The Papal Lineage of Through Apostolic Succession

From the ancient streets of Jerusalem to the grand halls of the Vatican, The Papal Lineage tells one of the most enduring stories in human history. Stretching back over 2,000 years, this unbroken succession of Catholic Church leaders embodies both the spiritual mission and historical depth of the Church founded by Christ. Each name in the List of Popes carries a legacy of prayer, leadership, controversy, and reform—shaping not just the Church, but the entire world.

At the heart of this tradition is the belief in the Successors of Saint Peter, the first Bishop of Rome and a cornerstone of apostolic faith. These Roman Pontiffs, chosen from among the faithful, have guided the Church through times of great triumph and turbulent trial. From moments of global influence to eras of humility and renewal, the Papal history timeline serves as a mirror to the Church’s evolving mission and its unwavering call to serve.

This journey through Papal succession is more than a list—it is a spiritual tapestry of courage, doctrine, and divine calling. In our modern age, figures like Pope Francis continue to carry this mantle, offering a fresh vision for compassion, justice, and renewal. His example, and the Pope Francis legacy, underscore the living relevance of the Papal authority in addressing today’s challenges.

Join us as we explore the complete lineage of the Catholic Popes—a sacred heritage that not only preserves the past but points boldly to the future of Vatican leadership.

The Concept of Apostolic Succession and the Role of Saint Peter

At the heart of the Catholic Papacy (The Papa Lineage) is the doctrine of Apostolic Succession, which asserts that every pope inherits the spiritual authority first granted to Saint Peter by Christ himself. According to tradition, Peter became the first Bishop of Rome, and subsequent bishops—later known as popes—continued this sacred mission.

Jesus’ words to Peter in the Gospel of Matthew (“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church”) provide the theological foundation for papal authority. Thus, the pope is not only a symbolic figure but the living successor of the “Prince of the Apostles.”

The Early Papal Lineage: From Peter to Constantine

Here is a simplified version of the early papal succession, beginning with Saint Peter:

Saint Peter (32–64)
Saint Linus (64–76)
Saint Anacletus (Cletus) (76–88)
Saint Clement I (88–97)
Saint Evaristus (97–105)
Saint Alexander I (105–115)
Saint Sixtus I (115–125)
Saint Telesphorus (125–136)
Saint Hyginus (136–140)
Saint Pius I (140–155)

This lineage continued through Roman persecutions, theological controversies, and the eventual Christianization of the Roman Empire under Constantine.

Full List of the Popes of the Catholic Church

Popes 1–100

No.	Name	Years of Papacy
1	Saint Peter	32–64
2	Saint Linus	64–76
3	Saint Anacletus (Cletus)	76–88
4	Saint Clement I	88–97
5	Saint Evaristus	97–105
6	Saint Alexander I	105–115
7	Saint Sixtus I	115–125
8	Saint Telesphorus	125–136
9	Saint Hyginus	136–140
10	Saint Pius I	140–155
11	Saint Anicetus	155–166
12	Saint Soter	166–175
13	Saint Eleutherius	175–189
14	Saint Victor I	189–199
15	Saint Zephyrinus	199–217
16	Saint Callixtus I	217–222
17	Saint Urban I	222–230
18	Saint Pontian	230–235
19	Saint Anterus	235–236
20	Saint Fabian	236–250
21	Saint Cornelius	251–253
22	Saint Lucius I	253–254
23	Saint Stephen I	254–257
24	Saint Sixtus II	257–258
25	Saint Dionysius	260–268
26	Saint Felix I	269–274
27	Saint Eutychian	275–283
28	Saint Caius	283–296
29	Saint Marcellinus	296–304
30	Saint Marcellus I	308–309
31	Saint Eusebius	309–310
32	Saint Miltiades	311–314
33	Saint Sylvester I	314–335
34	Saint Marcus	336
35	Saint Julius I	337–352
36	Liberius	352–366
37	Saint Damasus I	366–384
38	Saint Siricius	384–399
39	Saint Anastasius I	399–401
40	Saint Innocent I	401–417
41	Saint Zosimus	417–418
42	Saint Boniface I	418–422
43	Saint Celestine I	422–432
44	Saint Sixtus III	432–440
45	Saint Leo I (the Great)	440–461
46	Saint Hilary	461–468
47	Saint Simplicius	468–483
48	Saint Felix III	483–492
49	Saint Gelasius I	492–496
50	Anastasius II	496–498
51	Saint Symmachus	498–514
52	Hormisdas	514–523
53	John I	523–526
54	Felix IV	526–530
55	Boniface II	530–532
56	John II	533–535
57	Agapetus I	535–536
58	Silverius	536–537
59	Vigilius	537–555
60	Pelagius I	556–561
61	John III	561–574
62	Benedict I	575–579
63	Pelagius II	579–590
64	Saint Gregory I (the Great)	590–604
65	Sabinian	604–606
66	Boniface III	607
67	Boniface IV	608–615
68	Deusdedit (Adeodatus I)	615–618
69	Boniface V	619–625
70	Honorius I	625–638
71	Severinus	640
72	John IV	640–642
73	Theodore I	642–649
74	Martin I	649–655
75	Eugene I	655–657
76	Vitalian	657–672
77	Adeodatus II	672–676
78	Donus	676–678
79	Agatho	678–681
80	Leo II	682–683
81	Benedict II	684–685
82	John V	685–686
83	Conon	686–687
84	Sergius I	687–701
85	John VI	701–705
86	John VII	705–707
87	Sisinnius	708
88	Constantine	708–715
89	Gregory II	715–731
90	Gregory III	731–741
91	Zachary	741–752
92	Stephen II	752–757
93	Paul I	757–767
94	Stephen III	768–772
95	Adrian I	772–795
96	Leo III	795–816
97	Stephen IV	816–817
98	Paschal I	817–824
99	Eugene II	824–827
100	Valentine	827

