Since the institution of the Universal Church by Jesus (in Greek: Katholikos or Catholic) our Catholic faith has remained firmly grounded in the Gospels and written by Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus instituted the
seat of Peter which is still in place today with our current Pope, Benedict XVI. You can view our Papal history beginning with our first Pope, the Apostle, St. Peter (see St. Matthew 16:16-30):
PAPAL HISTORY
1. St. Peter, who died in the year 64 or 67
2. St. Linus, 67 to 76
3. St. Cletus of Anacletus, 76 to 88
4. St. Clement 1, 88 to 97
5. St. Evaristus, 97 to 105
6. St. Alexander I, 105 to 115
7. St. Sixtus I, 115 to 125
8. St. Telesphorus, 125 to 136
9. St. Hyginus, 136 to 140
10. St. Pius I, 140 to 155
11. St. Anicetus, 155 to 166
12. St. Soter, 166 to 175
13. St. Eleutherius, 175 to 189
14. St. Victor I, 189 to 199
15. St. Zephyrinus, 199 to 217
16. St. Callistus I, 217 to 222 and
16. St. Hyppolytus, 217 to 235
17. St. Urban I, 222 to 230
18. St. Pontian, July 21, 230 to Sept. 28, 235
19. St. Anterus, Nov. 21, 235 to Jan. 3, 236
20. St. Favian, Jan. 10, 236 to Jan. 20, 250
21. Novatian, 251 and
21. St. Cornelius, March 251 to June, 253
22. St. Lucius I, June 25, 253 to March 5, 254
23. St. Stephen I, May 12, 254 to Aug. 2, 257
24. St. Sixtus II, Aug. 30, 257 to Aug. 6, 258
25. St. Dionysius, July 22, 259 to Dec. 26, 268
26. St. Felix I, Jan. 5, 269 to Dec. 30, 274
27. St. Eutychian, Jan. 4, 275 to Dec. 7, 283
28. St. Caius, Dec. 17, 283 to April 22, 296
29. St. Marcellinus, Jun. 30, 296 to Oct. 25, 304
30. St. Marcellus I, May 27, 308 to Jan. 16, 309
31. St. Eusebius, Apr. 18, 309 to Aug. 17, 309
32. St. Miltiades, July 2, 311 to Jan. 11, 314
33. St. Sylvester, Jan. 31, 314 to Dec. 31, 335
34. St. Mark, Jan. 18, 336 to Oct. 7, 336
35. St. Julius I, Feb. 6, 337 to April 12, 352
36. Liberius, May 17, 352 to Sep. 24, 366 and
36. Felix II, 355 to Nov. 22, 365
37. St. Damasus, Oct. 1, 366 to Dec. 11, 384 and
37. Ursinus, 366 to 367
38. St. Siricius, Dec. 15/22/29, 384 to Nov. 26, 399
39. St. Anastasius I, Nov. 27, 399 to Dec. 19, 401
40. St. Innocent I, Dec. 22, 401 to Mar. 12, 417
41. St. Zosimus, Mar. 18, 417 to Dec. 26, 418
42. St. Boniface I, Dec. 28/29, 418 to Sep. 4, 422 and
42. Eulalius, Dec. 27 or 29, 418 to 419
43. St. Celestine I, Sep. 10, 422 to Jul. 27, 432
44. St. Sixtus III, Jul. 31, 432 to Aug. 19, 440
45. St. Leo I, Sep. 28, 440 to Nov. 10, 461
46. St. Hilarus, Nov. 19, 461 to Feb. 29, 468
47. St. Simplicius, Mar. 3, 468 to Mar. 10, 483
48. St. Felix III (or II), Mar. 13, 483 to Mar. 1, 492
49. St. Gelasius I, Mar. 1, 492 to Nov. 21, 496
50. Anastasius II, Nov. 24, 496 to Nov. 19, 498
51. St. Symmachus, Nov. 22, 498 to Jul. 19, 514 and
51. Lawrence, 498 to 505
52. St. Hormisdas, Jul. 20, 514 to Aug. 6, 523
53. St. John I, Aug. 13, 523 to May 18, 526
54. St. Felix IV (or III), Jul. 12, 526 to Sep. 22, 530
55. Boniface II, Sep. 22, 530 to Oct. 17, 532
56. John II, Jan. 2, 533 to May 8, 535
57. St. Agapetus I, May 13, 535 to Apr. 22, 536
58. St. Silverius, Jun. 1, 536 to Nov. 11, 537
