The papal office is believed to be inherited from the Apostle Peter, who was the first bishop of Rome. The current popes, from Leo the Great (as pope 440-461) reconcile themselves, as a basis for their power, Jesus' words to Peter: "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. It will not be overcome by the gates of hell. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven exempt."
Relying on these words, Peter and then the popes have been considered to have had supreme judgment-administration and teaching power in the church. "THE POWER OF KEYS" (see photo: Peter with golden (heavenly power) in his hand) and silver (worldly power) keys.)
Charles the Great gave the papacy its protection in the 8th century. This increased the secular power of the church. The pope rose above the emperor, for the pope crowned the emperor. Pope Innocent III (Pope 1198-1216) until the popes were understood as Jesus' substitutes on earth. According to Innocentus, the pope is " , smaller God, but greater man "Kings and emperors obeyed his instructions and commandments. Although about a hundred years later the Pope even if political power weakened, the highest jurisdiction remained with the legal scholars of the papal curia. The whole of Europe sought the final court decision in Rome for their disputes. Rome thus became the Brussels of our time.
In the late 19th century, according to the declaration of the First Vatican Council, popes become infallible when they speak "ex cathedra, that is, when, as the shepherd and teacher of all Christians, he defines the doctrine of the faith or life of the Church with his supreme apostolic authority."
The current pope took the name Franciscus. He is after Peter 266th in this place and also the first Jesuit. Usually popes are in office until their deaths, but by law they can resign themselves, but no one else can dismiss them. previous Pope Benedict XVI used, he resigned on health grounds. This has not been repeated often in the history of the Church, the last time the Pope resigned in 1415, that is, about 600 years ago.
Pope is the supreme leader of the Catholic Church.
He leads the world’s largest unified organization, the Catholic Church. He is both a spiritual and a worldly leader. He is the bishop of Rome and the head of a small Vatican City State within the city of Rome. Today, his political power as a secular ruler is non-existent, but his spiritual power is even greater. The world is following very closely the moral statements made by the Pope. For many Catholics, the pope’s opinions on aportis, euthanasia, prevention, the status of women in the church, gender minorities, attitudes to other religions are the ideals they trying to comply. The rest of the world criticizes, discusses, but ignores them.
Our media era has shown how personal qualities of popes have become important. John Paul II of Poland was very old-fashioned but loved. The German who followed him Benedict XVI was held to the people further away as a "professor."
