Author Topic: Is there an official number of Popes? (Read 3129 times)

TradCatholic39452 · « **on:** February 17, 2012, 11:21:01 PM »

Let me start by saying that I do not want to start a sede debate with this topic.

What I would like to know is if there is an official number of Popes from Peter to St. Pius X. I am intentionally picking a Pope far enough back to avoid a sede debate.

I started reading this book http://www.archive.org/details/livesofpopes01artauoft about the history of the popes and notices that his list of popes did not match a list of popes I have on a poster. I checked the disputed popes and it seems that the history of these disputed popes is a little shady. As I read on the author would get to a pope and would sometimes say that such and such an author says this person was not a pope and such and such and author says he was. I will try to provide a list of the questionable popes.

I was talking to a friend about his after Mass one Sunday and made the comment that there is no authoritative number of Popes as legitimate historians take different views on certain popes. His response was that when they announce a newly elected pope they say this is the Pius X our two hundred ?? pope. I asked him about the exact wording and he could not produce anything.

I looked up on the internet an official number ans came up with 265 or 266 and some sites claiming the Vatican officially stated there are a certain numbers of popes but could not find any actual docuмents anywhere.

Does anybody know if there is an official count and list form the Vatican, and if so from what year and has it ever changed?

TKGS · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2012, 08:33:43 AM »

From the 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia. I've never seen any reason to doubt the accuracy of this list:

