Mit brennender Sorge 1937 — condemned Nazism. Lateran Treaty 1929.
260
19 yrs
Pius XII
1939–1958
Italy
⟳
Defined the Assumption dogma 1950 — the only ex cathedra definition since Vatican I.
261
5 yrs
John XXIII
1958–1963
Italy
★⊕
Saint. Canonised 2014. The Good Pope. Called the Second Vatican Council.
262
15 yrs
Paul VI
1963–1978
Italy
★⊕
Saint. Canonised 2018. Closed Vatican II. Humanae Vitae.
263
?
John Paul I
1978
Italy
★
Beatified 2022. The Smiling Pope. ~33 days.
264
27 yrs
John Paul II
1978–2005
Poland
★⟳
Saint. Canonised 2014. First Slavic pope. 26-year pontificate.
265
8 yrs
Benedict XVI
2005–2013
Germany
First pope to resign since Celestine V. Theologian pope.
266
12 yrs
Francis
2013–2025
Argentina
First Jesuit pope. First from the Americas. Resigned April 2025.
267
?
Leo XIV
2025–
USA
First American pope. Robert Francis Prevost, OSA.
Antipopes
The Antipopes
An illegitimate claimant to the papal throne.* The valid pope's succession continued unbroken in every case.
ANTIPOPE
Hippolytus
217–235
vs. Callistus I / Urban I / Pontian
First recorded antipope. A learned theologian who later reconciled and was martyred alongside Pope Pontian.
ANTIPOPE
Novatian
251
vs. Cornelius
Rigorist — refused absolution to the lapsed. His schism lasted into the 5th century.
ANTIPOPE
Felix II
355–365
vs. Liberius
Imposed by Emperor Constantius II while Liberius was exiled for orthodoxy.
ANTIPOPE
Ursinus
366–367
vs. Damasus I
ANTIPOPE
Eulalius
418–419
vs. Boniface I
Double election arbitrated by the emperor.
ANTIPOPE
Laurentius
498–501
vs. Symmachus
The Laurentian Schism — supported by the Byzantine court.
ANTIPOPE
Dioscorus
530
vs. Boniface II
~28 days.
ANTIPOPE
Theodore
687
vs. Sergius I
ANTIPOPE
Paschal
687
vs. Sergius I
ANTIPOPE
Constantine II
767–768
vs. Stephen III
A layman who seized the papacy by force.
ANTIPOPE
Philip
768
vs. Stephen III
One day — immediately withdrew.
ANTIPOPE
Anastasius
855
vs. Benedict III
ANTIPOPE
Christopher
903–904
vs. Leo V
ANTIPOPE
Boniface VII
974, 984–985
vs. Benedict VI / John XIV
Had his rivals murdered.
ANTIPOPE
John XVI
997–998
vs. Gregory V
Installed by the Roman noble Crescentius.
ANTIPOPE
Gregory
1012
vs. Benedict VIII
ANTIPOPE
Benedict X
1058
vs. Nicholas II
ANTIPOPE
Honorius II
1061–1072
vs. Alexander II
Imperial antipope.
ANTIPOPE
Clement III
1080–1100
vs. Gregory VII / Urban II / Paschal II
Henry IV's antipope — the most sustained imperial intrusion into the succession.
ANTIPOPE
Theodoric
1100–1101
vs. Paschal II
ANTIPOPE
Aleric
1102
vs. Paschal II
ANTIPOPE
Sylvester IV
1105–1111
vs. Paschal II
ANTIPOPE
Gregory VIII
1118–1121
vs. Gelasius II
Imperial antipope.
ANTIPOPE
Celestine II
1124
vs. Honorius II
ANTIPOPE
Anacletus II
1130–1138
vs. Innocent II
The most serious medieval antipope — held Rome for 8 years with wide support.
ANTIPOPE
Victor IV
1138
vs. Innocent II
Submitted to Innocent II after Anacletus's death.
ANTIPOPE
Victor IV
1159–1164
vs. Alexander III
Frederick Barbarossa's antipope. No relation to the previous Victor IV.
ANTIPOPE
Paschal III
1164–1168
vs. Alexander III
ANTIPOPE
Callistus III
1168–1177
vs. Alexander III
ANTIPOPE
Innocent III
1178–1180
vs. Alexander III
ANTIPOPE
Nicholas V
1328–1330
vs. John XXII
Louis IV of Bavaria's antipope.
ANTIPOPE
Clement VII
1378–1394
vs. Urban VI
Robert of Geneva. First Avignon claimant of the Western Schism.
ANTIPOPE
Benedict XIII
1394–1423
vs. Boniface IX etc.
Pedro de Luna. Most tenacious Western Schism claimant — refused all compromise.
ANTIPOPE
Alexander V
1409–1410
vs. Gregory XII
Council of Pisa claimant. Reclassified as antipope in the 20th century.
ANTIPOPE
John XXIII
1410–1415
vs. Gregory XII
Baldassare Cossa. Pisan claimant. Deposed at Constance. Later submitted to Martin V.
ANTIPOPE
Felix V
1439–1449
vs. Eugene IV
The last antipope catalogued in Church history. Abdicated voluntarily.
* Some cases required careful historical adjudication — particularly where rival claimants had genuine support within the College of Cardinals, as during the Western Schism (1378–1417). Others are self-evidently invalid, such as those claiming the papacy from entirely outside the Church's institutional life. The last claimant formally catalogued in Church history is Felix V, who abdicated in 1449. Claimants exist in every era, including today — most operate entirely outside the Church's institutional life and are never formally adjudicated.
Saint designations follow New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia and papalencyclicals.net, which reflect official Vatican lists. The ★ Saint category includes both popes formally canonised by the Church and those beatified (declared Blessed) — the latter being one formal step below canonisation. Of the 93 popes so designated, 83 are canonised and 10 are beatified.
✛
History has always been on her side.
Explore 71
verified claims across seven centuries of Church history.