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Chronological Lists of Popes | Papal History | Papal Election | Papal Titles | Papal Trivia | Papal Emblem

The Pope is the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church and head of state of Vatican City. The current pope was elected April 19, 2005 in papal conclave and is Pope Benedict XVI (265th). The office of the pope is called the papacy and his ecclesiastical jurisdiction is called the "Holy See". The pope is also Head of State of the independent sovereign state of the Vatican City, a city-state entirely enclaved by the city of Rome.

For over a thousand years, popes have played powerful roles in Western Europe, crowning emperors and regulating disputes among secular rulers. Early popes helped spread Christianity and resolve doctrinal disputes. The Bishop of Rome continued to be nominally allied and part of the civil structure of the Byzantine Empire until the 8th century, when the Donation of Pepin gave Rome and the surrounding area to the full sovereignty of the pope, which the popes already had been de facto rulers, creating the Papal States that lasted until 1870.

The election of the pope almost always takes place in the Sistine Chapel, in a sequestered meeting called a "conclave" (so called because the cardinal electors are theoretically locked in, cum clave, until they elect a new pope).

Three cardinals are chosen by lot to collect the votes of absent cardinal electors (by reason of illness), three are chosen by lot to count the votes, and three are chosen by lot to review the count of the votes.

The ballots are distributed and each cardinal elector writes the name of his choice on it and pledges aloud that he is voting for "one whom under God I think ought to be elected" before folding and depositing his vote on a plate atop a large chalice placed on the altar. The plate is then used to drop the ballot into the chalice, making it difficult for any elector to insert multiple ballots.

Before being read, the number of ballots are counted while still folded; if the total number of ballots does not match the number of electors, the ballots are burned unopened and a new vote is held. Otherwise, each ballot is read aloud by the presiding Cardinal, who pierces the ballot with a needle and thread, stringing all the ballots together and tying the ends of the thread to ensure accuracy and honesty. Balloting continues until a Pope is elected by a two-thirds majority.

The Dean of the College of Cardinals then asks the cardinal who has been successfully-elected two solemn questions. First he asks, "Do you freely accept your election?" If he replies with the word "Accepto", his reign as Pope begins at that instant, not at the inauguration ceremony several days afterward. The Dean then asks, "By what name shall you be called?" The new pope then announces the regnal name he has chosen for himself. (If the Dean himself is elected pope, the Vice Dean performs this duty).

The new pope is led through the "Door of Tears" to a dressing room in which three sets of white papal vestments (immantatio) await: small, medium, and large. Donning the appropriate vestments and reemerging into the Sistine Chapel, the new pope is given the "Fisherman's Ring" by the Cardinal Camerlengo, whom he first either reconfirms or reappoints. The pope then assumes a place of honor as the rest of the cardinals wait in turn to offer their first "obedience" (adoratio) and to receive his blessing.

The senior Cardinal Deacon then announces from a balcony over St. Peter's Square the following proclamation: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum! Habemus Papam! ("I announce to you a great joy! We have a pope!"). He then announces the new pope's Christian name along with the new name he has adopted as his regnal name.

The titles of the Pope, in the order they are used in the Annuario Pontificio:

* Bishop of Rome
* Vicar of Christ
* Successor of the Prince of the Apostles
* Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church
* Primate of Italy
* Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province
* Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City
* Servant of the Servants of God

Papal Trivia

Pope Benedict XVI is the 265th pope

The longest reigning pope was Pius IX (1846–1878) who reigned for 31 years, 7 months and 23 days (11,560 days)

The shortest reigning pope was Urban VII (September 15–September 27 , 1590) who reigned for 13 calendar days as he died before consecration

The youngest Pope ever was Pope John XII, who was 18 when he became Pope

The first emporer crowned by a pope was Charlemagne

The first pope was Peter, a disciple of Jesus

Which Pope was removed rom the official vatican list of Pope's? Stephen II

Which Pope was known as the antipope? Sylvester III

Who is depicted on the Ring of the Fisherman? Saint Peter

What color are the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven? Silver and Gold

What years did the Avignon Papacy occur? 1305 to 1378

How may popes reigned during the Avignon Papacy? 7

Emblem of the Papacy