pope

The pope is the Bishop of Rome and the supreme spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the head of Vatican City State. He is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter and exercises primacy over bishops worldwide. The pope’s duties include teaching the faith, governing the church through the Roman Curia, and sanctifying the faithful through the sacraments. He issues authoritative documents on doctrine and morality, and has the authority to appoint bishops and convene councils. In Catholic teaching, the pope’s teaching is considered infallible only when proclaimed ex cathedra on matters of faith or morals, a doctrine defined by the First Vatican Council in 1870.

Popes are elected by the College of Cardinals in a conclave, typically after the death or resignation of a pope. A pope serves for life unless he resigns; in modern times there have been notable exceptions, such as Benedict XVI, who resigned in 2013 and became Pope Emeritus, and the election of his successor in that year.

The papacy has a long historical development, with the pope traditionally regarded as the successor to Saint Peter. The Holy See denotes the pope’s ecclesiastical jurisdiction and governance, distinct from the sovereign state of Vatican City, established as an independent entity by the Lateran Treaty in 1929. The papacy has played a central role in Church doctrine, ecumenical relations, and medieval and modern diplomacy.