribute the Pope's messages worldwide in dozens of languages. **The Vatican Secret Archives** (recently renamed the Apostolic Archives because "secret" sounded suspicious even though it just meant "private"), containing over 50 miles of shelving with documents dating back over a thousand years. Scholars can access most materials over 75 years old, though some sections remain closed. But the Vatican's real power extends far beyond its 109 acres. The Holy See—the church's governing body, technically distinct from Vatican City State—controls: **The Roman Curia**, the church's central administration, consisting of various congregations, councils, tribunals, and offices managing everything from doctrine to saints to bishops to canon law. This is where the actual work of governing 1.4 billion Catholics happens. **Diplomatic relations** with 183 countries through apostolic nuncios (papal ambassadors). The Holy See has permanent observer status at the UN, allowing it to participate in debates without voting. **The worldwide church hierarchy**—thousands of bishops, tens of thousands of parishes, hundreds of thousands of priests and religious, operating schools, hospitals, charities, and universities globally. The Vatican doesn't micromanage this empire but maintains ultimate authority through episcopal appointments and doctrinal control. **Significant financial assets**—estimates vary wildly because the Vatican's finances are opaque, but conservative estimates suggest tens of billions in real estate, investments, art, and other holdings. The Vatican Bank (Institute for the Works of Religion) manages assets for clergy and religious orders globally. ## How the Vatican Actually Works The Vatican operates as an absolute elective monarchy—the Pope holds supreme legislative, executive, and judicial power within Vatican City and supreme spiritual authority over the worldwide Catholic Church. There's no constitution limiting his power, no legislature he can't override, and no court that can overrule him. It's the last absolute monarchy in Europe, operating openly as a system most countries abandoned centuries ago. The Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals—currently about 120-130 cardinals under age 80 who can vote. When a pope dies or resigns (rare—Benedict XVI in 2013 was the first resignation in 600 years), the cardinals gather in conclave, isolated in the Sistine Chapel until they elect a successor. Voting continues until someone receives a two-thirds majority. Historically, conclaves have involved intrigue, factions, politicking, and occasionally lasted months. Modern conclaves are faster but still political—different factions (conservatives vs. reformers, Europeans vs. non-Europeans, different theological priorities) negotiate and compromise until a candidate emerges. The elected Pope holds office for life with absolute authority. He appoints cardinals (who will elect his successor, allowing popes to influence the future), appoints bishops (controlling the church hierarchy), defines doctrine (within limits—he can't contradict previous established dogma), and makes policy (on issues from clerical celibacy to relations with other religions). The Roman Curia executes the Pope's will through various departments: **The Secretariat of State**, headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, functions like a prime minister and foreign minister combined, handling internal administration and international relations. **Congregations** handle specific areas: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (the modern inquisition, ensuring doctrinal orthodoxy), the Congregation for Bishops (managing episcopal appointments), the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (overseeing missions), and others covering everything from saints to clergy to education. **Tribunals** handle canonical legal matters including marriage annulments (the Rota), clergy discipline, and interpretation of church law. **Councils** advise on specific areas like Christian unity, interreligious dialogue, laity, family, and culture. This bureaucracy employs thousands globally, with about 2,400 working in Vatican City itself. They're mostly laypeople despite the church being run by clergy at the top. The Vatican operates in Italian primarily, though Latin remains the official language and multilingualism is common given the global workforce. ## The Money: Where It Comes From and Where It Goes Vatican finances are intentionally opaque, but we know some things: **Revenue sources** include: Peter's Pence—voluntary donations from Catholics worldwide given directly to the Pope. This raised about $50 million annually in recent years, though it's declined as financial scandals damaged trust. Museum admissions—over 6 million annual visitors paying €17+ each generates $100+ million. Vatican City State revenue—from tourism, post office sales (Vatican stamps are collectible), publications, and commercial properties. Investment income—the Vatican has substantial investment portfolios generating returns, though losses from bad investments and scandals have reduced this. **Expenditures** include: Salaries for Vatican employees—relatively low by Western standards but with benefits including subsidized housing and goods. Maintaining properties—St. Peter's Basilica alone requires constant restoration and preservation work. Supporting the Curia and global church operations. Charitable giving—the Pope distributes funds to churches and charities globally, though the amounts are unclear. The Vatican's total operating budget is estimated around $300-400 million annually, with deficits common. But this is just Vatican City State—the worldwide church's finances are vastly larger and mostly not under direct Vatican control. Individual dioceses, religious orders, and institutions control their own assets. ## The Scandals: An Institution That Protects Itself The Vatican has been at the center of multiple massive scandals that reveal how a closed, secretive institution prioritizes self-preservation over justice or accountability. **The sexual abuse crisis** represents the Vatican's greatest moral catastrophe. For decades, bishops worldwide systematically covered up clergy sexual abuse of minors, moving predator priests to new parishes where they could abuse again, threatening victims into silence, and prioritizing the church's reputation over children's safety. When the crisis exploded publicly in the early 2000s (though journalists and victims had been raising alarms for decades), the Vatican's response was defensive and legalistic rather than repentant. The scale is staggering: tens of thousands of victims globally, thousands of abuser priests, cover-ups involving bishops and cardinals, and evidence that Vatican officials knew and did nothing. Internal documents showed the Vatican viewed abuse primarily as a public relations problem rather than a moral crisis requiring justice for victims. Pope Benedict XVI took some steps toward accountability, but real reform came slowly. Pope Francis established procedures for removing bishops who covered up abuse and created tribunals to hear cases, but critics argue he hasn't gone far enough, pointing to protective moves like refusing to release documents or accepting bishops' resignations without acknowledging why. **Vatican Bank scandals** have been recurring for decades. The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR) has been implicated in money laundering, working with the Mafia, hiding assets for corrupt politicians, and facilitating tax evasion. In 1982, Roberto Calvi, chairman of Banco Ambrosiano which had close IOR ties, was found hanged under London's Blackfriars Bridge in a murder staged as suicide. His bank had collapsed amid fraud involving the IOR, and his death remained officially unsolved for years before being ruled murder. The Vatican Bank operated with minimal oversight, making it attractive for anyone wanting to hide money. Reforms under recent popes have supposedly cleaned things up, but the bank remains controversial and secretive. **The Vatileaks scandals** saw confidential Vatican documents leaked to journalists, revealing internal corruption, power struggles, and financial mismanagement. Paolo Gabriele, Pope Benedict's personal butler, was arrested for leaking documents in 2012. He claimed to be exposing corruption, was convicted, and Benedict later pardoned him. But the leaks demonstrated that Vatican governance was dysfunctional, with factions fighting for control and financial irregularities throughout the Curia. **Real estate and financial deals** have involved questionable investments including a London luxury apartment building purchased with funds meant for charity. Vatican financial managers allegedly paid enormous sums to middlemen, with some money possibly ending up in personal accounts. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a senior Vatican official, was charged with embezzlement and other financial crimes in 2021 in connection with these deals. **Relations with fascism** during World War II remain controversial. Pope Pius XII stayed publicly neutral while privately facilitating some rescue efforts for Jews but refusing to explicitly condemn the Holocaust. After the war, Vatican officials helped Nazi war criminals escape to South America through "ratlines"—networks providing false documents and passage. Whether the Vatican's wartime stance represented necessary diplomacy in impossible circumstances or moral failure continues being debated. ## Why the Vatican Still Matters Given all this—the scandals, the medieval governance structure, the declining religious practice in the West—why does the Vatican still matter? **Soft power through moral authority**: When the Pope speaks on issues like poverty, peace, or climate change, world leaders listen even if they don't follow his advice. The Vatican can't send armies but can influence global debates through moral persuasion. **Diplomatic network**: The Holy See's diplomatic relations provide intelligence gathering and mediation capabilities. Vatican diplomats have facilitated peace negotiations, prisoner exchanges, and backchannel communications between hostile nations. The Vatican's neutrality and longevity make it useful for mediation. **Cultural influence**: The Vatican Museums, archives, and art collections represent irreplaceable world heritage. Scholars need access to Vatican archives for historical research. The Vatican's restoration work preserves art and architecture for humanity. **Religious leadership**: For 1.4 billion Catholics, the Vatican provides doctrinal guidance, pastoral direction, and institutional structure. While many Catholics ignore Vatican teaching on issues like contraception, the institution still shapes their religious identity. **Symbolic importance**: The Vatican represents institutional continuity stretching back two millennia. It's a living connection to ancient Rome, medieval Christendom, Renaissance culture, and modern globalization. That continuity has value beyond immediate political relevance. **Financial and real estate power**: The Vatican and the worldwide church control enormous wealth in property, investments, and assets. This generates influence in financial markets and real estate development globally. ## The Future: Irrelevance or Adaptation? The Vatican faces existential questions about its future relevance: In Europe and North America, Catholic practice is collapsing. Churches close, seminaries empty, and younger generations abandon organized religion. The scandals accelerated decline by destroying trust in church leadership. The Vatican's moral authority—always its primary source of power—has been severely damaged. In Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Catholicism is growing, but these churches want more autonomy and influence. The Vatican remains Eurocentric in culture and governance despite the global South having the majority of Catholics. Future popes will likely come from outside Europe, shifting the Vatican's orientation. The absolute monarchy governance model is increasingly anachronistic. Calls for transparency, accountability, and shared governance challenge the papal monarchy's foundations. Can the Vatican reform itself or will it defend traditional structures until they become irrelevant? The financial scandals and corruption raise questions about whether the Vatican can be trusted as a moral voice while its own house isn't in order. Reform efforts under Francis have made progress but face resistance from entrenched interests. The Vatican could become primarily a museum and historical curiosity, maintaining independence but losing global relevance as secularization advances. Or it could adapt, reform, and find new sources of moral authority relevant to 21st-century concerns like inequality, climate change, and peace. The institution has survived for two millennia by adapting while claiming unchanging truth, so betting on its irrelevance would be premature. ## Conclusion: A Medieval Anachronism That Refuses to Die The Vatican is profoundly weird—a tiny theocratic monarchy in the heart of Europe, operating openly with power structures that would be unthinkable anywhere else, claiming spiritual authority over a billion people while scandals reveal corruption and abuse, maintaining diplomatic relations with modern democracies while being governed as an absolute monarchy, and somehow remaining relevant despite everything about it seeming like it should have become obsolete centuries ago. It survives through institutional inertia, accumulated soft power, the genuine faith of billions who see it as Christ's church on earth, and the practical impossibility of dismantling an institution that's embedded in global governance, owns priceless cultural heritage, and controls property and assets worldwide. The Vatican is simultaneously inspiring and corrupt, culturally invaluable and morally compromised, spiritually significant and politically cynical. Whether it represents continuity of faith stretching back to Peter or a corrupt medieval power structure that's somehow survived into the 21st century depends on your perspective. What's undeniable is that 109 acres of Renaissance palaces in the middle of Rome still matter globally despite having no good reason to, proving that institutional power, carefully cultivated over two millennia, can persist long after the sources of that power should have disappeared. The Vatican is history that refuses to stay historical, medieval structures that refuse to acknowledge the Middle Ages ended, and a church that insists it's eternal while clearly being shaped by very temporal political calculations. And somehow, it's still here, still relevant, and still convinced it's going to outlast all of us. Given its track record, betting against it would be unwise. # History of Popes ## 1st Century Popes [[Pope St. Peter, Ptrvs]] [[Pope St Linus, Linvs]] [[Pope St Anacletus, Anacletvs]] [[Pope St Clement I, Clemens]] [[Pope St Evaristus, Evaristvs]] ## 2nd Century Popes [[St Alexander I, Alexander]] [[St Sixtus I, Syxtvs]] [[St Telephorus, Telesphorvs]] [[St Hyginus, Hyginvs]] [[St Pius I, Pivs]] [[St Anicetus, Anicetvs]] [[St Soter, Soterivs]] [[St Eleutherius, Elevtherivs]] [[St Victor I, Victor]] [[St Zephyrinus, Zephrynivs]] [[Pope Natalius, Natalivs]] ## [[3rd Century]] Popes [[St Callixtus I, Callixtvs]] [[St Hoppolytus, Hippolytvs]] [[St Urban I, Vrbanvs]] [[St Pontian, Pontianvs]] [[St Anterus, Antervs]] [[St Fabian, Fabianvs]] [[St Cornelius, Cornelivs]] [[Pope Novatian, Novatianvs]] [[St Lucis I, Lucivs]] [[St Stephen I, Stephanvs]] [[St Sixtus II, Syxtvs Secundus]] [[St Dionysius, Dionysivs]] [[St Felix I, Felix]] [[St Eutychian, Evtychianvs]] [[St Caius, Caivs]] [[St Marcellinus, Macellinvs]] ## 4th Century Popes [[St Marcellus I, Marcellvs]] [[St Eusebius, Evsebivs]] [[St Melchiades, Miltiades]] [[St Sylvester I, Silvester]] [[St Mark, Marcvs]] [[St Julius I, Ivlivs]] [[Pope Liberius, Liberivs]] [[Pope Felix II, Felix Secundus]] [[St Damascus, Damasvs]] [[Ursinus, Vrsinvs]] [[St Siricius, Siricivs]] [[St Anastasius, Anastasivs]] ## 5th Century Popes [[St Innocent I, Innocentivs]] [[St Zosimus, Zosimvs]] [[Pope Eulalius, Evlalivs]] [[St Boniface, Bonifacivs]] [[St Celestine I, Caelestinvs]] [[St Sixtus III, Syxtvs Tertius]] [[St Leo I 'the Great' Leo Magnvs]] [[St Hilary, Hilarivs]] [[St Simplicius, Simplicivs]] [[St Felix III, Felix Tertius]] [[St Gelasius, Gelasivs]] [[Pope Anastasius II, Anastasivs Secundus]] [[St Symmachus, Symmachvs]] [[Pope Laurence, Lavrentivs]] ## 6th Century Popes [[St Hormisdas, Hormisdas]] [[St John I, Ioannes]] [[St Felix IV, Quartus]] [[Pope Boniface II, Bonifacivs Secundus]] [[Pope Dioscore, Dioscorvs]] [[Pope John II, Ioannes Secundus]] [[St Agapetus I, Agapetvs]] [[St Silverus, Silverivs]] [[Vigilius, Vigilivs]] [[Pope Pelagius I, Pelagivs]] [[Pope John III, Ioannes Tertius]] [[Pope Benedict I, Benedictvs]] [[Pope Pelagius II, Pelagivs Secundus]] [[St Gregory I 'the Great', Gregorivs Magnvs]] ## 7th Century Popes [[Sabinian, Sabinianvs]] [[Pope Boniface III, Bonifacivs Tertius]] [[St Boniface IV, Bonifacivs Quartus]] [[St Adeodatus I, Adeodatvs]] [[Pope Boniface V, Boniface Quintus]] [[Pope Honorius I, Honorivs]] [[Severinus, Severinvs]] [[Pope John IV, Ioannes Quartus]] [[Theodore I, Theodorvs]] [[St Martin I, Martinvs]] [[St Eugene I, Evgenivs]] [[St Vitalian, Vitalianvs]] [[Pope Adeodatus II, Adeodatvs Secundus]] [[Pope Donus, Donvs]] [[St Agatho, Agatho]] [[St Leo II, Leo Secundus]] [[St Benedict II, Benedictvs Secundus]] [[Pope John V, Ioannes Quintus]] [[Pope Conon]] [[St Sergius I, Sergivs]] ## 8th Century Popes [[Pope John VI, Ioannes Sextus]] [[Pope John VII, Ioannes Septimus]] [[Sisinnius, Sisinnivs]] [[Pope Constantine, Constantinvs]] [[St Gregory II, Gregorivs Secundus]] [[St Gregory III, Gregorivs Tertius]] [[St Zachary, Zacharias]] [[Stephen, Stephanus]] [[Stephen II, Stephanvs Secundus]] [[St Paul I, Pavlvs]] [[St Stephen