Popes 101–200

No.	Name	Years of Papacy
101	Gregory IV	827–844
102	Sergius II	844–847
103	Leo IV	847–855
104	Benedict III	855–858
105	Nicholas I (the Great)	858–867
106	Adrian II	867–872
107	John VIII	872–882
108	Marinus I	882–884
109	Saint Adrian III	884–885
110	Stephen V	885–891
111	Formosus	891–896
112	Boniface VI	896
113	Stephen VI	896–897
114	Romanus	897
115	Theodore II	897
116	John IX	898–900
117	Benedict IV	900–903
118	Leo V	903
119	Sergius III	904–911
120	Anastasius III	911–913
121	Lando	913–914
122	John X	914–928
123	Leo VI	928
124	Stephen VII	928–931
125	John XI	931–935
126	Leo VII	936–939
127	Stephen VIII	939–942
128	Marinus II	942–946
129	Agapetus II	946–955
130	John XII	955–964
131	Leo VIII	963–965
132	Benedict V	964
133	John XIII	965–972
134	Benedict VI	973–974
135	Benedict VII	974–983
136	John XIV	983–984
137	John XV	985–996
138	Gregory V	996–999
139	Sylvester II	999–1003
140	John XVII	1003
141	John XVIII	1003–1009
142	Sergius IV	1009–1012
143	Benedict VIII	1012–1024
144	John XIX	1024–1032
145	Benedict IX	1032–1044
146	Sylvester III	1045
147	Benedict IX (restored)	1045
148	Gregory VI	1045–1046
149	Clement II	1046–1047
150	Benedict IX (restored again)	1047–1048
151	Damasus II	1048
152	Leo IX	1049–1054
153	Victor II	1055–1057
154	Stephen IX	1057–1058
155	Nicholas II	1059–1061
156	Alexander II	1061–1073
157	Gregory VII	1073–1085
158	Blessed Victor III	1086–1087
159	Urban II	1088–1099
160	Paschal II	1099–1118
161	Gelasius II	1118–1119
162	Callistus II	1119–1124
163	Honorius II	1124–1130
164	Innocent II	1130–1143
165	Celestine II	1143–1144
166	Lucius II	1144–1145
167	Blessed Eugene III	1145–1153
168	Anastasius IV	1153–1154
169	Adrian IV	1154–1159
170	Alexander III	1159–1181
171	Lucius III	1181–1185
172	Urban III	1185–1187
173	Gregory VIII	1187
174	Clement III	1187–1191
175	Celestine III	1191–1198
176	Innocent III	1198–1216
177	Honorius III	1216–1227
178	Gregory IX	1227–1241
179	Celestine IV	1241
180	Innocent IV	1243–1254
181	Alexander IV	1254–1261
182	Urban IV	1261–1264
183	Clement IV	1265–1268
184	Blessed Gregory X	1271–1276
185	Innocent V	1276
186	Adrian V	1276
187	John XXI	1276–1277
188	Nicholas III	1277–1280
189	Martin IV	1281–1285
190	Honorius IV	1285–1287
191	Nicholas IV	1288–1292
192	Celestine V	1294
193	Boniface VIII	1294–1303
194	Blessed Benedict XI	1303–1304
195	Clement V	1305–1314
196	John XXII	1316–1334
197	Benedict XII	1334–1342
198	Clement VI	1342–1352
199	Innocent VI	1352–1362
200	Urban V	1362–1370