59. St. Silverius, Jun. 1, 536 to Nov. 11, 537
60. Pelagius I, Apr. 16, 556 to Mar. 4, 561
61. John III, Jul. 17, 561 to Jul. 13, 574
62. Benedict I, Jun. 2, 575 to Jul. 30, 579
63. Pelagius II, Nov. 26, 579 to Feb. 7, 590
64. St. Gregory I, Sep. 3, 590 to Mar. 12, 604
65. Sabinianus, Sep. 13, 604 to Feb. 22, 606
66. Boniface III, Feb. 19, 607 to Nov. 12, 607
67. St. Boniface IV, Aug. 25, 608 to May 8, 615
68. St. Adeodatus I, Oct. 19, 615 to Nov. 8, 618
69. Boniface V, Dec. 23, 619 to Oct. 25, 625
70. Honorius I, Oct. 27, 625 to Oct. 12, 638
71. Severinus, May 28, 640 to Aug. 2, 640
72. John IV, Dec. 24, 640 to Aug. 2, 640
73. Theodore I, Nov. 24, 642 to May 14, 649
74. St. Martin I, July 649 to Sep. 16, 655
75. St. Eugenius I, Aug. 10, 654 to Jun. 2, 657
76. St. Vitalian, Jul. 30, 657 to Jan. 27, 672
77. Adeodatus II, April 11, 672 to Jun. 17, 676
78. Donus, Nov. 2, 676 to Apr. 11, 678
79. St. Agatho, Jun. 27, 678 to Jan. 10, 681
80. St. Leo II, Aug. 17, 682 to Jul. 3, 683
81. St. Benedict II, Jun. 26 684 to May 685 and
82. John V, Jul. 23, 685 to Aug. 2, 686
83. Conon, Oct. 21, 686 to Sep. 21, 687 and
83. Theodore, 687 and
83. Paschal, 687
84. St. Sergius I, Dec. 15, 687 to Sep. 8, 701
85. John VI, Oct. 30, 701 to Jan. 11, 705
86. John VII, Mar. 1, 705 to Oct. 18, 707
87. Sissinius, Jan. 15, 708 to Feb. 4, 708
88. Constantine, Mar. 25, 708 to Apr. 9, 715
89. St. Gregory II, May 19, 715 to Feb. 11, 731
90. St. Gregory III, Mar. 18, 731 to Nov., 741
91. St. Zachary, Dec. 10, 741 to Mar. 22, 752
92. Stephen II (or III), Mar. 26, 752 to Apr. 26, 757
93. St. Paul I, Apr. 757 to Jun. 28, 767
94. Stephen III (or IV), Aug. 1, 768 to Jan. 24, 772
95. Adrian I, Feb. 1, 772 to Dec. 25, 795
96. St. Leo III, Dec. 26, 795 to Jun. 12, 816
97. Stephen IV (or V), Jun. 22, 816 to Jan. 24, 817
98. St. Paschal I, Jan. 25, 817 to Feb. 11, 824
99. Eugenius II, Feb., 824 to Aug. 827
100. Valentine, Aug., 827 to Jan. 844 and
100. John, Jan. 844
101. Gregory IV, 827 to Jan. 844 and
101. John, Jan. 844
102. Sergius II, Jan. 844 to Jan. 27, 847
103. St. Leo IV, Jan., 847 to Jul. 17, 855
104. Benedict III, Jul. 855 to Apr. 17, 858 and
104. Anastasius, 855
105. St. Nicholas I, Apr. 24, 858 to Nov. 13, 867
106. Adrian II, Dec. 14, 867 to Dec. 14, 872
107. John VIII, Dec. 14, 872 to Dec. 16, 882
108. Marinus I, Dec. 16, 882 to May 15, 884
109. St. Adrian III, May 17, 884 to Sep. 14, 891
110. Stephen V (or VI) Sep. 885 to Sep. 14, 891
111. Formosus, Oct. 6, 891 to Apr. 4, 896
112. Boniface VI, Apr. 896 to Apr. 896
113. Stephen VI (or VII), May 896 to Aug. 897
114. Romanus, Aug. 897 to Nov. 897
115. Theodore II, Dec. 897
116. John IX, Jan. 898 to Jan. 900
117. Benedict IV, Jan. 900 to Jul. 903
118. Leo V, Jul. 903 to Sep. 903 and
118. Christopher, Sep. 903 to Jan. 904
119. Sergius III, Jan. 29, 904 to Apr. 14, 911
120. Anastasius III, Apr. 911 to Jun. 913
121. Lando, Jul. 913 to Feb. 914
122. John X, Mar. 914 to May 928
123. Leo VI, May 928 to Dec. 928
124. Stephen VII (or VIII), Dec. 928 to Feb. 931
125. John XI, Feb. 931 to Dec. 935
126. Leo VII, Jan. 3, 936 to Jul. 13, 939
