Papabile

Catholic cardinals likely to become pope

Not to be confused with Papamobile.

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Papabile (/pəˈpɑːbɪleɪ/ pə-PAH-bil-ay, UK also /-li/ -⁠ee,[1][2] Italian: [paˈpaːbile]; plural: papabili; lit. 'pope-able' or 'able to be pope') is an unofficial Italian term coined by Vaticanologists and used internationally in many languages to describe a Catholic man—in practice, always a cardinal—who is thought of as a likely or possible candidate to be elected pope by the College of Cardinals.

In some cases, a cardinal who is considered papabile is elected pope. Among the papabili cardinals who have been elected pope are Eugenio Pacelli (Pius XII) in 1939, Giovanni Montini (Paul VI) in 1963, Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) in 2005, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Francis) in 2013, and Robert Francis Prevost (Leo XIV) in 2025. However, at times the College of Cardinals elects a man who was not considered papabile by most Vatican watchers. In recent years, those who were elected pope though not considered papabile were Angelo Roncalli (John XXIII) in 1958, Albino Luciani (John Paul I) in August 1978, and Karol Wojtyła (John Paul II) in October 1978.

The list of papabili changes as cardinals age. For instance, Carlo Maria Martini was thought to be papabile until he retired from his see upon reaching 75 years of age in 2002. A famous saying is: "He who enters the conclave as pope, leaves it as a cardinal."[3]

## Terminology

[edit]

The term papabile is at least as old as the 15th century, since it is found in the Catholicon Anglicum.[4]

In Italian, the word papabile is also used in non-church contexts. This includes usage in reference to short list candidates, i.e. those who, among the available candidates, are most likely to get elected or appointed to a specific position.[5]

## Papabili elected pope

[edit]

* Francesco Castiglioni (elected as Pius VIII in 1829) was papabile at both the 1823 conclave and at the 1829 conclave.[6][7] Pope Pius VII during his lifetime called Cardinal Castiglioni "Pope Pius VIII"[6][7] and at the 1823 conclave, the cardinal ultimately elected as Pope Leo XII stated that Cardinal Castiglioni would someday be Pope Pius VIII. Castiglioni came close to being elected at the 1823 conclave but lost support due to being identified as being close to Cardinal Ercole Consalvi, a moderate and Secretary of State of the late Pope Pius VII.[6][7] Consalvi later died during Leo XII's pontificate and Castiglioni, a papabile once more when Leo XII himself died, was subsequently elected pope at the 1829 conclave.[7] His election was facilitated in that of the other papabili, Bartolomeo Pacca was opposed by France while Emmanuele de Gregorio failed to get the support of the majority of the other cardinals. Upon his election, Castiglioni took the name Pius VIII, given that his two immediate predecessors had previously called him by that name.
* Gioachino Pecci (elected as Leo XIII in 1878).[8][unreliable source?] The majority of the cardinals who headed to Rome for the 1878 conclave had already decided to support Pecci who was Camerlengo. Pecci was also perceived to be the opposite of the recently deceased Pius IX.[8]
* Giacomo della Chiesa (elected as Benedict XV in 1914)[9][10]
* Eugenio Pacelli (elected as Pius XII in 1939).[11] Pope Pius XI prior to his death strongly hinted that he favored Cardinal Pacelli as his successor.[11] On 15 December 1937, during his last consistory, Pius XI strongly hinted to the cardinals that he expected Pacelli to be his successor, saying "He is in your midst."[12][13] He had previously been quoted as saying: "When today the Pope dies, you'll get another one tomorrow, because the Church continues. It would be a much bigger tragedy, if Cardinal Pacelli dies, because there is only one. I pray every day, God may send another one into one of our seminaries, but as of today, there is only one in this world."[14]
* Giovanni Montini (elected as Paul VI in 1963). Montini had been discussed as a papabile candidate in the 1958 conclave despite not having been a cardinal at the time; Cardinal Giuseppe Siri during the discussion about Montini was furious that a non-cardinal would even be considered. It was also rumored some of the French cardinals voted in favor of Montini during that conclave. John XXIII had sent vague signals during his reign that he believed his friend Montini (whom he made a cardinal) would be his successor.[15]
* Joseph Ratzinger (elected as Benedict XVI in 2005).[16] On 2 January 2005, Time magazine quoted unnamed Vatican sources as saying that Ratzinger was a front runner to succeed John Paul II should he die or become too ill to continue as pope. On the death of John Paul II, the Financial Times gave the odds of Ratzinger becoming pope as 7–1, the lead position but close to his rivals on the liberal wing of the church. In April 2005, before his election as pope, he was identified as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time.[17] At the conclave, "it was, if not Ratzinger, who? And as they came to know him, the question became, why not Ratzinger?"[18] On 19 April 2005, he was elected on the second day after four ballots.[18]
* Jorge Bergoglio (elected as Francis in 2013).[19][20][21] Bergoglio was a papabile at the 2005 conclave[22][23] and was also considered a contender at the 2013 conclave[19][20][23] due to his being the reported "second-place finisher" at the 2005 conclave.[19][23] According to John L. Allen Jr., some of the participants in the 2005 conclave who were also participating in the 2013 conclave were "getting another bite at the apple".[23] Despite this, his election still came as a surprise because some of the commentators who considered him papabile made the observation that there were "compelling reasons to believe that Bergoglio's window of opportunity to be pope has already closed"[23] and that "his 'moment' seems to be over".[19]
* Robert Francis Prevost (elected as Leo XIV in 2025).[24] Prevost was a prominent papabile for North America for the 2025 papal conclave.[citation needed] He is the first pontiff coming from North America and the first pope born in the United States.[25]

