Popes Through History

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Irenaeus commended the Church at Rome for their Apostolic succession, which is an unbroken line of Bishops in the Churches since the apostles. Irenaeus, who was only the third from the Apostles (through Polycarp to John), wrote:

Since, however, it would be very tedious, in such a volume as this, to reckon up the successions of all the Churches, we do put to confusion all those who, in whatever manner, whether by an evil self-pleasing, by vainglory, or by blindness and perverse opinion, assemble in unauthorized meetings; [we do this, I say,] by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also [by pointing out] the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops. For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its pre- eminent authority,(3) that is, the faithful every-where, inasmuch as the apostolical tradition has been preserved continuously by those faithful men who exist everywhere.

Another translation of the last statement of this is:

"On account of the chief magistracy [of the empire], the faithful from all parts, representing every Church, are obliged to resort to Rome, and there to come together; so that [it is the distinction of this Church that], in it, the tradition of the apostles has been preserved by Christians gathered together out of all the Churches."

Despite this apostolic succession, which Irenaeus reckoned was present in most churches, Irenaeus himself traveled to Rome to rebuke two Bishops during his lifetime (much like Paul did to Peter) and both submitted to his rebuke.

Heresies arise within established Churches when they do not take correction. This history shows how the heart of the Church at Rome was lost to sin, while retaining its pious exterior. Apostolic succession is no replacement for repentance and conversion.

67 A.D. to 200 A.D.

Early Bishops of Rome (from Liber Pontificalus, and the writings of Irenaeus)

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Linus	67	79	Taught that women should cover their heads.
Anacletus	79	88	Ordained a number of priests
Clement I	88	98	Wrote a letter to the Corinthians
Evaristus	98	105	None known
Alexander I	105	115	None known
Sixtus	117	126	Decreed that Only ministers can touch the holy vessels, Bishops returning from visiting Rome should not be accepted without a letter, Priests should recite the Sanctus (a song) with the people.
Telesphorus	126	137	Started to celebrate Easter on the Sunday after Passover
Hyginus	138	140	Defined the grades of ecclesiastical hierarchy
Pius	140	154	None known
Anicetus	154	167	Moderately condemned the heresy of Montanism, Gnosticism and Marcionism. Met with Polycarp and accepted that the date of the celebration of Easter should be decided by churches individually.
Soter	167	174	Decreed that marriage is only valid if blessed by a priest.

Early Bishops of Rome (from Liber Pontificalus, a Roman Catholic document)

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Eleuterus	174	189	Decree that no kind of food should be despised by Christians. Mild response to Montanism
Victor I	189	199	From Africa, he (1) started mass in latin, and (2) excommunicated himself from all other churches for not agreeing with him on the date of Easter. After a rebuke from Irenaeus, he resumed this fellowship.
Zephyrinus	199	217	Decreed that excommunicated sinners could be absolved through pennance. Hippolytus (who claimed to be a disciple of Irenaeus) officially broke with the Church of Rome under Zphyrinus, and is often called the first antipope.
Callixtus	217	222	Established the practice of the absolution of all repented sins. Was similar to Irenaeus in his doctrine of the Godhead, and was rebuked by Hippolytus and Tertullian, who were both early Trinitarians, for his doctrine and morals.
Urban 1	222	230	None known
Pontian	230	235	Died in exile with Hippolytus.
Anterus	235	236	None known
Fabian	236	250	Sent men to evangelize Gaul after the persecutions of Emperor Decius had reduced the Christian population (Gaul was the area where Irenaeus had ministered).
Cornelius	250	253	Little known, Excommunicated Novation.
Lucius 1	253	254	Known for relaxed view on restoration of backsliders
Stephen 1	254	257	Declared that those baptised in splinter churches do not need rebaptism
Sixtus II	257	258	Little known.
Dionysius	259	268	Reorganized Roman Church, assisted church in Cappadocia, and demanded doctrine on Godhead from the church in Alexandria
Felix I	269	274	Wrote a letter to Alexandrian church in support of the Trinity and Incarnation.
Eutychian	275	283	Little known.
Caius	283	296	Little known.
Marcellinus	296	304	Recanted Christianity and sacrificed to idols at Emperor Diocletian's persecution, but later recanted and was martyred.
Marcellus I	308	309	Required severe penance for those that backslid during Diocletian's persecution, and was ousted by Emperor Maxentius because of the resulting inter-christian feuds.
Eusebius	309	309	Lasted as Bishop for one day. Was ousted by Empereor Maxentius for not stopping the inter-Christian riots by admitting the backslidden without pennance.
Miltiades	310	314	Little known.