127. Stephen VIII (or IX), Jul. 14, 939 to Oct. 942
128. Marinus II, Oct. 30, 942 to May 946
129. Agapetus II, May 10, 946 to Dec. 955
130. John XII, Dec. 16, 955 to May 14, 964
131. Leo VIII, Dec. 4, 963 to Mar. 1, 965
132. Benedict V, May 22, 964 to Jul. 4, 966
133. John XIII, Oct. 1, 965 to Sep. 6, 972
134. Benedict VI, Jan. 19, 0973 to Jun. 974 and
135. Benedict VII, Oc. 974 to Jul 10, 983
136. John XIV, Dec. 983 to Aug. 20, 984
137. John XV, Aug. 985 to Mar. 996
138. Gregory V, May 3, 996 to Feb. 18, 999 and
138. John XVI, Apr. 997 to Feb. 998
139. Sylvester II, Apr. 2, 999 to May 12, 1003
140. John XVII, Jun. 1003 to Dec. 1003
141. John XVIII, Jan 1004 to Jul. 1009
142. Sergius IV, Jul 31, 1009 to May 12, 1012
143. Benedict VIII, May 18, 1012 to Apr. 9, 1024 and
143. Gregory, 1012
144. John XIX, Apr. 1024 to 1032
145. Benedict IX, 1032 to 1044
146. Sylvester III, Jan. 20, 1045 to Feb. 10, 1045 and
146. Benedict IX, Apr. 10, 1045 to May 1, 1045
147. Gregory VI, May 5, 1045 to Feb. 1046
148. Clement II, Dec. 24, 1046 to Oct. 9, 1047
148. Benedict IX, Nov. 8, 1047 to Jul. 17, 1048
149. Damasus II, Jul. 17, 1048 to Aug. 9, 1048
150. St. Leo IX, Feb. 12, 1049 to Apr. 19, 1054
151. Victor II, Apr. 16, 1055 to Jul. 28, 1057
152. Stephen IX (or X) Aug. 3, 1057 to Mar. 29, 1058 and
152. Benedict X, Apr. 5, 1058 to Jan. 24, 1059
153. Nicholas II, Jan. 24, 1059 to Jul. 27, 1061
154. Alexander II, Oct. 1, 1061 to Apr. 21, 1073 and
154. Honorius II, Oct. 1061 to 1072
155. St. Gregory VII, Apr. 22, 1073 to May 25, 1085 and
155. Clement III, 1080 to 1100
156. Blessed Victor III, May 24, 1086 to Sep. 16, 1087
157. Blessed Urban II, Mar. 12, 1088 to Jul. 29, 1099
158. Paschal II, Aug. 13, 1099 to Jan. 21, 1118 and
158. Theodoric, 1100 and
158. Albert, 1102 and
158. Sylvester IV, Nov. 18, 1105 to 1111
159. Gelasius II, Jan 24, 1118 to Jan. 28, 1119 and
159. Gregory VIII, 1118 to 1121
160. Callistus II, Feb. 2, 1119 to Dec. 13, 1124
161. Honorius II, Dec. 21, 1124 to Feb. 13, 1130 and
161. Celestine II, 1124
162. Innocent II, Feb. 14, 1130 to Sep. 24, 1143 and
162. Anacletus II, Feb. 1130 to Jan. 1143 and
162. Victor IV, 1138
163. Celestine II, Sep. 26, 1143 to Mar. 8, 1144
164. Lucius II, Mar. 12, 1144 to Feb. 15, 1145
165. Blessed Eugenius III, Feb. 15, 1145 to Jul. 8, 1153
166. Anastasius IV, Jul. 12, 1153 to Dec. 3, 1154
167. Adrian IV, Dec. 4, 1154 to Sep. 1, 1159
168. Alexander III, Sep. 7, 1159 to Aug. 30, 1181 and
168. Victor IV, 1159 to 1164 and
168. Paschal III, 1164 to 1168 and
168. Callistus III, 1168 to 1178 and
168. Innocent III, 1179 to 1180
169. Lucius III, Sep. 1, 1181 to Sep. 25, 1185
170. Urban III, Nov. 25, 1185 to Oct. 20, 1187
171. Gregory VIII, Oct. 21, 1187 to Dec. 17, 1187
172. Clement III, Dec. 19, 1187 to Mar. 1191
173. Clestine III, Mar. 30, 1191 to Jan. 8, 1198
174. Innocent III, Jan. 8, 1198 to Jul. 16, 1216
175. Honorius III, Jul. 18, 1216 to Mar. 18, 1227
176. Gregory IX, Mar. 19, 1227 to Aug. 22, 1241
177. Celestine IV, Oct. 25, 1241 to Nov. 10, 1241
178. Innocent IV, Jun. 25, 1243 to Dec. 7, 1254
179. Alexander IV, Ce. 12, 1254 to May 25, 1261