## Papabili not elected

[edit]

Being seen as papabile is no guarantee of election, and is sometimes seen as a handicap. (Although the following candidates were widely discussed as candidates publicly, the actual vote results described below are frequently based on rumours and sourced, if at all, from off-the-record reports of individual cardinals.)

* Mariano Rampolla, Leo XIII's Cardinal Secretary of State, was headed for victory in the 1903 conclave, only to be vetoed by Kraków Cardinal Jan Puzyna de Kosielsko on behalf of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I. With Rampolla blocked, Giuseppe Sarto was elected and became Pius X. One of Pope Pius X's first acts was to abolish the rights of Catholic monarchs to veto.[a]
* Rafael Merry del Val was a widely considered candidate in the 1914 and 1922 conclaves, which eventually elected Benedict XV and Pius XI respectively, although he never garnered enough votes to be in serious contention.[11][26]
* Giuseppe Siri was widely expected to be elected pope in the 1958 and 1963 conclaves, and continued to be a prime contender in both 1978 conclaves. On the first of these occasions, Angelo Roncalli, an unexpected choice, was elected and became Pope John XXIII.[27][28][29][30]
* Giovanni Benelli, Archbishop of Florence and the leading liberal candidate, was widely expected to be elected pope in both the August and October 1978 conclaves; in fact, he was defeated in both (albeit narrowly, the second time). In August, a candidate few saw as papabile, Albino Luciani, was elected and became Pope John Paul I – with the support of Benelli himself. In October, another such candidate, Karol Wojtyła, was elected as John Paul II.[31][32]
* Sergio Pignedoli, a towering figure in the church, was Pope Paul VI's closest confidant and widely expected to succeed him. Following the death of Paul VI in 1978, Pignedoli was featured in numerous publications around the world, including on the covers of Time and Newsweek, as a leading contender to be elected pope. In the August 1978 conclave, Pignedoli, the progressive candidate, received nearly half of the votes of the cardinal electors. His main opponent was the conservative cardinal Giuseppe Siri of Genova; however, since both were unable to obtain a majority, a compromise candidate emerged, and Albino Luciani was elected as Pope John Paul I. Thirty three days later, following the sudden death of John Paul I, a second conclave convened in October 1978. Pignedoli was again the leading contender for the papacy, but ultimately Karol Wojtyła was elected as Pope John Paul II.[33]
* Carlo Maria Martini, Archbishop of Milan from 1980 to 2002 and a Jesuit biblical exegete, was considered to be the most likely successor to John Paul II for much of the 1980s and 1990s but was already suffering from Parkinson's disease by the time the 2005 conclave was convened.[34][35][36]
* Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and one of John Paul II's principal advisors, was speculated by some media reports as a highly favoured successor to John Paul II but did not garner enough votes in the 2005 conclave.[37]
* Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan, was considered such a front-runner in the 2013 conclave that the Episcopal Conference of Italy had already pre-drafted a press release concerning his election. However, his ties to a corruption probe caused his perception by the fellow cardinals to decline drastically.[38]
* Pietro Parolin, Francis's Cardinal Secretary of State, was often considered a moderate option and a viable successor to Francis but did not garner enough votes in the 2025 conclave to become pope.[39]
* Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila from 2011 to 2020 who was dubbed the "Asian Francis" and seen as the representative of the Catholic Church's progressive wing, was speculated in media reports to be the most likely successor to Pope Francis but did not garner enough votes in the 2025 conclave to become pope. He was also a papabile in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Francis.[39][40]

