Welcome to the Gallery of Roman Pontiffs   
 

There have been 265 successors to Saint Peter, the first pope, in an unbroken line since Jesus Christ declared, "Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam" (You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.)  (Matthew 16:18).   Suffice to say, popes have comprised
magnificent saints, worthy servants of the faithful, and yes,
sometimes terrible sinners.  This should not surprise us, as even our
first pope, Saint Peter, denied Our Lord at his darkest hour, but was
still promised the fortitude of the Holy Spirit to "feed My sheep".  If
you need even more proof, just remember Jesus chose Judas Himself
to be an Apostle.  We have to take the good with the bad, and stay on
the path to heaven, because the Catholic Church is the Way to
salvation for all mankind, whether we are formally members of the
faith or not.  So enjoy perusing 2000 years of the greatest soap opera
ever conceived ... the Papacy.   (And don't miss the Cadaver Synod...) 
 

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-The Modern Era-