180. Urban IV, Aug. 29, 1261 to Oct. 2, 1264
181. Clement IV, Feb. 5, 1265 to Nov. 29, 1268
182. Blessed Gregory X, Sep. 1, 1271 to Jan. 10, 1276
183. Blessed Innocent V, Jan. 21, 1276 to Jun. 22, 1276
184. Adrian V, Jul. 11, 1276 to Aug. 18, 1276
185. John XXI, Sep. 8, 1276 to May 20, 1277
186. Nicholas III, Nov. 25, 1277 to Aug. 22, 1280
187. Martin IV, Feb. 2, 1281 to Mar. 28, 1285
188. Honorius IV, Apr. 2, 1285 to Apr. 3, 1287
189. Nicholas IV, Feb. 22, 1288 to Apr. 4, 1292
190. St. Celestine V, Jul. 5, 1294 to Dec. 13, 1294
191. Boniface VIII, Dec. 24, 1294 to Oct. 11, 1303
192. Blessed Benedict XI, Oc. 22, 1303 to Jul. 7, 1304
193. Clement V, Jun. 5, 1305 to Apr. 20, 1314
194. John XXII, Aug. 7, 1316 to Dec. 4, 1334 and
194. Nicholas V, May 12, 1328 to Aug. 5, 1330
195. Benedict XII, Dec. 20, 1334 to Apr. 25, 1342
196. Clement VI, May 7, 1342 to Dec. 6, 1352
197. Innocent VI, Dec. 18, 1352 to Sep. 12, 1362
198. Blessed Urban V, Sep. 28, 1362 to Dec. 19, 1370
199. Gregory XI, Dec. 30, 1370 to Mar. 26, 1378
200. Urban VI, Apr. 8, 1378 to Oct. 15, 1389
201. Boniface IX, Nov. 2, 1389 to Oct. 1, 1404
202. Innocent VII, Oc. 17, 1404 to Nov. 6, 1406
203. Gregory XII, Nov. 30, 1406 to Jul. 4, 1415 and
203. Clement VII, Sep. 20, 1378 to Sep. 16, 1394 and
203. Alexander V, Jun. 26, 1409 to May 3, 1410 and
203. John XXIII, May 17, 1410 to May 29, 1415
204. Martin V, Nov. 11, 1417 to Feb. 20, 1431
205. Eugenius IV, March 3, 1431 to Feb. 23, 1447 and
205. Felix V, Nov. 5, 1439 to Apr. 7, 1449
206. Nicholas V, Mar. 6, 1447 to Mar. 24, 1455
207. Callistus III, Aprl 8, 1455 to Aug. 6, 1458
208. Pius II, Aug. 19, 1458 to Aug. 15, 1464
209. Paul II, Aug. 30, 1464 to Jul. 26, 1471
210. Sixtus IV, Aug. 9, 1471 to Aug. 12, 1484
211. Innocent VIII, Aug. 29, 1484 to Jul. 25, 1492
212. Alexander VI, Aug. 11, 1492 to Aug. 18, 1503
213. Pius III, Sep. 22, 1503 to Oct. 18, 1503
214. Julius II, Oct. 31, 1503 to Feb. 21, 1513
215. Leo X, Mar. 9, 1513 to Dec. 1, 1521
216. Adrian VI, Jan. 9, 1522 to Sep. 14, 1523
217. Clement VII, Nov. 19, 1523 to Sept. 25, 1534
218. Paul III, Oct. 13, 1534 to Nov. 10, 1549
219. Julius III, Feb. 7, 1550 to Mar. 23, 1555
220. Marcellus II, Apr. 9, 1555 to May 1, 1555
221. Paul IV, May 23, 1555 to May 1, 1559
222. Pius IV, Dec. 25, 1559 to Dec. 9, 1565
223. St. Pius V, Jan. 7, 1566 to May 1, 1572
224. Gregory XIII, May 13, 1572 to Apr. 10, 1585
225. Sixtus V, Apr. 24, 1585 to Aug. 27, 1590
226. Urban VII, Sep. 15, 1590 to Sep. 27, 1590
227. Gregory XIV, Dec. 5, 1590 to Oct. 16, 1591
228. Innocent IX, Oc. 29, 1591 to Dec. 30, 1591
229. Clement VIII, Jan. 30, 1592 to Mar. 3, 1605
230. Leo XI, Apr. 1, 1605 to Apr. 27, 1605
231. Paul V, May 16, 1605 to Jan 28, 1621
232. Gregory XV, Feb. 9, 1621 to Jul. 8, 1623
233. Urban VIII, Aug. 6, 1623 to Jul. 29, 1644
234. Innocent X, Sep. 15, 1644 to Jan. 7, 1655
235. Alexander VII, Apr. 7, 1655 to May 22, 1667
236. Clement IX, Jun. 20, 1667 to Dec. 9, 1669
237. Clement X, Apr. 29, 1670 to Jul. 22, 1676
238. Blessed Innocent XI, Sep. 21, 1676 to Aug. 12, 1689
239. Alexander VIII, Oct. 6, 1689 to Feb. 1, 1691