Early Bishops of Rome (from Liber Pontificalus, a Roman Catholic document)

Name	Start	End	Significant activity
Silvester I	314	335	Present at the Council of Nicea, gave gifts to Constantine I, condemned Arianism.
Mark	336	336	Little known, died of natural causes.
Julius I	337	352	Involved in Arian controversy, and deposition of Athanasius. Wrote "Can you be ignorant, that this is the custom, that we should be written to first, so that from here what is just may be defined" (Epistle of Julius to Antioch, c. xxii).
Liberius	352	366	Admitted to membership the more moderate Arians
Damasus I	366	383	Supporters killed opposing deacon. Accused of Murder and adultery. Established the Vulgate (latin translation of the Bible), and set the modern Catholic Canon.
Siricius	384	399	Protested the death sentence of Priscillian, along with Martin of Tours, by Emperor Magnus Maximus as requested by Bishops from Hispania.
Anastasius I	399	401	FIRST BISHOP TO USE THE TITLE OF POPE. Condemned writings of Origen
Innocent I	402	417	Expanded Rome's authority as the universal settler of disputes
Zosimus	417	418	Fought to establish Rome's authority. Decreed on the blessing of Easter candles.
Boniface I	418	422	Defended the rights of the Pope
Celestine I	422	432	Did not tolerate any deviation from his predecessor's decrees.
Sixtus III	432	440	Dedicated the Basilica "Santa Maria Maggiore" to Mary, the Mother of God. (Official title from Council of Ephesus in 431)
Leo I	440	461	Convinced Attila the Hun not to sack Rome. Increased and extended Papal Authority over various areas (i.e. Gaul), "What Leo believes we all believe, anathema to him who believes anything else. Peter has spoken through the mouth of Leo."
Hilarius	461	468	Fought to establish Rome's authority, and contended with Emperor Anthemius to not allow other churches in Rome.
Simplicius	468	483	Fought heresy and established the Pope's powers.
Felix II	483	492	Fought against heretics and anyone exercising Rome's authority
Gelasius I	492	496	Prolific writer on the Primacy of the Pope. Replaced the pagan festival of fertility and purification (February), with the celebration of the Virgin Mary. Fought with eastern Church over God having two divine natures (Rome's view) vs. one divine nature (Eastern view).
Anastasius II	496	498	Endeavoured to reconcile with the eastern Church, and is vilified by subsequent Popes for doing this.
Symmachus	498	514	Accused by Senator Festus of fornication, decreed to be above reproach by human court, but not cleared of charges.
Hormisdas	514	523	Ended the schism with the eastern Churches, with Rome victorious
John I	523	526	Put in prison by Theodoric the Great for not listening to him.
Felix IV	526	530	The choice of Tehodoric the Great for Pope. Defined church teaching on grace and free-will.
Boniface II	530	532	Little known
John II	533	535	First pope to adopt another name. Dealt with the election process of Popes.
Agapetus I	535	536	Secured a written declaration of faith from Eastern Emperor Justinian I.
Silverius	536	537	Opposed the Monophysite heresy. Deposed on account of treason.
Vigilius	537	555	Silverius put in his keeping, where he soon died. Fought hard against Monophysitism, and eventually fled Rome when it was attacked by the Goths.
Pelagius I	556	561	Accepted Emperor Justinians "three chapters" reconciliation of monophysitism, which subsequent Popes tried to reverse. Was in Rome when sacked by Totila the Goth.
John III	561	574	Little known
Benedict I	575	579	Election confirmed by the Byzantium emperor. Little known
Pelagius II	579	590	Promoted the celibacy of the clergy
Gregory I	590	604	Converted the Anglo-Saxon kings (through arranged marriages) to counter the spread of Christianity from Ireland, which had developed independently from Rome.
Sabinian	604	606	Little known, started the ringing of Bells at the Eucharist.

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