1.St. Peter (32-67)
2.St. Linus (67-76)
3.St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
4.St. Clement I (88-97)
5.St. Evaristus (97-105)
6.St. Alexander I (105-115)
7.St. Sixtus I (115-125) Also called Xystus I
8.St. Telesphorus (125-136)
9.St. Hyginus (136-140)
10.St. Pius I (140-155)
11.St. Anicetus (155-166)
12.St. Soter (166-175)
13.St. Eleutherius (175-189)
14.St. Victor I (189-199)
15.St. Zephyrinus (199-217)
16.St. Callistus I (217-22) Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217-236)
17.St. Urban I (222-30)
18.St. Pontain (230-35)
19.St. Anterus (235-36)
20.St. Fabian (236-50)
21.St. Cornelius (251-53) Opposed by Novatian, antipope (251)
22.St. Lucius I (253-54)
23.St. Stephen I (254-257)
24.St. Sixtus II (257-258)
25.St. Dionysius (260-268)
26.St. Felix I (269-274)
27.St. Eutychian (275-283)
28.St. Caius (283-296) Also called Gaius
29.St. Marcellinus (296-304)
30.St. Marcellus I (308-309)
31.St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
32.St. Miltiades (311-14)
33.St. Sylvester I (314-35)
34.St. Marcus (336)
35.St. Julius I (337-52)
36.Liberius (352-66) Opposed by Felix II, antipope (355-365)
37.St. Damasus I (366-83) Opposed by Ursicinus, antipope (366-367)
38.St. Siricius (384-99)
39.St. Anastasius I (399-401)
40.St. Innocent I (401-17)
41.St. Zosimus (417-18)
42.St. Boniface I (418-22) Opposed by Eulalius, antipope (418-419)
43.St. Celestine I (422-32)
44.St. Sixtus III (432-40)
45.St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61)
46.St. Hilarius (461-68)
47.St. Simplicius (468-83)
48.St. Felix III (II) (483-92)
49.St. Gelasius I (492-96)
50.Anastasius II (496-98)
51.St. Symmachus (498-514) Opposed by Laurentius, antipope (498-501)
52.St. Hormisdas (514-23)
53.St. John I (523-26)
54.St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)
55.Boniface II (530-32) Opposed by Dioscorus, antipope (530)
56.John II (533-35)
57.St. Agapetus I (535-36) Also called Agapitus I
58.St. Silverius (536-37)
59.Vigilius (537-55)
60.Pelagius I (556-61)
61.John III (561-74)
62.Benedict I (575-79)
63.Pelagius II (579-90)
64.St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)
65.Sabinian (604-606)
66.Boniface III (607)
67.St. Boniface IV (608-15)
68.St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18)
69.Boniface V (619-25)
70.Honorius I (625-38)
71.Severinus (640)
72.John IV (640-42)
73.Theodore I (642-49)
74.St. Martin I (649-55)
75.St. Eugene I (655-57)
76.St. Vitalian (657-72)
77.Adeodatus (II) (672-76)
78.Donus (676-78)
79.St. Agatho (678-81)
80.St. Leo II (682-83)
81.St. Benedict II (684-85)
82.John V (685-86)
83.Conon (686-87)
84.St. Sergius I (687-701) Opposed by Theodore and Paschal, antipopes (687)
85.John VI (701-05)
86.John VII (705-07)
87.Sisinnius (708)
88.Constantine (708-15)
89.St. Gregory II (715-31)
90.St. Gregory III (731-41)
91.St. Zachary (741-52)
92.Stephen II (752) Because he died before being consecrated, many authoritative lists omit him
93.Stephen III (752-57)
94.St. Paul I (757-67)
95.Stephen IV (767-72) Opposed by Constantine II (767) and Philip (768), antipopes (767)
96.Adrian I (772-95)
97.St. Leo III (795-816)
98.Stephen V (816-17)
99.St. Paschal I (817-24)
100.Eugene II (824-27)
101.Valentine (827)
102.Gregory IV (827-44)
103.Sergius II (844-47) Opposed by John, antipope (855)
104.St. Leo IV (847-55)
105.Benedict III (855-58) Opposed by Anastasius, antipope (855)
106.St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)
107.Adrian II (867-72)
108.John VIII (872-82)
109.Marinus I (882-84)
110.St. Adrian III (884-85)
111.Stephen VI (885-91)
112.Formosus (891-96)
113.Boniface VI (896)
114.Stephen VII (896-97)
115.Romanus (897)
116.Theodore II (897)
117.John IX (898-900)
118.Benedict IV (900-03)
119.Leo V (903) Opposed by Christopher, antipope (903-904)
120.Sergius III (904-11)
121.Anastasius III (911-13)
122.Lando (913-14)
123.John X (914-28)
124.Leo VI (928)
125.Stephen VIII (929-31)
126.John XI (931-35)
127.Leo VII (936-39)
128.Stephen IX (939-42)
129.Marinus II (942-46)
130.Agapetus II (946-55)
131.John XII (955-63)
132.Leo VIII (963-64)
133.Benedict V (964)
134.John XIII (965-72)
135.Benedict VI (973-74)
136.Benedict VII (974-83) Benedict and John XIV were opposed by Boniface VII, antipope (974; 984-985)
137.John XIV (983-84)
138.John XV (985-96)
139.Gregory V (996-99) Opposed by John XVI, antipope (997-998)
140.Sylvester II (999-1003)
141.John XVII (1003)
142.John XVIII (1003-09)
143.Sergius IV (1009-12)
144.Benedict VIII (1012-24) Opposed by Gregory, antipope (1012)
145.John XIX (1024-32)
146.Benedict IX (1032-45) He appears on this list three separate times, because he was twice deposed and restored
147.Sylvester III (1045) Considered by some to be an antipope
148.Benedict IX (1045)
149.Gregory VI (1045-46)
150.Clement II (1046-47)
151.Benedict IX (1047-48)
152.Damasus II (1048)
153.St. Leo IX (1049-54)
154.Victor II (1055-57)
155.Stephen X (1057-58)
156.Nicholas II (1058-61) Opposed by Benedict X, antipope (1058)
157.Alexander II (1061-73) Opposed by Honorius II, antipope (1061-1072)
158.St. Gregory VII (1073-85) Gregory and the following three popes were opposed by Guibert ("Clement III"), antipope (1080-1100)
159.Blessed Victor III (1086-87)
160.Blessed Urban II (1088-99)
161.Paschal II (1099-1118) Opposed by Theodoric (1100), Aleric (1102) and Maginulf ("Sylvester IV", 1105-1111), antipopes (1100)
162.Gelasius II (1118-19) Opposed by Burdin ("Gregory VIII"), antipope (1118)
163.Callistus II (1119-24)
164.Honorius II (1124-30) Opposed by Celestine II, antipope (1124)
165.Innocent II (1130-43) Opposed by Anacletus II (1130-1138) and Gregory Conti ("Victor IV") (1138), antipopes (1138)
166.Celestine II (1143-44)
167.Lucius II (1144-45)
168.Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)
169.Anastasius IV (1153-54)
170.Adrian IV (1154-59)
171.Alexander III (1159-81) Opposed by Octavius ("Victor IV") (1159-1164), Pascal III (1165-1168), Callistus III (1168-1177) and Innocent III (1178-1180), antipopes
172.Lucius III (1181-85)
173.Urban III (1185-87)
174.Gregory VIII (1187)
175.Clement III (1187-91)
176.Celestine III (1191-98)
177.Innocent III (1198-1216)
178.Honorius III (1216-27)
179.Gregory IX (1227-41)
180.Celestine IV (1241)
181.Innocent IV (1243-54)
182.Alexander IV (1254-61)
183.Urban IV (1261-64)
184.Clement IV (1265-68)
185.Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)
186.Blessed Innocent V (1276)
187.Adrian V (1276)
188.John XXI (1276-77)
189.Nicholas III (1277-80)
190.Martin IV (1281-85)
191.Honorius IV (1285-87)
192.Nicholas IV (1288-92)
193.St. Celestine V (1294)
194.Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
195.Blessed Benedict XI (1303-04)
196.Clement V (1305-14)
197.John XXII (1316-34) Opposed by Nicholas V, antipope (1328-1330)
198.Benedict XII (1334-42)
199.Clement VI (1342-52)
200.Innocent VI (1352-62)
201.Blessed Urban V (1362-70)
202.Gregory XI (1370-78)
203.Urban VI (1378-89) Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII"), antipope (1378-1394)
204.Boniface IX (1389-1404) Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII") (1378-1394), Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes
205.Innocent VII (1404-06) Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes
206.Gregory XII (1406-15) Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417), Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), and Pietro Philarghi ("Alexander V") (1409-1410), antipopes
207.Martin V (1417-31)
208.Eugene IV (1431-47) Opposed by Amadeus of Savoy ("Felix V"), antipope (1439-1449)
209.Nicholas V (1447-55)
210.Callistus III (1455-58)
211.Pius II (1458-64)
212.Paul II (1464-71)
213.Sixtus IV (1471-84)
214.Innocent VIII (1484-92)
215.Alexander VI (1492-1503)
216.Pius III (1503)
217.Julius II (1503-13)
218.Leo X (1513-21)
219.Adrian VI (1522-23)
220.Clement VII (1523-34)
221.Paul III (1534-49)
222.Julius III (1550-55)
223.Marcellus II (1555)
224.Paul IV (1555-59)
225.Pius IV (1559-65)
226.St. Pius V (1566-72)
227.Gregory XIII (1572-85)
228.Sixtus V (1585-90)
229.Urban VII (1590)
230.Gregory XIV (1590-91)
231.Innocent IX (1591)
232.Clement VIII (1592-1605)
233.Leo XI (1605)
234.Paul V (1605-21)
235.Gregory XV (1621-23)
236.Urban VIII (1623-44)
237.Innocent X (1644-55)
238.Alexander VII (1655-67)
239.Clement IX (1667-69)
240.Clement X (1670-76)
241.Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)
242.Alexander VIII (1689-91)
243.Innocent XII (1691-1700)
244.Clement XI (1700-21)
245.Innocent XIII (1721-24)
246.Benedict XIII (1724-30)
247.Clement XII (1730-40)
248.Benedict XIV (1740-58)
249.Clement XIII (1758-69)
250.Clement XIV (1769-74)
251.Pius VI (1775-99)
252.Pius VII (1800-23)
253.Leo XII (1823-29)
254.Pius VIII (1829-30)
255.Gregory XVI (1831-46)
256.Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)
257.Leo XIII (1878-1903)
258.St. Pius X (1903-14)

