There have been 266 Popes to date.
Early Popes (1st – 5th Century)
- St. Peter (32–64)
- St. Linus (64–76)
- St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76–88)
- St. Clement I (88–97)
- St. Evaristus (97–105)
…
(early Popes mostly served under Roman persecution; many were martyrs)
Medieval to Renaissance Popes (6th – 15th Century)
- This period includes powerful political Popes and those who commissioned massive works of art and architecture, like:
- St. Gregory I (Gregory the Great) (590–604)
- Leo III (795–816) – crowned Charlemagne
- Urban II (1088–1099) – initiated the First Crusade
- Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) (1492–1503) – controversial figure of the Renaissance
Renaissance to Modern Popes (16th – 19th Century)
- Julius II (1503–1513) – patron of Michelangelo
- Leo X (1513–1521) – pope during Martin Luther’s reformation
- Pius IX (1846–1878) – longest-serving pope (31 years)
Popes Since the Vatican Became a Country (1929–Present)
| # | Name | Papacy | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 259 | Pius XI | 1922–1939 | Italian  |
| 260 | Pius XII | 1939–1958 | Italian |
| 261 | John XXIII | 1958–1963 | Italian |
| 262 | Paul VI | 1963–1978 | Italian |
| 263 | John Paul I | 1978 (33 days) | Italian |
| 264 | John Paul II | 1978–2005 | Polish  |
| 265 | Benedict XVI | 2005–2013 | German  |
| 266 | Francis | 2013–2025 | Argentine  |
Current Status (as of April 2025)
- Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025.
- The papacy is currently vacant, awaiting the next Papal Conclave.