## Non-papabili elected pope

[edit]

The 1492 conclave was the first to be held in the Sistine Chapel, the site of all conclaves since 1878

* Barnaba Chiaramonti (elected as Pius VII in 1800) was not considered papabile but emerged as an alternative candidate following months of deadlock. Chiaramonti was well-regarded among many of the cardinals, but tried to dissuade them from electing him since he was content with being a bishop. Cardinal Jean-Sifrein Maury first proposed Chiaramonti as a compromise candidate to break the stalemate.[41]
* Annibale della Genga (elected as Leo XII in 1823) was not considered papabile due to his physical infirmities and the cardinal himself at the conclave tried to discourage the other electors from voting for him. However, he was elected because the conclave received information about secret societies who were perceived to have grown in strength during the sede vacante period, and some cardinals wanted a quick conclusion to the conclave; his physical condition made some cardinals think that his pontificate would not last long.[6]
* Bartolomeo Cappellari's (elected as Gregory XVI in 1831) election was unexpected and had been influenced by the fact that the most papabile candidate, Giacomo Giustiniani, had been vetoed, therefore resulting in a deadlock.[42]
* Giuseppe Sarto (elected as Pius X in 1903) emerged as an alternative candidate after the veto of Mariano Rampolla.
* Achille Ratti (elected as Pius XI in 1922) was elected as a compromise candidate between the conservative faction headed by Rafael Merry del Val and the moderate faction headed by Pietro Gasparri. Gasparri also threw his support behind Ratti and urged his supporters to vote for Ratti.[26]
* Angelo Roncalli (elected as John XXIII in 1958). Some commentators like William Doino dispute the contention that Roncalli was a non-papabile and argue that "[b]y the time of Pius XII's death, in 1958, Cardinal Roncalli 'contrary to the idea he came out of nowhere to become pope' was actually one of those favored to be elected. He was well-known, well-liked, and trusted."[43]
* Albino Luciani (elected as John Paul I in 1978). Although Luciani was not considered papabile, one of the papabile cardinals, Giovanni Benelli, used his influence to persuade the others to elect Luciani at the conclave.[44][45]
* Karol Wojtyła (elected as John Paul II in 1978) was elected as a compromise candidate due to the failure of the leading papabili Giuseppe Siri and Giovanni Benelli to obtain the requisite majority and the only other viable Italian compromise candidate Giovanni Colombo announced to the cardinal-electors at the conclave that he would decline the papacy if elected.[46] Prior to Wojtyła, no non-Italian had been elected Pope since the 1522 conclave that chose the Dutch Pope Adrian VI.

## See also

[edit]

* Conclave capitulation
* Elective monarchy
* Holy See
* Index of Vatican City-related articles
* List of papal elections
* Papal appointment
* Papal primacy
* Papal conclave
* 2025 papal conclave
* 2013 papal conclave
* 2005 papal conclave
* Papal coronation

