List of popes

1st millennium 1st century The chronology of the early popes is heavily disputed. The first ancient lists of popes were not written until the late 2nd century, after the monarchical episcopate had already developed in Rome. These first lists combined contradictory traditions, and even the succession of the first popes is disputed. The first certain dates are AD 222 and 235, the elections of Urban I and Anterus. The years given for the first 30 popes follow the work of Richard Adelbert Lipsius, which often show a 3-year difference with the traditional dates given by Eusebius of Caesarea. These are also the dates used by the Catholic Encyclopedia. 2nd century 3rd century 4th century 5th century 6th century 7th century 8th century 9th century 10th century 2nd millennium 11th century 12th century 13th century 14th century 15th century 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century 3rd millennium 21st century == Religious orders ==

Fifty-one popes and six antipopes (in italics) have been members of religious orders, including 12 members of third orders. They are listed by order as follows: == Numbering of popes ==

Regnal numbers follow the usual convention for European monarchs. Antipopes are treated as pretenders, and their numbers are reused by those considered to be legitimate popes. However, there are anomalies in the numbering of the popes. Several numbers were mistakenly increased in the Middle Ages because the records were misunderstood. Several antipopes were also kept in the sequence, either by mistake or because they were previously considered to be true popes. (As a note, the first pope who chooses a unique name is not identified by an ordinal, only assuming a number after a second Pope takes that same name: like how Francis thus far is only referred to as "Francis", but when there is a second one, they will be (respectively) "Francis I" and "Francis II". John Paul I is conspicuous as the only exception: having personally chosen to be called "John Paul the First" from the very beginning of his pontificate; which is merely a footnote given his short reign and the fact that he was followed immediately by John Paul II.) • Alexander: Antipope Alexander V (1409–1410) was listed in the Annuario Pontificio as a legitimate pope until the 20th century, when the Pisan popes were reclassified as antipopes. There had already been three more Alexanders by then, so there is now a gap in the numbering sequence. • Benedict: Antipope Benedict X (1058–1059) was kept in the numbering sequence. • Boniface: Antipope Boniface VII (974 and 984–985) was kept in the numbering sequence. • By the 16th century, the numbering error had been conflated with legends about a female Pope Joan, whom some authors called John VIII. She was never listed in the Annuario Pontificio. • Antipope John XXIII (1410–1415) was listed in the Annuario Pontificio as a legitimate pope until the 20th century. • Martin: Pope Martin I (649–655) is followed by Martin IV (1281–1285). Due to the similarity between the Latin names Marinus and Martinus, Marinus I and Marinus II were mistakenly considered to be Martin II and III. • Stephen: Pope-elect Stephen (752) died before being consecrated. He was previously known as Stephen II, but the Vatican removed him from the official list of popes in 1961. The remaining Stephens are now numbered Pope Stephen II (752–757) to Pope Stephen IX (1057–1058). == See also ==