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papacy
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Vatican City: St. Peter's Basilica Where do the cardinal electors come from? Infographic featuring a central illustration of a pope, surrounded by labeled facts such as the total number of popes, most common papal names, oldest and youngest elected, longest and shortest reigns, number of popes made saints, official titles, and origins by country. Pope Francis: A Life in Pictures
Who was St. Peter the Apostle?
A pyramid diagram illustrating the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, with levels from top to bottom: Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Laypeople and Consecrated Religious, each with a brief description of their roles. St. Gregory the Great The crowning of Charlemagne Expulsion of Pope Gregory VII and excommunication of King Henry IV Innocent III: one of the youngest popes to ascend the throne
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St. Peter's Basilica
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Holy week. Easter. Valladolid. Procession of Nazarenos carry a cross during the Semana Santa (Holy week before Easter) in Valladolid, Spain. Good Friday
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Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great (c. 540-604), pope from 590 to 604. Undated copperplate engraving by Adrian Collaert (c.1520-67).
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Vatican City: St. Peter's Basilica
Vatican City: St. Peter's Basilica St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

papacy

Roman Catholicism
Also known as: bishop of Rome
Written by
Frank J. Coppa
Professor of History, St. Johns University, New York, New York. Author of The Origins of the Italian Wars of Independence. Editor of Encyclopedia of the Vatican and Papacy.
Frank J. Coppa
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

papacy, the office and jurisdiction of the pope (Latin papa, from Greek pappas, “father”), who presides over the Holy See (the central government) of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest of the three major branches of Christianity. The term pope was originally applied to all the bishops in the Western church. In 1073, however, Pope Gregory VII restricted its use to the bishop of Rome, confirming a practice that had existed since the 9th century....

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