A pope is the bishop of Rome and is the head of the world Catholic Church. The Pope is also the head of the Vatican City, a nation-state. Over the course of 2,000 years, there have been 266 popes. Each Pope is chosen by the church’s senior officials of the Catholic Church. The role of the Pope is to lead worship, meet with world leaders, and participate in pastoral roles. Over time, certain Popes have had a bigger impact on the world than others.
The first pope was St. Peter, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples. He was considered to be appointed pope by Jesus. Shortly after Jesus died, St. Peter traveled to Rome and spread Christianity. He also founded the first church in Rome and guided Christians. Peter is considered the predecessor of all future popes.
One of the other most influential popes was Pope Urban II, who was Pope from 1088 to 1099. He was the first pontiff to be elected outside of Rome due to political instability in the city, according to History.com. Due to this, Urban launched the First Crusade in 1095, with a speech that ignited centuries of religious warfare between Christianity and Islam. The same article mentions, “Urban II called upon Western Europe’s Christians to help Eastern Christians reclaim the Holy Land from the Seljuk Turks, who had barred Christians from Jerusalem.”
Another important Pope was Julius II, who was considered the “Warrior Pope.” He led many military campaigns to free the Papal States. In 1506, Julius created the Swiss Guards, a colorful military force that served as the pontiff’s bodyguards. The High Renaissance was an intense period of artistic and intellectual flourishing in Italy. During this time, Julius was put in charge of the two most important Vatican landmarks. The Sistine Chapel was newly constructed at this time, and with Julius’s ll help, the ceilings were painted beautifully by Michelangelo.
Pope Leo X had some significant effects on history. He was Pope from 1513-1521. Pope Leo X was born into the Medici family, funding some of the most important pieces of artwork from the Renaissance. He often enjoyed the finer things in life. According to “7 Popes Who Changed History”, “To finance the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica, military campaigns and his own personal extravagances, Julius II’s successor continued the practice of selling offices and indulgences—payments for the forgiveness of sins.”
Overall, these Popes have had a great influence on the world today, and the current Popes continue to do so. They have all made a major difference in history that will always be honored and remembered.
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09162a.htm
https://www.history.com/articles/notable-popes-catholic-church-legacy