Over the centuries, the Pope was more than a religious leader-he was a witness and sometimes an actor in the great crossroads. From the call to the Crusade of Pope Urban II to the silent diplomacy of Pius XII during World War II, or the discreet support of John Paul II for the anti-communist movements in Eastern Europe, the role of the pontiff has shaped consciousness and influenced destin.
The 267th Pope is to be installed in the Vatican. Photo: Shutterstock
This role also had the 266th Pope, Francis I-he spoke about migration, inequality, climatic crisis and was the first to signal the skids of the Catholic Church. Who will be the next leader from the Vatican and how much politics will involve in his speech … only God knows.
1. Saint Peter, the roadblock
(c. 30-64 AD)
Saint Peter, one of the first 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, is traditionally recognized as the first bishop of Rome and, therefore, the first pope. Jesus called it the “rock” on which the Church would be built, granting it spiritual authority (according to Evaghelia after Matthew). Peter led the early Christian community and faced persecution under Roman rule. Finally, he was martyred – crucified with his head down – during the reign of Roman Emperor Nero. His tomb is under the basilica “St. Peter” in the Vatican, a symbol of the papal authority of that time. All the following papies are considered its successors.
2. Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great), the one who converted the pagan Anglo-Saxons
(from 590 to his death in 604)
Grigore the Great was one of the main reformers of the church, which contributed to the modeling of medieval Christianity. Former Romanian prefect and then a monk (he is the first monk who became Pope), brought the papacy to administrative rigor and spiritual depth. He reformed the church administration, promoted the missionary activity (especially the conversion of Anglo-Saxons to England) and developed liturgical practices, including Gregorian song. He also wrote influential theological works, such as a guide to bishops.
It was the 64th pope. Photo: Getty Images
Grigore’s leadership in a period of plague and political instability marked a turning point in the role of the Church in Western society. Grigorie is recognized as a holy immediately after his death, both in the church in the Roman Empire and in the Church of the Eastern Roman Empire. He is the owner of musicians, singers, students and teachers.
3. Pope Leon I, the one who faced Attila Barbar
(from 440 to his death in 461)
Pope Leon I or the Great strengthened the Papacy authority, asserting the bishop of Rome on other bishops. He is the best known of the popes because he faced Attila Hunul in 452, convincing him to deviate from Rome’s plunder-an act that increased the moral power of the papacy.
One of the popes with a defining role in defining the church. Photo: Getty Images
From a theological point of view, Leon the Great was essential at the Synod of Chalcedon (451), where his vote helped to define the dual nature of Christ (fully God and fully man). Later, he was declared a doctor of the Church for his writings and leadership. Leon I is considered one of the parents of the Church, worshiped as a holy in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Greek Church.
4. Pope urban II, the one who used Christianity as a war
(from 1088 to his death in 1099)
Urban II is best known for initiating the first crusade in 1095 at the Clermont Council. In a dramatic discourse, he asked Western Christians to help the Byzantine Empire and recover the Holy Land under Muslim control, offering spiritual rewards such as forgiveness (indulgences).
The one who started the string of the eight crusades. Photo: Getty Images
His call has sparked a wave of religious fervor and military campaigns that model medieval Europe and Christian-Muslim relations for centuries. Urban has also worked to reform the practices of the Church and to strengthen the papal influence on the leaders in a period of wide corruption.
5. Pope Innocent III, the one who positioned above the kings
(from 1198 to his death in 1216)
Innocent III exerted a huge influence both spiritually and politically. He claimed the authority over all the Christian monarchs, intervened in the royal disputes and supported the emergence of new religious orders such as Franciscans and Dominicans. He convened the fourth lateran synod in 1215, one of the most important concilias of the Church before Trent, which defined doctrines such as transubstantiation (changing the entire substance of bread in the substance of Christ and of the whole wine substance in the substance of blood) and demanding annual confession. Innocent has launched the fourth Crusade (although it has infammated Constantinople) and solidified the papal power at its medieval peak.
6. Pope Leon III, who crowned Carol the Great
(from 795 to his death in 816)
Leon III is known because he crowned Carol the Great as Emperor of the Romans on Christmas Day of 800, reviving the idea of a Roman Roman Empire and linking the papacy to the imperial power. This act strengthened the political influence of the Church and laid the foundations of the Holy Roman Empire. Leon’s alliance with Carol the Great Protected and the Roman nobility who had tried to dismiss him. Although not a theologian, Leon’s political skill has shaped the role of the Church in European politics for centuries.
7. Pope Pius V, the one who defeated the Ottomans
(from 1566 to his death in 1572)
Pius V played a central role in implementing the reforms of the Trent council, which had been met to counteract the Protestant Reform. Dominican monk before his choice, he emphasized personal holiness and church discipline. Pius standardized the Liturgy (creating the Roman Misle of 1570), reformed the clergy and worked to restore the Catholic identity. He excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I and formed the Holy League, the Alliance who defeated the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571-a victory that he attributed to the rosary and celebrated with the feast of the Virgin Mary (October 7).
8. Pope Pius XII, the one who helped the victims of the Holocaust
(from 1939 to his death in 1958)
Pius XII led the Church by World War II and at the time of the Cold War. It is a controversial figure: praised for saving Jewish lives through clandestine efforts, but also criticized because he did not publicly condemn the strong enough. He declared the Dogma the Assumption of the Virgin in 1950 and was the first pope to use radio and modern communication efficiently. Pius remodeled the papal diplomacy, opposed the communism and laid the foundations of the liturgical reforms later by the Vatican.
9. Pope John XXIII, who “opened the windows of the church”
(from 1958 to his death in 1963)
Known as “the good Pope John”, John XXIII shocked the world by convening the Vatican Council (1962-1965), aiming to “open the windows of the Church” and to renew their commitment with the modern world-“I want to open the windows of the Church so that we can see”.
One of the popes that had more openness to people. Photo: Getty Images
Although he died before the conclusion of the council, his vision transformed Catholicism – the reform of the Liturgy (in vernacular languages), the promotion of ecumenism and the encouragement of dialogue with other religions. His warmth and humility made him love both Catholics and other denominations. It was canonized in 2014.
10. Pope John Paul II, the one who visited the Orthodox for the first time
(from 1978 to his death in 2005)
One of the most beloved and important modern Papi, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years and served for 27 years. Born Karol Wojtyła in Poland, has become a global symbol of faith and resistance. His moral leadership has contributed to the inspiration of the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, especially through his support for the “solidarity” movement in Poland.
The first pope who visited Romania. Photo: Getty Images
He traveled more than any other pope, canonized hundreds of saints, and worked tirelessly for the interreligious dialogue, especially with Jews and Muslims. He survived an assassination attempt in 1981 and gave forgiveness to his attacker. Pope John Paul II is the first pope to visited Romania and, implicitly, the first to visit a majority Orthodox country.