III, Stephanvs Tertius]] [[Pope Adrian I, Hadrianvs]] [[St Leo III, Leo Tertius]] ## 9th Century Popes [[Stephen IV, Stephanvs Quartus]] [[St Paschal, Paschalis]] [[Pope Eugene II, Evgenivs Secundus]] [[Valentine, Valentinvs]] [[Pope Gregory IV, Gregorivs Quartus]] [[Sergius II, Sergivs Secundus]] [[St Leo IV, Leo Quartus]] [[Pope Benedict III, Benedictvs Tertius]] [[St Nicholas 'the Great', Nicolavs Magnvs]] [[Pope Adrian II]] [[Pope John VIII]] [[Pope Marinus I]] [[Pope St Adrian III]] [[Pope Stephen V]] [[Pope Formosus]] [[Pope Boniface VI]] [[Pope Stephe VI]] [[Pope Romanus]] [[Pope Theodore II]] [[Pope John IX]] [[Pope Benedict IV]] ## 10th Century Popes [[Pope Leo V]] [[Pope Christopher]] [[Pope Sergius III]] [[Pope Anastasius III]] [[Pope Lando]] [[Pope John X]] [[Pope Leo VI]] [[Pope Stephen VII]] [[Pope John XI]] [[Pope Leo VII]] [[Pope Stephen VIII]] [[Pope Marinus II]] [[Pope Agapetus II]] [[Pope John XII]] [[Pope Leo VIII]] [[Pope John XII]] [[Pope Benedict V]] [[Pope Leo VIII]] [[Pope John XIII]] [[Pope Benedict VI]] [[Pope Boniface VII]] [[Pope Benedict VII]] [[Pope John XIV]] [[Pope Boniface VII]] [[Pope John XV]] [[Pope Gregory V]] [[Pope John XVI]] [[Pope Sylvester II]] ## 11th Century Popes [[Pope John XVII]] [[Pope John XVIII]] [[Pope Sergius IV]] [[Pope Gregory VI]] [[Pope Benedict VIII]] [[Pope John XIX]] [[Pope Benedict IX]] [[Pope Sylvester III]] [[Pope Benedict IX]] [[Pope Gregory VI]] [[Pope Clement II]] [[Pope Benedict IX]] [[Pope Damascus II]] [[Pope St Leo IX]] [[Pope St Victor II]] [[Pope Stephen IX]] [[Pope Benedict X]] [[Pope Nicholas II]] [[Pope Honorius II]] [[Pope Alexander II]] [[Pope St Gregory VII]] [[Pope Clement III]] [[Pope Victor III]] [[Pope Urban II]] [[Pope Paschal II]] [[Pope Theodoricvs]] ## 12th Century Popes [[Pope Adalbert]] [[Pope Sylvester IV]] [[Pope Gelasius II]] [[Pope Gregory VIII]] [[Pope Callixtus II]] [[Pope Celestine II]] [[Pope Honorius II]] [[Pope Innocent II]] [[Pope Anacletus II]] [[Pope Victor IV]] [[Pope Celestine II]] [[Pope Lucius II]] [[Pope Eugene III]] [[Pope Anastasius IV]] [[Pope Adrian IV]] [[Pope Alexander III]] [[Pope Victor IV]] [[Pope Paschal III]] [[Pope Callixtus III]] [[Pope Innocent III]] [[Pope Lucius III]] [[Pope Urban III]] [[Pope Gregory VIII]] [[Pope Clement III]] [[Pope Celestine III]] [[Pope Innocent III]] ## 13th Century Popes [[Pope Honorius III]] [[Pope Gregory IX]] [[Pope Celestine IV]] [[Pope Innocent IV]] [[Pope Alexander IV]] [[Pope Urban IV]] [[Pope Clement IV]] [[Pope Gregory X]] [[Pope Innocent V]] [[Pope Adrian V]] [[Pope John XXI]] [[Pope Nicholas III]] [[Pope Martin IV]] [[Pope Honorius IV]] [[Pope Nicholas IV]] [[Pope Celestine V]] [[Pope Boniface VIII]] ## 14th Century Popes [[Pope Benedict XI]] [[Pope Clement V]] [[Pope John XXII]] [[Pope Nicholas V]] [[Pope Benedict XII]] [[Pope Clement VI]] [[Pope Innocent VI]] [[Pope Urban V]] [[Pope Gregory XI]] [[Pope Urban VI]] [[Pope Clement VII]] [[Pope Benedict XIII]] [[Pope Boniface IX]] ## 15th Century Popes [[Pope Innocent VII]] [[Pope Gregory XII]] [[Pope Alexander V]] [[Pope John XXII]] [[Pope Martin V]] [[Pope Clement VIII]] [[Antipope Benedict XIV]] [[Pope Eugene IV]] [[Pope Felix V]] [[Pope Nicholas V]] [[Pope Callixtus III]] [[Pope Pius II]] [[Pope Paul II (1417-1471)]] [[Pope Sixtus IV]] [[Pope Innocent VIII]] [[Pope Alexander VI]] ## 16th Century Popes [[Pope Pius III]] [[Pope Julius II]] [[Pope Leo X]] [[Pope Adrian VI]] [[Pope Clement VII]] [[Pope Paul III]] [[Pope Julius III]] [[Pope Marcellus II]] [[Pope Paul IV]] [[Pope Pius IV]] [[Pope Pius V]] [[Pope Gregory XIII]] [[Pope Sixtus V]] [[Pope Urban VII]] [[Pope Gregory XIV]] [[Pope Innocent IX]] [[Pope Clement VIII]] ## 17th Century Popes [[Pope Leo XI]] [[Pope Paul V]] [[Pope Gregory XV]] [[Pope Urban VIII]] [[Pope Innocent X]] [[Pope Alexander VII]] [[Pope Clement IX]] [[Pope Clement X]] [[Pope Bl. Innocent XI]] [[Pope Alexander VIII]] [[Pope Innocent XII]] ## 18th Century Popes [[Pope Clement XI]] [[Pope Innocent XIII]] [[Pope Benedict XIII]] [[Pope Clement XII]] [[Pope Benedict XIV]] [[Pope Clement XIII]] [[Pope Clement XIV]] [[Pope Pius VI]] ## 19th Century Popes [[Pope Pius VII]] [[Pope Leo XII]] [[Pope Pius VIII]] [[Pope Gregory XVI]] [[Pope Pius IX]] [[Pope Leo XIII]] ## 20th Century Popes [[Pope St Pius X]] [[Pope Benedict XV]] [[Pope Pius XI]] [[Pope Ven. Pius XII]] [[Pope St John XXII]] [[Pope St Paul VI]] [[Pope John Paul I]] [[Pope John Paul II]] ## 21st Century Popes [[Pope Benedict XVI]] [[Pope Francis]] [[Pope Leo XIV]]