Azione Romana

The popes

From St Peter to Pius XII, as the Enciclopedia Cattolica lists them in its chronology of the popes (vol. IX, 1952): 258 popes, with the antipopes beside them, in italics as printed. For each, the encyclopedia's article where it has one, and the documents we publish.

1st century

2nd century

3rd century

4th century

5th century

6th century

7th century

8th century

9th century

10th century

11th century

12th century

13th century

14th century

15th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

* The start of the reign was not canonical: the encyclopedia marks the dates so. † Dioscorus (530) and Celestine II (1124) are printed in brackets, but the encyclopedia counts them among the popes.

The antipopes follow the article Antipope, which divides them into authentic, doubtful and so-called (rivals who caused no true schism). Stephen, elected in 752 and dead before his consecration, “historically and juridically is not a pope”.

Pope Joan is not in the list: the encyclopedia treats her as a legend, “a typical example of how a legend is born, develops and declines”.

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