Busillis · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2012, 01:04:13 PM »

Not to be disrespectful, because that's not my intention, but reading over these names wouldn't it be funny if we had a Pope Billy I or a Pope Keith I?

ServusSpiritusSancti · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2012, 03:41:21 PM »

Quote from: Busillis

Not to be disrespectful, because that's not my intention, but reading over these names wouldn't it be funny if we had a Pope Billy I or a Pope Keith I?

No, because those aren't holy names. A "Pope Billy" or "Pope Keith" would be blasphemous.

Emerentiana · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2012, 04:06:18 PM »

Quote from: TradCatholic39452

Let me start by saying that I do not want to start a sede debate with this topic.

What I would like to know is if there is an official number of Popes from Peter to St. Pius X. I am intentionally picking a Pope far enough back to avoid a sede debate.

I started reading this book http://www.archive.org/details/livesofpopes01artauoft about the history of the popes and notices that his list of popes did not match a list of popes I have on a poster. I checked the disputed popes and it seems that the history of these disputed popes is a little shady. As I read on the author would get to a pope and would sometimes say that such and such an author says this person was not a pope and such and such and author says he was. I will try to provide a list of the questionable popes.

I was talking to a friend about his after Mass one Sunday and made the comment that there is no authoritative number of Popes as legitimate historians take different views on certain popes. His response was that when they announce a newly elected pope they say this is the Pius X our two hundred ?? pope. I asked him about the exact wording and he could not produce anything.

I looked up on the internet an official number ans came up with 265 or 266 and some sites claiming the Vatican officially stated there are a certain numbers of popes but could not find any actual docuмents anywhere.

Does anybody know if there is an official count and list form the Vatican, and if so from what year and has it ever changed?

In the church of the Lateran, there are pictures of ALL of the occupants of the chair, both Popes and antipopes. They are displayed without distinction there (altho the antipopes are known thru history).
The number I dont know, but it would be easy to google the question. Why bring it up here, and then preface your remarks by making a snide comment about the sedes? :really-mad2: