List of Popes throughout history: a complete timeline

22 April 2025 at 10:05

Each pope’s tenure has had its own impact on the Church and the world at large.

List of Popes throughout history: a complete timeline

Oghenerume Progress

When it comes to the Catholic Church, the papacy remains one of the oldest continuous institutions in the world. It has seen a long line of leaders guiding the Catholic Church over the centuries.

Each pope’s tenure has had its own impact on the Church and the world at large.

As the world mourns the death of Pope Francis, here is a list of popes of the Roman Catholic Church throughout history, along with the duration of their papacies.

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From the early days of Saint Peter to the modern pontiffs, this compilation includes the men who have held the papal office and shaped religious, political, and cultural landscapes across time.

St. Peter (32-67) - 34 years
St. Linus (67-76) - 11–12 years
St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88) - 12 years
St. Clement I (88-97) - 9 years
St. Evaristus (97-105) - 7–8 years
St. Alexander I (105-115) - 10 years
St. Sixtus I (115-125) Also called Xystus I - 10 years
St. Telesphorus (125-136) - 11 years
St. Hyginus (136-140) - 4 years
St. Pius I (140-155) - 15 years
St. Anicetus (155-166) 11–12 years
St. Soter (166-175) - 8-9 years
St. Eleutherius (175-189) - 14–15 years
St. Victor I (189-199) - 9–10 years
St. Zephyrinus (199-217) - 18–19 years
St. Callistus I (217-22) - 4 years; Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217-236)
St. Urban I (222-30) - 7 years
St. Pontian (230-35) - 5 years, 69 days
St. Anterus (235-36) - 43 days
St. Fabian (236-50) - 13 years, 344 days
St. Cornelius (251-53) - 2 years, 3 months; Opposed by Novatian, antipope (251) - 7 years
St. Lucius I (253-54) - 253 days
St. Stephen I (254-257) - 3 years, 143 days
St. Sixtus II (257-258) - 340 days
St. Dionysius (260-268) - 9 years, 158 days
St. Felix I (269-274) - 5 years, 359 days
St. Eutychian (275-283) - 8 years, 337 days
St. Caius (283-296) Also called Gaius - 12 years, 127 days
St. Marcellinus (296-304) - 8 years, 117 days
St. Marcellus I (308-309) - 234 days
St. Eusebius (309 or 310) - 1 year, 121 days
St. Miltiades (311-14) - 2 years, 192 days
St. Sylvester I (314-35) - 21 years, 334 days
St. Marcus (336) - 263 days
St. Julius I (337-52) - 15 years, 66 days
Liberius (352-66) - 14 years, 130 days; Opposed by Felix II, antipope (355-365) - 10 years
St. Damasus I (366-84) - 18 years, 71 days; Opposed by Ursicinus, antipope (366-367) - 1 year, 46 days
St. Siricius (384-99) - 14 years, 344 days
St. Anastasius I (399-401) - 2 years, 22 days
St. Innocent I (401-17) - 15 years, 81 days
St. Zosimus (417-18) 15 years, 81 days
St. Boniface I (418-22) 3 years, 250 days; Opposed by Eulalius, antipope (418-419) - 97 days
St. Celestine I (422-32) - 9 years, 321 days
St. Sixtus III (432-40) - 8 years, 18 days
St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61) - 21 years, 42 days
St. Hilarius (461-68) - 6 years, 102 days
St. Simplicius (468-83) -15 years, 7 days
St. Felix III (II) (483-92) - 8 years, 354 days
St. Gelasius I (492-96) - 4 years, 265 days
Anastasius II (496-98) - 1 year, 360 days
St. Symmachus (498-514) - 15 years, 239 days; Opposed by Laurentius, antipope (498-501) - 7 years, 252 days
St. Hormisdas (514-23) - 9 years, 17 days
St. John I (523-26) - 2 years, 278 days
St. Felix IV (III) (526-30) - 4 years, 72 days
Boniface II (530-32) - 2 years, 25 days; Opposed by Dioscorus, antipope (530) - 22 days
John II (533-35) - 2 years, 126 days
St. Agapetus I (535-36) Also called Agapitus I - 356 days
St. Silverius (536-37) - 276 days
Vigilius (537-55) - 18 years, 70 days
Pelagius I (556-61) - 4 years, 322 days
John III (561-74) - 12 years, 361 days
Benedict I (575-79) - 4 years, 58 days
Pelagius II (579-90) - 10 years, 73 days
St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604) - 13 years, 191 days
Sabinian (604-606) - 1 year, 162 days
Boniface III (607) - 266 days
St. Boniface IV (608-15) - 6 years, 235 days
St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18) - 2 years, 360 days
Boniface V (619-25) - 5 years, 306 days
Honorius I (625-38) - 12 years, 350 days
Severinus (640) - 66 days
John IV (640-42) - 1 year, 292 days
Theodore I (642-49) - 6 years, 171 days
St. Martin I (649-55) - 6 years, 73 days
St. Eugene I (655-57) - 2 years, 296 days
St. Vitalian (657-72) - 14 years, 181 days
Adeodatus (II) (672-76) - 4 years, 67 days
Donus (676-78) - 1 year, 160 days
St. Agatho (678-81) - 2 years, 197 days
St. Leo II (682-83) - 320 days
St. Benedict II (684-85) - 316 days
John V (685-86) - 1 year, 10 days
Conon (686-87) - 335 days
St. Sergius I (687-701) - 13 years, 267 days; Opposed by Theodore and Paschal, antipopes (687)
John VI (701-05) - 3 years, 73 days
John VII (705-07) - 2 years, 231 days
Sisinnius (708) - 20 days
Constantine (708-15) - 7 years, 15 days
St. Gregory II (715-31) - 15 years, 268 days
St. Gregory III (731-41) - 10 years, 255 days
St. Zachary (741-52) 10 years, 110 days; Stephen II followed Zachary, but because he died before being consecrated, modern lists omit him
Stephen II (III) (752-57) - 5 years, 31 days
St. Paul I (757-67) - 10 years, 30 days
Stephen III (IV) (767-72) - 3 years, 170 days; Opposed by Constantine II (767) and Philip (768), antipopes (767)
Adrian I (772-95) - 23 years, 328 days
St. Leo III (795-816) - 20 years, 169 days
Stephen IV (V) (816-17) - 216 days
St. Paschal I (817-24) - 7 years, 17 days
Eugene II (824-27) - 3 years, 111 days
Valentine (827) - 40 days
Gregory IV (827-44) - 16 years, 36 days
Sergius II (844-47) - 3 years, 2 days; Opposed by John, antipope
St. Leo IV (847-55) - 8 years, 98 days
Benedict III (855-58) - 2 years, 200 days; Opposed by Anastasius, antipope (855)
St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67) - 9 years, 203 days
Adrian II (867-72) - 5 years
John VIII (872-82) - 10 years, 2 days
Marinus I (882-84) - 1 year, 151 days
St. Adrian III (884-85) - 1 year, 121 days
Stephen V (VI) (885-91) - 5 years, 355 days
Formosus (891-96) - 4 years, 181 days
Boniface VI (896) - 15 days
Stephen VI (VII) (896-97) - 1 year, 84 days
Romanus (897) - 92 days
Theodore II (897) - 19 days
John IX (898-900) - 1 year, 352 days
Benedict IV (900-03) - 3 years, 179 days
Leo V (903) - 124 days; Opposed by Christopher, antipope (903-904) - 92 days
Sergius III (904-11) - 7 years, 75 days
Anastasius III (911-13) - 2 years, 48 days
Lando (913-14) - 213 days
John X (914-28) - 14 years, 88 days
Leo VI (928) - 187 days
Stephen VIII (929-31) - 2 years, 10 days
John XI (931-35) - 4 years, 261 days
Leo VII (936-39) - 3 years, 191 days
Stephen IX (939-42) - 3 years, 108 days
Marinus II (942-46) - 3 years, 183 days
Agapetus II (946-55) - 9 years, 182 days
John XII (955-63) - 7 years, 355 days
Leo VIII (963-64) - 82 days
Benedict V (964) - 251 days
John XIII (965-72) 6 years, 341 days
Benedict VI (973-74) - 1 year, 140 days
Benedict VII (974-83) - 8 years, 282 days; Benedict and John XIV were opposed by Boniface VII, antipope (974; 984-985)
John XIV (983-84) - 263 days
John XV (985-96) - 10 years, 225 days
Gregory V (996-99) - 2 years, 291 days; Opposed by John XVI, antipope (997-998) - 306 days
Sylvester II (999-1003) - 4 years, 40 days
John XVII (1003) - 174 days
John XVIII (1003-09) - 5 years, 205 days
Sergius IV (1009-12) - 2 years, 286 days
Benedict VIII (1012-24) - 11 years, 327 days; Opposed by Gregory, antipope (1012)
John XIX (1024-32)
Benedict IX (1032-45) - 12 years, 71 days; He appears on this list three separate times, because he was twice deposed and restored
Sylvester III (1045) - 56 days; Considered by some to be an antipope
Benedict IX (1045) - 52 days
Gregory VI (1045-46) - 1 year, 229 days
Clement II (1046-47) - 289 days
Benedict IX (1047-48) - 252 days
Damasus II (1048) - 23 days
St. Leo IX (1049-54) - 5 years, 66 days
Victor II (1055-57) - 2 years, 106 days
Stephen X (1057-58) 239 days
Nicholas II (1058-61) - 2 years, 233 days; Opposed by Benedict X, antipope (1058)
Alexander II (1061-73) 11 years, 203 days; Opposed by Honorius II, antipope (1061-1072) - 10 years, 185 days
St. Gregory VII (1073-85) - 12 years, 33 days; Gregory and the following three popes were opposed by Guibert ("Clement III"), antipope (1080-1100) - 20 years, 75 days
Blessed Victor III (1086-87) - 1 year, 115 days
Blessed Urban II (1088-99) - 11 years, 139 days
Paschal II (1099-1118)- 18 years, 161 days; Opposed by Theodoric (1100), Aleric (1102) and Maginulf ("Sylvester IV", 1105-1111), antipopes (1100)
Gelasius II (1118-19) - 1 year, 5 days; Opposed by Burdin ("Gregory VIII"), antipope (1118) - 3 years, 41 days
Callistus II (1119-24) - 5 years, 315 days
Honorius II (1124-30) - 5 years, 54 days; Opposed by Celestine II, antipope (1124)
Innocent II (1130-43) - 13 years, 222 days; Opposed by Anacletus II (1130-1138) - 7 years, 345 days and Gregory Conti ("Victor IV") (1138), - 75 days antipopes (1138)
Celestine II (1143-44) - 164 days
Lucius II (1144-45) - 340 days
Blessed Eugene III (1145-53) - 8 years, 143 days
Anastasius IV (1153-54) - 1 year, 144 days
Adrian IV (1154-59) - 4 years, 271 days
Alexander III (1159-81) 21 years, 357 days; Opposed by Octavius ("Victor IV") (1159-1164) - 4 years, 226 days, Pascal III (1165-1168) 4 years, 147 days, Callistus III (1168-1177) - 9 years, 333 days and Innocent III (1178-1180) - 124 days, antipopes
Lucius III (1181-85) - 4 years, 85 days
Urban III (1185-87) - 1 year, 329 days
Gregory VIII (1187) - 57 days
Clement III (1187-91) - 3 years, 91 days
Celestine III (1191-98) - 6 years, 284 days
Innocent III (1198-1216) - 18 years, 190 days
Honorius III (1216-27) - 10 years, 243 days
Gregory IX (1227-41) - 14 years, 156 days
Celestine IV (1241) - 16 days
Innocent IV (1243-54) - 11 years, 165 days
Alexander IV (1254-61) - 6 years, 164 days
Urban IV (1261-64) - 3 years, 34 days
Clement IV (1265-68) - 3 years, 298 days
Blessed Gregory X (1271-76) - 153 days
Blessed Innocent V (1276) - 153 days
Adrian V (1276) - 38 days
John XXI (1276-77) - 254 days
Nicholas III (1277-80) - 2 years, 271 days
Martin IV (1281-85) - 4 years, 34 days
Honorius IV (1285-87) - 2 years, 1 day
Nicholas IV (1288-92) - 4 years, 42 days
St. Celestine V (1294) - 161 days
Boniface VIII (1294-1303) - 8 years, 291 days
Blessed Benedict XI (1303-04) - 259 days
Clement V (1305-14) - 8 years, 319 days