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Papal historian Valérie Pirie disagreed with the conclusion that Rampolla would have won but for the veto of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor. Pirie claims that Rampolla would never have prevailed in the conclave and all that the veto accomplished was to make him appear a sympathetic figure as a victim of Austrian hostility.[8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "papabile". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
2. ^ "papabile" (US) and "papabile". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 5 November 2020.
3. ^ Allen Jr., John L. (13 March 2013). "Papabile of the Day: The Men Who Could Be Pope". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
4. ^ Herrtage, Sidney John Hervon (1882). Catholicon Anglicum: An English-Latin Wordbook, Dated 1483. By E. Pickard Hall, M.A. and J.H. Stacy. p. 268\. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
5. ^ "Papabile". Enciclopedia Treccani. Fondazione Treccani. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
6. ^ a b c d Valérie Pirie. "The Triple Crown: An Account of the Papal Conclaves – Leo XII (De la Genga)". Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
7. ^ a b c d Valérie Pirie. "The Triple Crown: An Account of the Papal Conclaves – Pius VIII (Castiglione)". Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2014. [unreliable source?]
8. ^ a b c Valérie Pirie. "The Triple Crown: An Account of the Papal Conclaves – Concluding Chapter: Leo XIII and His Successors". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
9. ^ Domenico, Roy Palmer (January 2006). Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Politics: Benedict XV (Giacomo della Chisa). ISBN 9780313323621. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
10. ^ Lorenzo Cappelletti (August 2006). "Lay that is Christian". 30 Days in the Church and the World. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
11. ^ a b c Weigel, George (21 April 2005). "Conclaves: Surprises abound in the Sistine Chapel". The Madison Catholic Herald Online. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
12. ^ "Medius vestrum stetit quem vos nescetis. Everybody knew what the pope meant". Domenico Cardinale Tardini, Pio XII, Tipografia Poliglotta Vaticana, 1960, p. 105 (in Italian)
13. ^ Lehnert, Pascalina (1986). Ich durfte Ihm Dienen: Erinnerungen an Papst Pius XII (in German). Würzburg: Naumann. p. 57\. ISBN 3885670410.
14. ^ Lehnert, Pascalina (1986). Ich durfte Ihm Dienen: Erinnerungen an Papst Pius XII (in German). Würzburg: Naumann. p. 49\. ISBN 3885670410.
15. ^ Conclave A.D. 1963 – Election of Pope Paul VI Archived 9 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine. YouTube video. Accessed 19 October 2013
16. ^ Oaks, Tammy (19 April 2005). "Bookmakers lay odds on new pope". CNN International. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
17. ^ Sullivan, Andrew (18 April 2005). "Time 100 2005". Time. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
18. ^ a b Goodstein, Laurie and Elisabetta Povoledo. "Before Smoke Rises at Vatican, It's Romans vs. the Reformers," Archived 22 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine The New York Times. 11 March 2013; Ivereigh, Austen. "Does cardinal confusion spell a long conclave?" Archived 16 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine Our Sunday Visitor. 11 March By Austen Ivereigh; excerpt, "A former communications director to the Archbishop emeritus of Westminster (England), Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, he accompanied the cardinal to Rome in 2005 for the funeral of Pope John Paul II and election of Pope Benedict XVI". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
19. ^ a b c d "One Of These Men Will Be The Next Pope". Business Insider. 11 February 2013. Archived from the original on 14 March 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
20. ^ a b "Choose your own pope – with our interactive Pontifficator" Archived 1 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine. The Guardian. 12 March 2013. Contains descriptions of all 115 cardinal electors, 13 of whom are marked as papabili.
21. ^ Huffington Post Papabile 2013: Top Contenders To Be Next Pope As We Enter Conclave Archived 13 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine. March 10, 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
22. ^ Allen Jr., John L. (14 April 2005). "Handicapping the conclave". National Catholic Reporter. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
23. ^ a b c d e John L. Allen Jr. (3 March 2013). "Papabile of the Day: The Men Who Could Be Pope (Profile: New pope, Jesuit Bergoglio, was runner-up in 2005 conclave)". National Catholic Reporter. Archived from the original on 15 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
24. ^ "Who will be pope? Meet some possible contenders". PBS News. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
25. ^ "Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV and first American Pope?". www.bbc.com. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
26. ^ a b Kertzer, David I. (2014). The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198716167. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
27. ^ "The Princes of the Church". Time. 30 March 1962. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008.
28. ^ Allen, John L. Jr. (2005). "How a pope is elected". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
29. ^ "How Pope John Paul I Won". Time. 11 September 1978. Archived from the original on 17 April 2008.
30. ^ "A 'Foreign' Pope". Time. 30 October 1978. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
31. ^ "In Rome, a Week off Suspense". Time. 28 August 1978. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008.
32. ^ "A Swift, Stunning Choice". Time. 4 September 1978. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
33. ^ Time Magazine. Recent Events 30 June 1980
34. ^ Wakin, Daniel J. (18 April 2005). "Cardinals Gather Today in Secret to Elect the Next Pope". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
35. ^ Catholic News Service. Article based on diary says German cardinal became pope with 84 votes 23 September 2005
36. ^ "Martini: Benedict XVI's resignation and the 2005 Conclave". Vatican Insider. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
37. ^ Donadio, Rachel; Povoledo, Elisabetta (12 February 2013). "Pope Resigns with Church at Crossroads". New York Times. pp. A1 – A11. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
38. ^ Condon, Ed. "The short and the long of conclave timing". The Pillar. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
39. ^ a b TDT (6 May 2025). "16 papabile: Who could be the next Pope?". Daily Tribune. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
40. ^ "Meet the Papabili: A Handy Guide to the Popefuls of Conclave 2013". Tiffany Parks. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
41. ^ John Paul Adams (29 September 2015). "Sede Vacante 1799–1800". Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
42. ^ "Gregory XVI (Cappellari)". Pickle Publishing. 2005. Archived from the original on 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
43. ^ Doino, William Jr. (2 July 2012). "Pope John XXIII: Conserver of Tradition". First Things. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
44. ^ Time Magazine. In Rome, a Week off Suspense 28 August 1978
45. ^ Time Magazine. A Swift, Stunning Choice 4 September 1978
46. ^ Thomas Reese, S.J. (1998). Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church. Harvard University Press. pp. 91 & 99\. ISBN 978-0-674-93261-6.