240. Innocent XII, Jul. 12, 1691 to Sep. 27, 1700
241. Clement XI, Nov. 23, 1700 to Mar. 19, 1721
242. Innocent XIII, May 8, 1721 to Mar. 7, 1724
243. Benedict XIII, May 29, 1724 to Feb. 21, 1730
244. Clement XII, Jul. 12, 1730 to Feb. 6, 1740
245. Benedict XIV, Aug. 17, 1740 to May 8, 1758
246. Clement XIII, Jul. 6, 1758 to Feb. 2, 1769
247. Clement XIV, May 19, 1769 to Sep. 22, 1774
248. Pius VI, Feb. 15, 1775 to Aug. 29, 1799
249 Pius VII, Mar. 14, 1800 to Aug. 20, 1823
250. Leo XII, Sep. 28, 1823 to Feb. 10, 1829
251. Pius VII, Mar. 31, 1829 to Nov. 30, 1830
252. Gregory XVI, Feb. 2, 1831 to Jun. 1, 1846
253. Pius IX, Jun. 16, 1846 to Feb. 7, 1878
254. Leo XIII, Feb. 20, 1878 to Jul. 20, 1903
255. St. Pius X, Aug. 4, 1903 to Aug. 20, 1914
256. Benedict XV, Sep. 3, 1914 to Jan. 22, 1922
257. Pius XI, Feb. 6, 1922 to Feb. 10, 1939
258. Pius XII, Mar. 2, 1939 to Oct. 9, 1958
259. John XXII, Oc. 28, 1958 to Jun. 3, 1963
260. Paul VI, Jun. 21, 1963 to Aug. 6, 1978
261. John Paul 1, Aug. 26, 1978 to Sep 28, 1978
262. John Paul II, Oct. 16, 1978 to Apr. 2, 2005
263. St. Benedict XVI, Apr. 19, 2005 to present
We know that all Christian denominations love Jesus and for those who have been Baptized, we consider them as "Members of the Body of Christ". For anyone unaware of when their church began after breaking away from the Catholic Church, we offer the historical breakdown of all Christian denominations
below:
Year 33, Catholic (Universal) Church began when Jesus gave St. Peter the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Year 1517, Luther created schism and broke away from Catholic church creating the Lutheran church.
Year 1534, King Henry VIII ordered the Roman Catholic church out of England and began his own church because the Pope would not grant him a divorce and began the Church of England.
Year 1560, the Presbyterian church was founded by John Knox in Scotland.
Year 1605, John Smyth founded the Baptist Church in Amsterdam.
Year 1628, began the Dutch Reformed church by Michaelis Jones in New York.
In 17th Century, the Episcopalian church began as an offshoot of the Church of England.
Year 1744, John and Charles Wesley founded the Methodis church in England.
Year 1774, Theophilus Lindley began the Unitarian church in London.
Year 1829, the Mormon (Latter Day Saints) created their church by Joseph Smith.
Year 1865, William Booth began the Salvation Army church in London.
Year 1879, Mrs. Mary Baker Eddie created her own version called Christian Scientist.
Jehovah Witnesses (not considered a Christian faith at all) was founded in the last 100 years. Other Christian denominations were created at the same time. Now, there are hundreds of different churches, created in the last century too.
Our mission is about saving souls from eternal damnation, we offer a great deal of information on Purgatory, so you can avoid going there. It is a place of suffering and reparation, payment for Temporal Punishment caused by our own disobedience and sins. We are not attempting to frighten anyone, but to help you realize there are means by which you can avoid going there!