Some of the most beloved or controversial popes in history

St. Peter

First Pope, 30 to 67

Simon ben Jonas was born, but Jesus’ phrase, “You are Keba (“the rock” or later, Peter) and on this rock I will build my church”, dictated the change. He was a simple fisherman from Capernaum whose life changed when a man approached the shore and called him his disciple, according to the Gospel of St. Mark. From there, Peter began to follow Jesus, and after his death, he left the city to preach the word of God in various countries, such as present-day Greece and Turkey, until he went to Rome, where he founded the first Christian community. city. It is true that Peter’s leadership may not be equal to that of current popes, but the Catholic Church considers his martyrdom to be the first.

Gregory I

Rome, 590 to 604

Gregory I was the 64th Pope in the history of the Catholic Church between the years 590 and 604. He was born in Rome in 540 and his early tastes turned to politics, attaining the office of Chamberlain of Rome but later deciding. Entered a monastery in 575 following religious life. Pope Pelagius II ordained him a deacon and sent him to Constantinople as his apostolic representative. He returned to Rome six years later and when Pelagius died, facing many challenges such as corruption, floods and shortages of essential goods, he was named as his successor. For his intelligence, wisdom and charity, he left behind a great legacy of works such as the establishment of celibacy, the introduction of the Our Father at mass, and the traditional Gregorian chant, i.e. prayer.

Gregory XI

France, 1370 to 1378

Gregory XI, Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, was born at Maumont Castle in the Diocese of Limoges-Fourches, France and was the last French and Avignon Pope, during the period when Avignon was the seat of the papacy (1309–1377). In 1377, despite the opposition of the French king and most of the cardinals, he decided to return the papal court to Rome, ending a nearly 70-year papal stay in Avignon. History tells us that during his papacy, he faced all kinds of hostility, such as crime, violence, corruption, and the emergence of new heresies, and he also fought against state abuses against the Church. His death was followed by the Western Schism, which involved two antipopes based in Avignon.

Antipope John XXIII

Florence, 1410 to 1415

Antipope John XXIII was one of many popes imposed by governments and nations against another elected pope. Contrary to what happens, these popes – only John XXIII – were not elected by the conclave, but by the will of different religious and political groups. Their function was similar to that of the Pope but in opposition. John XXIII was tried for a variety of crimes including manslaughter, rape, torture and murder, but later reports question the veracity of these charges. He was arrested in 1415 and released in 1418, he made peace with the Church and returned to live with dignity as a cardinal. It is important not to be confused with the actual Pope John XXIII, recognized by the Catholic Church, who exercised his papacy centuries later.

Alexander VI

Valence, 1492 to 1503

Alexander VI, who was elected pope in 1492, is considered one of the most corrupt popes in history for using his office to increase his family’s influence. Born in Valencia, Spain, he did not want to lead a religious life and had several relationships that produced at least six children. His family’s influence in the church – he was the son-in-law of Pope Callistus III – led him to hold important positions in the Catholic Church and later to become Pope. He is said to have taken office with the majority of the cardinals’ votes at the conclave. He also promoted several family members to important positions in the church. According to history, Rome at that time was plagued by crime and violence on the streets, but the Pope was more concerned with his bohemian life and is said to have organized revelries in the Vatican.

Julius II

Rome, 1503 to 1513

He was born in Savona, Italy, and was the son-in-law of Pope Sixtus IV, who gave him a special education, focusing heavily on religion. He was a ‘rival’ of Pope Alexander VI for his conduct, and when he was elected Pope, he made several changes to prevent the family from staying in the Papal States. But, despite criticism from one of his predecessors, Julius II had several mistresses and a proven daughter, and was accused of several indecent sexual acts. However, he left behind a great legacy in art and religious culture. He was responsible for laying the first stone of the new St. Peter’s Basilica and was a friend of Michelangelo, who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at his request. The church’s name pays tribute to his uncle, Pope Sixtus IV, who initially ordered its restoration.

Alexander VII

Siena, 1655 to 1667

He was an intellectual, a fan of architecture and art, a doctor of philosophy, theology and law. But when he was elected Pope he never imagined that he would have to deal with an epidemic. According to research from the University of Rome, the plague killed 55% of the population of Sardinia between 1656 and 1657, half of the population of Naples and 60% of Genoa. At the time, the Pope was responsible for a kind of lockdown. , closed all commercial activities in Naples indefinitely and prohibited people from visiting Rome. But this pope’s work goes further and he is largely responsible for the urban planning of Baroque Rome.

Pius VII

Cesena, 1800 to 1823

Pope Pius VII ruled during a particularly difficult time when Napoleon invaded Italy, arrested former Pope Pius VI, and sought to annex the territories of the Church. Appointed Bishop and Cardinal of Imola by the then Pope Pius VI (1758), he was elected in Venice as the new Pope (1800) as Pius VII.

Initially allied with Napoleon, they severed ties with the invasion of Italy by the French and the annexation of the Papal States (1809) by political agreement. But he was taken to Fontainebleau and forced to sign a new contract. After the defeat of Napoleon, he returned to Rome and almost all the papal states returned to him. Pius VII buried Pius VI when his remains were returned to Rome. It took place in 1802 and was the last funeral of a Pope to be celebrated by his successor, and it is now being repeated.

Pius XII

Rome, 1939 to 1958

Pius XII was a controversial pope for his role during World War II. He takes office at the outbreak of war, and there are many leaders of Jewish organizations and families of Holocaust survivors who accuse Pius XII of neglect in the face of Nazi atrocities in World War II. The Vatican, on the other hand, has another point of view and guarantees that the then Pope acted quietly to avoid the worst. But these allegations came years after his death. Until then, Pius XII is said to have sought peace and even condemned the persecution of the Jews. When the Nazis invaded Rome, the Supreme Pontiff opened the Holy See and granted citizenship to 1.5 million people. His stand is said to have prompted Hitler to threaten to kidnap him.

John Paul II

Poland, 1978 to 2005

He is one of the Catholic Church’s most beloved popes and marks a break in the cycle that hasn’t had a non-Italian pope in centuries. He was born in Poland and his religious vocation began in 1942. On May 13, 1981, he was shot and seriously wounded during an assassination attempt as he entered St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. He wrote many theological and ethical works and fought against communism in his native Poland, helping to defeat it in the world. But he criticized the rich and selfish West, giving voice to the Third World and the poor. Also known as the ‘Pilgrim Pope’, he is multilingual and one of the most traveled popes. He was canonized on May 1, 2011, by Benedict XVI, and canonized by Pope Francis on April 27, 2014.