## Bibliography

[edit]

### News articles

[edit]

* Lawler, Phil (11 December 2019). "Who is most likely to succeed Pope Francis?". Catholic Culture. Archived from the original on 3 January 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
* Magister, Sandro (11 December 2019). "Conclave Rehearsals. The Next Pope Will Take His Name From Sant'Egidio". Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.

## External links

[edit]

Look up papabile or papabili in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Papal coronation.

* Papabili list for 2009 at "Popes-and-Papacy"[usurped]
* Site ranking potential papabili
* BBC News: Bets open on Benedict's successor
* "Il successore di Francesco? I papabili e le loro posizioni su donne nella Chiesa e coppie gay" [Who will succeed Francis? The candidates and their positions on women in the Church and gay couples]. La Stampa (in Italian). 23 April 2025. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.

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See also|

* Pretender
* List of current
* Papabile
* Order of succession
* Coronation anthem

* v
* t
* e

Latin Church

Patriarchates
(by order of precedence)|

| Current|

* Rome ('Patriarch of the West'): Pope Leo XIV (with cathedra in Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran)

* Jerusalem: Pierbattista Pizzaballa
* East Indies: Filipe Neri Ferrão
* Lisbon: Rui Valério
* Venice: Francesco Moraglia

|

Defunct|

* Carthage (?−1964)
* Alexandria (1276–1964)
* Antioch (1098–1964)
* Constantinople (1204–1964)
* West Indies (1524–1963)
* Aquileia (560–1751)
* Ethiopia (1555–1663)
* Grado (560–1451)

History|

* Apostolic succession
* History of the papacy
* Papal primacy
* Historical development
* First Martyrs
* Great Church
* Early African church
* Vulgate
* East–West Schism
* Scholasticism
* Crusades
* Western Schism
* Age of Discovery
* Humanism
* Protestant Reformation
* Council of Trent
* Counter-Reformation
* Vatican I
* Vatican II
* 1983 Code of Canon Law

| Apostolic sees|

* Rome
* Peter
* Paul
* Syracuse
* Peter
* Malta
* Paul
* Milan
* Barnabas
* Santiago de Compostela
* James

|

Church Fathers|

* Tertullian
* Cyprian
* Hilary of Poitiers*
* Ambrose*
* Pope Damasus I
* Jerome*
* Augustine of Hippo*
* Pope Gregory I*
* Isidore of Seville*

Language|

* Ecclesiastical Latin
* Liturgical use of Latin

Liturgical rites
Liturgical days|

| Current|

* Ambrosian Rite
* Rite of Braga
* Mozarabic Rite
* Rite of Lyon
* Roman Rite
* Mass of Paul VI (Ordinary form)
* Tridentine Mass
* Extraordinary form
* Anglican Use
* Zaire Use

| Orders|

* Benedictine Rite
* Carmelite Rite
* Carthusian Rite
* Cistercian Rite
* Dominican Rite
* Norbertine Rite

|

Defunct|

* African Rite
* Aquileian Rite
* British
* Celtic Rite
* Durham Rite
* Hereford Use
* Sarum Use
* York Use
* Gallican Rite
* Missa Nautica
* Missa sicca
* Missa Venatoria
* Pre-Tridentine Mass

See also|

* Latin cross
* Latin Church in the Middle East
* Latins
* Turkey
* Titular sees
* Eastern Catholic Churches
* Conference of the Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions
* Western Rite Orthodoxy

* * also Doctors of the Church
* Category

* v
* t
* e

Papacy

Episcopate of the bishop of Rome

Jurisdiction|

| Holy See
(full communion)|

* Pope Leo XIV as bishop of the Diocese of Rome
* primacy
* history

| Vatican City
(index, outline)|

* Enclaved in Rome, Italy
* Lateran Treaty, 1929
* along with extraterritorial properties of the Holy See

|

Headquarters|

* Vatican City:
* Apostolic Palace
* papal apartments
* Sistine Chapel
* Italy:
* Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (cathedra)