John XXII (1316-34) 18 years, 119 days; Opposed by Nicholas V, antipope (1328-1330) - 2 years, 74 days
Benedict XII (1334-42) - 10 years, 213 days
Clement VI (1342-52) - 10 years, 213 days
Innocent VI (1352-62) - 9 years, 268 days
Blessed Urban V (1362-70) - 8 years, 82 days
Gregory XI (1370-78) - 7 years, 87 days
Urban VI (1378-89) - 11 years, 190 days; Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII"), antipope (1378-1394) - 15 years, 353 days
Boniface IX (1389-1404) - 14 years, 334 days; Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII") (1378-1394), Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes
Innocent VII (1404-06) - 2 years, 20 days; Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes
Gregory XII (1406-15) - 8 years, 216 days; Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417), Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), and Pietro Philarghi ("Alexander V") (1409-1410), antipopes
Martin V (1417-31) - 13 years, 101 days
Eugene IV (1431-47) - 15 years, 357 days; Opposed by Amadeus of Savoy ("Felix V"), antipope (1439-1449)
Nicholas V (1447-55) - 8 years, 18 days
Callistus III (1455-58) - 3 years, 120 days
Pius II (1458-64) - 5 years, 362 days
Paul II (1464-71) - 6 years, 330 days
Sixtus IV (1471-84) - 13 years, 3 days
Innocent VIII (1484-92) - 7 years, 331 days
Alexander VI (1492-1503) - 11 years, 7 days
Pius III (1503) - 26 days
Julius II (1503-13) - 9 years, 113 days
Leo X (1513-21) - 8 years, 267 days
Adrian VI (1522-23) - 1 year, 248 days
Clement VII (1523-34) - 10 years, 303 days
Paul III (1534-49) - 15 years, 28 days
Julius III (1550-55) - 5 years, 50 days
Marcellus II (1555) - 22 days
Paul IV (1555-59) - 4 years, 87 days
Pius IV (1559-65) - 5 years, 348 days
St. Pius V (1566-72) - 6 years, 115 days
Gregory XIII (1572-85) - 12 years, 322 days
Sixtus V (1585-90) - 5 years, 125 days
Urban VII (1590) - 12 days
Gregory XIV (1590-91) - 315 days
Innocent IX (1591) - 62 days
Clement VIII (1592-1605) - 13 years, 32 days
Leo XI (1605) - 26 days
Paul V (1605-21) - 15 years, 257 days
Gregory XV (1621-23) - 2 years, 149 days
Urban VIII (1623-44) - 20 years, 358 days
Innocent X (1644-55) - 10 years, 114 days
Alexander VII (1655-67) - 12 years, 45 days
Clement IX (1667-69) - 2 years, 172 days
Clement X (1670-76) - 6 years, 84 days
Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89) - 12 years, 325 days
Alexander VIII (1689-91) - 1 year, 118 days
Innocent XII (1691-1700) - 9 years, 77 days
Clement XI (1700-21) - 20 years, 116 days
Innocent XIII (1721-24) - 2 years, 304 days
Benedict XIII (1724-30) - 5 years, 268 days
Clement XII (1730-40) - 9 years, 209 days
Benedict XIV (1740-58) - 17 years, 259 days
Clement XIII (1758-69) - 10 years, 211 days
Clement XIV (1769-74) - 5 years, 126 days
Pius VI (1775-99) - 24 years, 195 days
Pius VII (1800-23) - 23 years, 159 days
Leo XII (1823-29) - 5 years, 135 days
Pius VIII (1829-30) - 1 year, 244 days
Gregory XVI (1831-46) - 15 years, 119 days
Blessed Pius IX (1846-78) - 31 years, 236 days
Leo XIII (1878-1903) - 25 years, 150 days
St. Pius X (1903-14) - 11 years, 16 days
Benedict XV (1914-22) 7 years, 141 days
Pius XI (1922-39) - 17 years, 4 days
Pius XII (1939-58) - 19 years, 221 days
St. John XXIII (1958-63) - 4 years, 218 days
St. Paul VI (1963-78) - 15 years, 46 days
John Paul I (1978) - 33 days
St. John Paul II (1978-2005) - 26 years, 168 days
Benedict XVI (2005-2013) - 7 years, 315 days
Francis (2013-2025) - 7 years, 315 days

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