History of papal primacy facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Pope, also known as the bishop of Rome, has a special role in the Christian Church. This idea, called Papal primacy, means the Pope has a leading position and authority. It grew over many centuries because of history, religious beliefs, and political reasons.

Early Christian leaders like Ignatius of Antioch and Irenaeus of Lyon wrote about the unique importance of the church in Rome. They believed Peter and Paul founded this church. The bishop of Rome was seen as Peter's successor. The New Testament says Jesus chose Peter to lead his church.

Rome was also the capital of the Roman Empire. As Christianity grew, the bishop of Rome's power increased. Important meetings like the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD recognized the bishop of Rome's special authority. Later councils, like Constantinople I (381) and Chalcedon (451), confirmed the bishop of Rome as the "first among equals" among the church's main leaders, called patriarchs.

Understanding the Pope's Authority

In the Roman Catholic Church, there's a belief called apostolic succession. This means that Jesus gave his twelve apostles full church authority through a special ceremony called holy orders. These apostles became the first bishops. They could then pass on this authority to others, creating a direct line of bishops from the apostles all the way to today's bishops.

The Catholic Church also believes that among the apostles, Peter was chosen for a special leadership role. He was meant to keep the apostles united. Today, the pope inherits this role as Peter's successor, leading the bishops and the whole church.

Peter's Special Role

Many early Church leaders wrote that Peter was in Rome, was killed there, and was the first bishop of Rome. Catholic beliefs say he served as bishop for 25 years until 67 AD, when Nero had him killed. The official Catholic view is that Jesus made Peter the first pope. The respectful title "pope" (meaning "father") came into use later.

The New Testament shows that Peter had a special place among Jesus's twelve apostles. For example, in Matthew 16:19, Jesus tells Peter he will "bind and loose." This means Peter had a unique authority. However, the New Testament also shows that other apostles shared in leadership. The Bible doesn't clearly describe how Peter's leadership was passed on. This is why different groups have understood these Bible passages in different ways over time.

Early Christian writers like Clement of Alexandria (late 100s AD) and Tertullian (early 200s AD) mentioned Peter's importance. Tertullian wrote that the Church was "built upon him," meaning Peter was its foundation. Origen (around 232 AD) also said the Church of Christ was "built upon Peter."

Passing on Apostolic Authority

Irenaeus, an important early church leader, made a list of the bishops of Rome. This list included Peter and Paul's immediate successors: Linus, Anacleutus, Clement, Evaristus, Alexander, and Sixtus. The Catholic Church sees these as Peter's successors, and through them, later popes claim their authority.

Over time, the idea grew that both Peter and Paul were the founders of the bishops of Rome. Peter was seen as the chief shepherd, and Paul as the top authority on church teachings. To show its leadership in the Western Roman Empire, the bishops of Rome used a letter from Pope Innocent I (416 AD). This letter said that Peter was the only apostle to work in the West. Therefore, only bishops appointed by Peter or his successors founded churches in places like Italy, Spain, and Africa. This meant all churches in these areas had to follow Rome's rules.

Early Church Leadership

Historians believe that for some time in the 100s AD, the church in Rome was led by a group of elders, not just one bishop. However, a clearer church structure began to form by the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. This structure helped the church stay united, especially when different teachings caused problems.

The solution was to create more organized leadership roles. These included:

Episkopoi (overseers)
presbyteroi (elders), similar to Jewish communities
Diakonoi (ministerial servants)

Presbyters were ordained and helped the bishop. As Christianity spread, especially in the countryside, presbyters took on more duties and became what we now call priests. Deacons helped with tasks like caring for the poor and sick. An early Christian writing called the Didache (from 70 to 140 AD) says, "Appoint for yourselves therefore bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord."

Ignatius of Antioch encouraged churches to use this structure. He stressed unity and obedience to the bishop. In the 2nd century, the idea of apostolic succession supported this structure. It meant a bishop was the spiritual successor of the previous bishop, in a line going back to the apostles. This way of organizing the church became common and is still used today in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches.

Irenaeus created a list of early popes, including those who followed Peter and Paul.

Rome's Role in Solving Disputes

Rome played a key role in settling arguments among early Christian churches. If there were disagreements in a local church, they would often turn to the Roman Church for help. This is because Rome was seen as holding the true Christian tradition, passed down from the apostles.

Rome became a central place where new teachings were brought to be approved by the Church. If Rome accepted a teaching, other churches were likely to accept it too. If Rome refused it, other churches would usually follow that decision. Many examples show churches asking Rome to help resolve their issues.

