The leader of the Roman Catholic church is known as the pope. The institution by which he governs the Roman Catholic church is known as the papacy. The pope rules the church with complete power, much like a king rules a country. His authority is said to have come from God. Roman Catholics are told to view his statements on faith and morals as errorless. Other forms of Christianity, however, such as the various Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches, do not follow the leadership of the pope.

Duties of the pope

The pope does many things. He gives followers the Roman Catholic church's official position on various issues. He can make or get rid of laws within the church. He appoints bishops and gives them assignments. Bishops are high-ranking church members who are in charge of a certain church district. The pope himself is the bishop of Rome.

A number of different groups help the pope carry out his duties. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is in charge of defining and safeguarding the teachings of the church. The Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith looks after missionary activities. The Secretariat of State issues the pope's statements. Three courts hear cases involving church matters and people.

The pope lives in Vatican City. Vatican City is a small state within the borders of Rome. The pope is the ruler of Vatican City. Most of the actual governing, however, is done by a commission so that the pope may focus more on spiritual matters. Vatican City sends diplomats to many nations and in turn receives ambassadors. Members of the Swiss Guard serve as bodyguards for the pope.

Electing a pope

The pope is elected by a gathering called the Sacred College of Cardinals. Cardinals are the leading clergymen of the church. When a pope dies, the cardinals meet within 18 days. They are locked in a certain area of the Vatican Palace to choose the next pope.

The cardinals vote in secrecy in the Sistine Chapel. To be chosen as pope, a candidate must get one more than two thirds of the ballots cast. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. Ballots are burned in a stove after each vote. Smoke from the fire signals to the crowd outside how the balloting has gone. Black smoke means no decision has been reached. White smoke means a new pope has been elected.

History

Saint Peter is considered the first pope. This belief is based on certain passages from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. According to some scholars, in those passages Jesus Christ designated Peter to be his representative on Earth and the leader of the church. The men who served as bishops of Rome were considered to be his successors.

At times in history when national boundaries and governments were unstable, popes held a lot of political power. The appearance of strong nations eventually ended this situation. Popes were sometimes cultural leaders, too. Various popes helped in the development of architecture, arts, literature, and libraries.

The papacy has been unstable at times. In the 14th century different groups of cardinals did not get along. This rivalry made it hard to choose a pope. It was not uncommon for unhappy cardinals to appoint or elect their own “pope.” This person was known as an antipope—someone who stakes a claim to the papacy but was not chosen in the official way. For almost 40 years there were two popes—one in Rome and one in Avignon, France. By the mid–15th century, however, these disputes were settled and the papacy was once again established solely in Rome. (See also Great Western Schism.)