The Popes

Pope Saint Cornelius faced challenges from apostates and the Rigorists, but upheld that repentant lapsi could rejoin the Church with proper penance, before dying a martyr.

Pope St. Gregory, born into Roman nobility, became a monk, then Pope. Known for reforms, he championed the poor and introduced the Gregorian Chant. Celebrated on his election day.

The pontificate of this first third-century pope was to see a storm of heresy rage around the pontiff, who had to keep a firm hand on the tiller of Peter's barque.

Pope St. Pius X (1903-1914) Perhaps nowhere in the history of the Church is there a better example of a man possessed of so many of the saintly virtues—piety, charity, deep humility, pastoral zeal, and simplicity—than in Pope St. Pius X.

Pope St. Hormisdas, once married with a son who also became Pope, ended the Laurentian schism and strongly backed St. Symmachus against antipope Lawrence.

Gloom and storm marked the pontificates of Anastasius II and Symmachus, but on St. Hormisdas the sun of peace and victory shone with cheerful...

Pope Saint Anicetus, the 11th pope, succeeded St. Pius towards the year c. 153, and reigned till about 168. He condemned Montanism, conferred with St. Polycarp on the Paschal date controversy, and forbade priests from growing their hair. He was martyred and is venerated on April 17.

Pope Saint Pius V (1566-1572) was a Domincan. He called the Council of Trent, Excommunicated Elizabeth I of England for schism, was the patron Palestrina, and organized the Holy League for the defense against the Ottomans at the Battle of Lepanto.

Simon Peter or Cephas, the first pope, Prince of the Apostles, and founder, with St. Paul, of the see of Rome. Peter was a native...

He was just standing there, not doing anything special. As a Syrian priest he must have felt a little out of place among the Roman people mourning that day for the dead Pope. As a good preacher, he must have wanted to speak to the funeral procession about Christ's promise of resurrection. As a learned man, he must have wondered who would follow the holy Saint Gregory II as Pope and where he would take the Church. As a holy man, he must have been praying for Gregory II and for all the people around him to find their place after death in God's arms. But he was just one of the crowd.