Major basilicas|

* Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran
* St. Peter's Basilica
* Basilica of Saint Mary Major
* Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

Titles
(Papal names)|

* His Holiness
* Bishop of Rome
* Vicar of Jesus Christ
* Successor of the Prince of the Apostles
* Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church
* Patriarch of the West
* Primate of Italy
* Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province
* Sovereign of the Vatican City State
* Servant of the servants of God

Symbols|

* Coats of arms
* Coat of arms of the Holy See
* Cross
* Keys of Heaven
* Regalia and insignia
* Rota
* Umbraculum

Proclamations|

* Infallibility
* Apostolic constitution
* Bull
* list
* Encyclical
* Apostolic exhortation
* Ecclesiastical letter
* Interdict

Activities|

* Arbitration
* deposition
* Blessing
* "pontifical"
* Urbi et Orbi
* Conclave
* list
* Coronation
* Consistory
* Diplomacy
* Inauguration
* Mass
* High Mass
* Travel

Vestments|

* Camauro
* Falda
* Fanon
* Ferula
* Flabellum
* Mantle
* Mitre
* Mozzetta
* Pallium
* Ring of the Fisherman
* Shoes
* slippers
* Subcinctorium
* Tiara
* list
* Zucchetto

Transportation|

* Popemobile
* Sedia gestatoria
* Shepherd One

Household|

* Camerlengo
* Commander of the Swiss Guard
* Chaplain
* Palatinus
* papal majordomo
* Gentlemen
* Preacher
* Prefect
* Prelate of Honour
* Prince assistant
* Theologian

Staff|

* College of Cardinals
* cardinals
* list
* Roman Curia
* Apostolic Camera
* commissions
* for Vatican City State
* councils
* congregations
* dicasteries
* Synods
* Cappella Giulia
* Sistine Chapel Choir

Related|

* Antipope
* Western Schism
* Canonised popes
* Fat pope, thin pope
* Gammarelli
* Legends
* Orders, decorations, and medals
* Papabile
* Papal nobility
* "Black"
* Pontifical academy
* Pontifical colleges in Rome
* Major Seminary
* Pontifical university
* in Rome
* Popes by country
* Sexually active popes
* St. Peter's Square
* Swiss Guard

* Vatican City portal
* Catholic Church portal

* v
* t
* e

History of the Catholic Church

General|

* History of the Catholic Church
* By country or region
* Ecclesiastical history
* Timeline
* Papacy
* Papal primacy
* Catholic ecumenical councils
* First seven
* Catholic Bible
* Biblical canon
* Vulgate
* Crusading movement
* History of the Roman Curia
* Religious institutes
* Christian monasticism
* Catholic culture
* Art
* Role in civilization
* Vatican City
* Papal States
* Latin Church
* Eastern Catholic Churches

Early Church
(30–325/476)|

| Origins and
Apostolic Age (30–100)|

* Jesus
* Ministry
* Crucifixion
* Resurrection
* Great Commission
* Holy Spirit
* Mary
* John the Baptist
* Apostles in the New Testament
* Commissioning
* Peter
* John
* Paul
* Stephen
* Council of Jerusalem
* Split with Judaism
* New Testament
* Background
* Gospels
* Acts
* Pauline epistles
* General epistles
* Revelation

|

Ante-Nicene period (100–325)|

* Persecution
* Church Fathers
* Apostolic Fathers
* Pope Clement I
* Polycarp
* Ignatius
* Irenaeus
* Justin Martyr
* Canon
* Tertullian
* Origen

Late antiquity
(313–476)|

| Great Church
(180–451)
Roman
state church
(380–451)|

* Constantine the Great
* Christianity
* Arian controversy
* Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran
* Old St. Peter's Basilica
* First Council of Nicaea
* Pope Sylvester I
* First Council of Constantinople
* Biblical canon
* Jerome
* Vulgate
* Council of Ephesus
* Council of Chalcedon

|

Early Middle Ages|

* Benedict of Nursia
* Monasticism
* Second Council of Constantinople
* Pope Gregory I
* Gregorian chant
* Third Council of Constantinople
* Saint Boniface
* Byzantine Iconoclasm
* Second Council of Nicaea
* Charlemagne
* Pope Leo III
* Fourth Council of Constantinople
* East–West Schism

