XIV From Rome
The Successors of Peter
Two hundred and sixty-seven pontificates — 265 men, since Benedict IX reigned three times — from the fisherman of Galilee to Leo XIV — when they reigned, where they came from and where they rest.
Photo: Pietro Perugino · Public domain
Most were born in Italy (208), France (16), Greece (11). The longest reign that can be dated with certainty was Pius IX’s — 31.6 years; some lasted less than a month.
Two thousand years
Every pontificate, century by century
SaintBlessed or VenerablePopeVacant see
- I 1–100
- II 100–200
- III 200–300
- IV 300–400
- V 400–500
- VI 500–600
- VII 600–700
- VIII 700–800
- IX 800–900
- X 900–1000
- XI 1000–1100
- XII 1100–1200
- XIII 1200–1300
- XIV 1300–1400
- XV 1400–1500
- XVI 1500–1600
- XVII 1600–1700
- XVIII 1700–1800
- XIX 1800–1900
- XX 1900–2000
- XXI 2000–2100
Where the popes rest
From the Vatican Grottoes to Avignon
Most popes are buried in Rome — beneath St Peter’s, in the Lateran and St Mary Major, in the catacombs — but some rest in Avignon, Perugia, Viterbo and beyond. Tap a place to see who lies there.
From Wikidata, the free knowledge base of the Wikimedia movement; portraits from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each card. The dates of the first popes are those of tradition.
Apostolic journeys
The Successor of Peter goes out to the world
Paul VI was the first Pope to travel by aeroplane. Since his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1964 the Popes have made 192 journeys abroad, to 142 countries and territories. Choose a Pope, then tap a country to see when he came.
From the Holy See’s own lists of the journeys of Leo XIV, Francis, Benedict XVI, John Paul II and Paul VI on vatican.va; each journey links to its page there. Countries are named as they are today; visits within Italy are not included.