Popes 201–266

No.	Name	Years of Papacy
201	Gregory XI	1370–1378
202	Urban VI	1378–1389
203	Boniface IX	1389–1404
204	Innocent VII	1404–1406
205	Gregory XII	1406–1415
—	(Western Schism antipopes)	1378–1417
206	Martin V	1417–1431
207	Eugene IV	1431–1447
208	Nicholas V	1447–1455
209	Callixtus III	1455–1458
210	Pius II	1458–1464
211	Paul II	1464–1471
212	Sixtus IV	1471–1484
213	Innocent VIII	1484–1492
214	Alexander VI	1492–1503
215	Pius III	1503
216	Julius II	1503–1513
217	Leo X	1513–1521
218	Adrian VI	1522–1523
219	Clement VII	1523–1534
220	Paul III	1534–1549
221	Julius III	1550–1555
222	Marcellus II	1555
223	Paul IV	1555–1559
224	Pius IV	1559–1565
225	Saint Pius V	1566–1572
226	Gregory XIII	1572–1585
227	Sixtus V	1585–1590
228	Urban VII	1590
229	Gregory XIV	1590–1591
230	Innocent IX	1591
231	Clement VIII	1592–1605
232	Leo XI	1605
233	Paul V	1605–1621
234	Gregory XV	1621–1623
235	Urban VIII	1623–1644
236	Innocent X	1644–1655
237	Alexander VII	1655–1667
238	Clement IX	1667–1669
239	Clement X	1670–1676
240	Innocent XI	1676–1689
241	Alexander VIII	1689–1691
242	Innocent XII	1691–1700
243	Clement XI	1700–1721
244	Innocent XIII	1721–1724
245	Benedict XIII	1724–1730
246	Clement XII	1730–1740
247	Benedict XIV	1740–1758
248	Clement XIII	1758–1769
249	Clement XIV	1769–1774
250	Pius VI	1775–1799
251	Pius VII	1800–1823
252	Leo XII	1823–1829
253	Pius VIII	1829–1830
254	Gregory XVI	1831–1846
255	Blessed Pius IX	1846–1878
256	Leo XIII	1878–1903
257	Saint Pius X	1903–1914
258	Benedict XV	1914–1922
259	Pius XI	1922–1939
260	Pius XII	1939–1958
261	Saint John XXIII	1958–1963
262	Saint Paul VI	1963–1978
263	John Paul I	1978
264	Saint John Paul II	1978–2005
265	Benedict XVI	2005–2013
266	Pope Francis	2013–present

The Papal Lineage is far more than a historical record—it is a sacred thread that connects over two thousand years of spiritual leadership within the Catholic Church. Beginning with Saint Peter, the first Pope and chosen apostle of Jesus Christ, this lineage represents an unbroken chain of succession through trials, reforms, and revolutions. Every name in the List of Popes contributes to a collective voice of faith, tradition, and moral authority that continues to shape the world.

From the early church fathers who led during persecution, to Renaissance-era Popes who oversaw grand councils and cultural transformation, to modern-day figures like Pope Francis, whose compassionate leadership continues to inspire millions—each Pope carries the weight of being a Successor of Saint Peter. The History of the Papacy is deeply woven into the evolution of Western civilization, politics, and spiritual thought.

As we reflect on this Papal succession, it’s clear that the role of the Roman Pontiff transcends geography and era. It is a symbol of continuity, humility, and divine calling. Today, under the guidance of Pope Francis, the Papal authority remains both a stabilizing force and a prophetic voice in global issues, social justice, and interfaith dialogue.

In studying The Papal Lineage, we don’t just trace names—we rediscover the heart of Vatican leadership and its ever-unfolding impact on humanity. It is a sacred heritage that challenges each generation to uphold truth, serve with mercy, and walk courageously in faith.

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