High Middle Ages|

* Pope Urban II
* Investiture Controversy
* Clash against the empire
* Crusades
* Universities
* Scholasticism
* First Council of the Lateran
* Second Council of the Lateran
* Third Council of the Lateran
* Pope Innocent III
* Latin Empire
* Francis of Assisi
* Fourth Council of the Lateran
* Inquisition
* First Council of Lyon
* Second Council of Lyon
* Bernard of Clairvaux

Late Middle Ages|

* Thomas Aquinas
* Pope Boniface VIII
* Western Schism
* Avignon Papacy
* Pope Clement V
* Council of Vienne
* Knights Templar
* Catherine of Siena
* Pope Alexander VI
* Age of Discovery

Protestant Reformation
Counter-Reformation

* Protestant Reformation
* Catholic Counter-Reformation
* Exsurge Domine
* Dissolution of the monasteries
* Council of Trent
* Thomas More
* Pope Leo X
* Society of Jesus
* Ignatius of Loyola
* Francis Xavier
* Pope Pius V
* Tridentine Mass
* Teresa of Ávila
* John of the Cross
* Peter Canisius
* Philip Neri
* Robert Bellarmine
* European wars of religion
* Thirty Years' War

Baroque period to the
French Revolution

* Pope Innocent XI
* Pope Benedict XIV
* Suppression of the Society of Jesus
* Age of Enlightenment
* Anti-clericalism
* Pope Pius VI
* Shimabara Rebellion
* Edict of Nantes
* Dechristianization of France during the French Revolution

19th century|

* Pope Pius VII
* Pope Pius IX
* United States
* Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
* Our Lady of La Salette
* Our Lady of Lourdes
* First Vatican Council
* Papal infallibility
* Pope Leo XIII
* Mary of the Divine Heart
* Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart
* Rerum novarum

20th century|

* Pope Pius X
* Our Lady of Fátima
* Persecutions of the Catholic Church and Pius XII
* Pope Pius XII
* Pope Pius XII 1942 consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
* Dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
* Lateran Treaty
* Nazi Germany
* Mit brennender Sorge
* Pope John XXIII
* Pacem in terris
* Second Vatican Council
* Ecumenism
* Judaism
* Pope Paul VI (coronation)
* Pope John Paul I
* Mother Teresa
* USSR
* Pope John Paul II
* HIV/AIDS
* World Youth Day
* 1995

21st century|

* Sexual abuse scandal
* Islam
* World Youth Day
* 2000
* 2002
* 2005
* 2008
* 2011
* 2013
* 2016
* 2019
* 2023
* Pope Benedict XVI
* Pope Francis
* Laudato si'
* Patriarch Kirill
* COVID-19 pandemic
* Pope Leo XIV

* Vatican City portal
* Catholicism portal

* v
* t
* e

Catholic Church

* Index
* Outline
* Glossary
* Lists of Catholics

History
Timeline
Ecclesiastical
Legal|

| Early Church|

* Jesus Christ
* Ministry
* Crucifixion
* Resurrection
* Great Commission
* Apostles
* Succession
* Petrine primacy
* Church Fathers
* Apostolic Fathers
* History of the papacy
* Primacy

|

Great Church|

* Ante-Nicene period
* Constantine
* First seven ecumenical councils
* Nicaea I
* Chalcedon
* Late antiquity
* Biblical canon
* Monasticism

Middle Ages|

* Islamic conquests
* Pope Gregory I
* Papal States
* Schism (1054)
* Investiture Controversy
* Crusades
* Schism (1378)
* Inquisition
* Universities
* Scholasticism
* Age of Discovery

Modern era|

* Protestantism
* Protestant Reformation
* Catholic Reformation
* Trent
* Thirty Years' War
* Enlightenment
* French Revolution
* Nazism
* Vatican II
* Communism
* Sexual abuse scandal
* Islam
* COVID-19 pandemic

Theology
Bible
Tradition
Catechism|

| General|

* God
* Trinity
* Kingdom
* Body
* Divine grace
* Dogma
* Nicene Creed
* Original sin
* Saints
* Salvation
* Sermon on the Mount
* Ten Commandments
* Vulgate
* Official Bible
* Sixtine Vulgate
* Sixto-Clementine Vulgate
* Nova Vulgata
* Worship

|

Ecclesiology|

* Communitas perfecta
* Councils
* Ecumenism
* Four marks
* One true church
* Catholic
* Infallibility
* Mystici Corporis Christi
* People of God
* Three states
* Subsistit in
* In canon law

Sacraments|

* Baptism
* Confirmation
* Eucharist
* Penance
* Anointing of the Sick
* Last rites
* Holy orders
* Matrimony

