If you ask most people how many popes have there been, they’ll probably give you a confident number. 266. That’s the official count usually cited by the Vatican, ending with Pope Francis. But honestly? It’s kind of a mess. History isn't a neat, organized filing cabinet; it's more like a dusty attic filled with contradictory journals and a few people claiming to own the same chair at the same time.
Basically, the "official" number is a bit of a polite fiction. When you start digging into the actual records, things get weird fast. You have guys who were elected but died before they could even sit down. You have people who were pope three separate times. And you have "antipopes"—men who claimed they were the real deal while the "official" guy was off in another city doing the same thing.
So, if you want the real answer to how many popes have there been, we have to look past the simple list and see what actually happened in the salt mines of Sardinia and the backrooms of 10th-century Rome.
Why the Number Isn’t as Simple as 266
The current list starts with St. Peter and ends with Francis. But the early days are mostly shrouded in "we think this happened." For the first few centuries, the Bishop of Rome wasn't the global superstar we think of today. He was just the local leader of a persecuted sect.
Actually, the word "pope" (from the Greek pappa, meaning father) wasn't even an exclusive title for the Bishop of Rome until around the 11th century. Before then, lots of bishops were called "pope."
The real headache for historians starts with the records. The Annuario Pontificio, which is the Vatican’s own annual directory, lists 266 popes. But even they admit there are gaps.
- The Case of Pope-elect Stephen: In 752, a guy named Stephen was elected. He died two days later, before he could be "consecrated" (the official ceremony). For centuries, he was on the list. Then, in 1961, the Vatican decided he didn't count because he wasn't consecrated. Poof. He vanished from the official tally.
- Benedict IX, the Repeat Offender: This guy is the reason the math is so hard. He was pope from 1032 to 1044, then again in 1045, and then again from 1047 to 1048. He basically treated the papacy like a rental property. In the official count, he is one person, but he represents three different pontificates.
The Drama of the Antipopes
You can't talk about how many popes have there been without talking about the people the Church decided weren't popes. These are the antipopes. Throughout history, there have been about 30 to 40 of them.
Usually, an antipope popped up when the cardinals couldn't agree on who won the election. Or, more often, when a powerful king or emperor didn't like the guy in Rome and decided to just appoint his own favorite priest.
Take the "Great Western Schism" in the late 1300s. It was total chaos. At one point, you had three different men all wearing the white robes, all claiming to be the successor of Peter, and all excommunicating each other. One was in Rome, one was in Avignon (France), and one was in Pisa.
It took the Council of Constance in 1417 to finally clear the deck and elect Martin V. The Church later decided that only the "Roman" line was the real one, retroactively turning the others into "antipopes." If history had gone the other way, our official count today would look very different.
Records, Legends, and the "Pope Joan" Myth
Because the early records were written centuries after the fact, some names on the list are... questionable. For example, there’s St. Anacletus and St. Cletus. For a long time, people thought they were two different popes. Now, most historians agree they were likely the same person, just with a name that got garbled in translation.
Then there’s the legend of Pope Joan. The story goes that in the 9th century, a woman disguised herself as a man and was elected pope, only for her secret to be revealed when she gave birth during a procession.
It’s a wild story. But honestly? It almost certainly never happened. Historians have checked the timelines, and there’s no gap where she could have fit. It was likely a bit of medieval political satire that got taken way too seriously by later generations.
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The Long and Short of It
When we look at the timeline of the papacy, the sheer length of time some of these men stayed in power is staggering.
- St. Peter: Traditionally credited with about 34 to 38 years, though since he was in the 1st century, those dates are approximate.
- Pius IX: He holds the "modern" record, reigning for 31 years (1846–1878).
- John Paul II: Most of us remember him; he was in office for 26 years.
On the flip side, some reigns were barely a blink. Urban VII holds the record for the shortest reign. He was pope for exactly 13 days in 1590 before malaria took him out. He didn't even make it to his own coronation.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs
If you're trying to keep track of the history or looking for the most accurate information on how many popes have there been, don't just rely on a single list. Here is how to navigate the research:
- Check the source's date. If you are looking at an old encyclopedia from the early 20th century, the number will be different because of guys like "Pope-elect Stephen" being included or excluded.
- Differentiate between "Popes" and "Pontificates." Remember Benedict IX. He is one man, but three pontificates. Depending on how a researcher counts, the number can swing.
- Look for the "Annuario Pontificio." This is the gold standard for the official Catholic Church stance. Every year, it gets updated.
- Understand the "Successor of Peter" vs. "Bishop of Rome." In the very early Church, the structure was much more fluid. Applying modern definitions to 2nd-century history is always going to lead to some inaccuracies.
Ultimately, the number 266 is a helpful benchmark, but it’s the stories of the men—the saints, the sinners, the repeats, and the "anti" guys—that actually tell us what the history of the papacy is all about.
To get the most out of your historical research, start by looking into the Liber Pontificalis. This is a book of biographies of popes that was started in the 6th century. It’s not always perfectly accurate, but it’s the primary source that almost every modern list is based on. Comparing that to modern archaeological findings in Rome can give you a much clearer picture of who was actually in charge and when.