Mariology|

* Assumption
* History
* Immaculate Conception
* Mariology of the popes
* Mariology of the saints
* Mother of God
* Perpetual virginity
* Veneration
* See also:
* Josephology

Philosophy|

* Natural law
* Moral theology
* Personalism
* Social teaching
* Philosophers
* Philosophy of canon law
* See also:
* Science
* Evolution
* Separation of church and state
* Relations
* Politics

Saints|

* Holy Family
* Mary
* Joseph
* Patriarchs
* Prophets
* Archangels
* Martyrs
* Doctors of the Church
* Evangelists
* Confessors
* Disciples
* Virgins

Organisation
Hierarchy
Canon law
Laity
Precedence
By country|

| Holy See
(List of popes)|

* Pope Leo XIV
* Ecumenical councils
* College of Cardinals
* List
* Advisers
* Roman Curia
* Dicasteries
* Synod of Bishops
* Properties

|

Vatican City|

* Index
* Outline
* Apostolic Palace
* Lateran Treaty
* Roman Rota
* St. Peter's Basilica
* Swiss Guard
* Vatican Museums

Polity (Holy orders)|

* Diocese
* Episcopal conference
* Eparchy
* Bishop
* Patriarch
* Major
* Primate
* Metropolitan
* Archbishop
* Diocesan
* Coadjutor
* Auxiliary
* Titular
* Emeritus
* Parish
* Priest
* Deacon

Consecrated life|

* Religious:
* Superior
* Abbot, Abbess
* General
* Provincial
* Prior, Prioress
* Grand master
* Brother
* Friar
* Monk
* Sister
* Nun
* Hermit
* Novice
* Master
* Oblate
* Postulant

Particular churches
sui iuris|

* Latin Church
* Eastern Catholic Churches
* Albanian
* Armenian
* Belarusian
* Bulgarian
* Chaldean
* Coptic
* Croatian and Serbian
* Eritrean
* Ethiopian
* Georgian
* Greek
* Hungarian
* Italo-Albanian
* Macedonian
* Maronite
* Melkite
* Romanian
* Russian
* Ruthenian
* Slovak
* Syriac
* Syro-Malabar
* Syro-Malankara
* Ukrainian

Catholic liturgy|

* Eastern Catholic liturgy
* Alexandrian
* Antiochian
* Armenian
* Byzantine
* East Syriac
* West Syriac
* Malankara
* Latin
* Ambrosian
* Braga
* Mozarabic
* Roman
* Paul VI
* Tridentine
* Anglican
* Zaire

Culture|

* Art
* Marian
* Artists
* Writers
* Church buildings
* Altarpieces
* Folk
* Library
* Museums
* Music
* Distinctions
* Role in civilisation
* See also:
* Criticism of the Catholic Church
* Anti-Catholicism

Media|

* Holy See Press Office
* Vatican Media
* Vatican News
* Vatican Television Center
* Vatican Radio
* Vatican Press [it]
* L'Osservatore Romano
* Acta Apostolicae Sedis
* Annuario Pontificio

Religious orders,
institutes, societies|

* Assumptionists
* Annonciades
* Augustinians
* Basilians
* Benedictines
* Bethlehemites
* Blue nuns
* Camaldoleses
* Camillians
* Carmelites
* Carthusians
* Cistercians
* Clarisses
* Conceptionists
* Crosiers
* Dominicans
* Franciscans
* Good Shepherd Sisters
* Hieronymites
* Jesuits
* Legionaries
* Mercedarians
* Minims
* Olivetans
* Oratorians
* Piarists
* Premonstratensians
* Redemptoristines
* Servites
* Theatines
* Trappists
* Trinitarians
* Visitandines

Associations
of the faithful|

* Confraternities
* Lay
* Marian
* Youth
* Workers
* Third orders
* Saint Dominic
* Lay Carmelites
* Discalced
* Saint Francis
* Secular
* Military orders
* Fimcap
* Catholic Action
* Charismatic Renewal
* Communion and Liberation
* Sant'Egidio
* Focolare
* International Alliance of Catholic Knights
* Scouting
* Legion of Mary
* Neocatechumenal Way
* Opus Dei
* Schoenstatt

Charities|

* Aid to the Church in Need
* Caritas
* Catholic Charities USA
* Home Missions
* Relief Services
* CIDSE
* Pax Christi
* Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

* See also:
* Health care
* Schools
* Universities

* Catholic Church portal
* Category

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