Pope Stephen I

After a time of persecution (around 250 AD), there were disagreements about how to treat Christians who had given up their faith during the persecution. Should they be allowed back into the church, and under what conditions? Cyprian of Carthage wrote to Pope Stephen I (254-257 AD) asking him to tell the bishops in Gaul to condemn a bishop who refused to let repentant Christians back in. Both Cyprian and Firmilian wrote about the bishop of Rome as Peter's successor, and Firmilian noted how the bishop of Rome set rules for other regions based on this succession.

Pope Damasus I

In 376 AD, Jerome, a famous scholar, wrote to Pope Damasus I. Jerome asked Damasus to say who was the true bishop among three people claiming to be the bishop of Antioch. He also asked for help with a religious teaching. Jerome wrote that he followed no leader but Christ, and communicated only with Damasus, "the successor of the fisherman," meaning Peter. He said, "For this, I know, is the rock on which the church is built!"

By 650 AD, the Roman Church became a strong center of authority in the Western Church. People increasingly brought their legal problems to Rome for solutions. Decisions from Rome were very important, almost as powerful as decisions from major church councils.

After the Edict of Milan

After the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, which made Christianity legal, the bishops of Rome started sending out letters called "decretals." These letters gave general rules that later became part of church law. From the time of Pope Siricius (384-399 AD), these letters helped show the growing authority of the bishop of Rome outside Italy. Pope Siricius even said that no bishop could take office without his knowledge.

Optatus's View

Optatus, an early Christian writer, strongly believed in a "Chair of Peter." He called it a gift to the church. He said that the bishop's chair in Rome was first given to Peter, the chief of the apostles. This was to keep unity among all the apostles. Optatus believed that anyone who set up a different chair against this single one would be causing a split in the church.

Rome's Bishop Becomes Leader of the Whole Church

The power of the bishop of Rome grew as the power of the Roman emperor in the West decreased. Emperors Theodosius II and Valentinian III declared the Roman bishop the "Rector of the whole Church." Emperor Justinian in the East also made a similar decree in the 6th century. These statements didn't create the office of the pope, but from the 6th century onward, the bishop of Rome's power and respect grew so much that the title "pope" (from the Greek word pappàs, meaning "father") became best suited for the bishop of Rome.

First Council of Constantinople

An old drawing showing the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD.

A big moment happened at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. This council said that the bishop of Constantinople should have the second highest honor, after the bishop of Rome. This was because Constantinople was the new capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, called the "New Rome."

However, Pope Damasus I protested this decision. He felt it wrongly placed the bishop of Constantinople, whose city was only fifty years old, above the bishops of older, more important cities like Alexandria and Antioch. Some historians say that Damasus did not protest and that everyone still saw the bishop of Rome as the top bishop and head of the church.

From the time of Pope Damasus I, the Bible verse Matthew 16:18 ("You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church") was used to support Rome's leading role.

Pope Innocent I (401–417 AD) claimed that all major church cases should be handled by Rome. He wrote that everyone must keep what Peter, the chief of the apostles, gave to the church in Rome. Pope Boniface I (418–422 AD) said that the church of Rome was like the "head to the members" for churches around the world.

Relationship with Other Bishops

As Eastern emperors became more involved in church matters, and as Constantinople gained more importance over Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, the bishops of Rome tried to define their special role more clearly compared to other bishops.

Rome wasn't the only city with a special place in the early Church. Jerusalem was important because Jesus died and rose there. It was also where the first church was formed. Antioch was where Jesus' followers were first called "Christians," and it was the first church Peter founded. Alexandria was another key center for Christian ideas. All three of these main early church centers (Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome) claimed a connection to Peter.

It wasn't until 440 AD that Leo the Great clearly explained the Pope's authority as a church teaching. He said he had "the full range of apostolic powers that Jesus had first bestowed on the apostle Peter." At the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, Leo's representatives said he was "speaking with the voice of Peter." At this same council, Constantinople was given a place of honor second only to Rome. But Roman popes rejected this because it didn't clearly recognize Rome's legal authority over other churches.

Pope Leo I's Teachings

Following Roman law, which said a person's rights passed to their heir, Pope Leo I (440–461 AD) taught that he, as Peter's representative, inherited Peter's power and authority. He suggested that Peter was the one through whom other apostles received strength from Christ. Pope Gelasius I (492–496 AD) stated that the "see of blessed Peter the Apostle" (meaning the office of the Pope) had the right to undo decisions made by any other church leader. He also said that no one could judge the Pope's decisions, and that people could appeal to Rome from anywhere in the world, but no one could appeal from Rome's decision.

The Catholic teaching of the sedes apostolica (apostolic see) means that every bishop of Rome, as Peter's successor, has the full authority given to this position. This power is seen as unbreakable because God himself established it, not any single person. Leo I, using Roman law, made this teaching stronger by making the bishop of Rome Peter's legal heir. According to Leo, Peter continued to speak to Christians through his successors, the bishops of Rome.

Emperor's Influence

Phocas's Decree

When Phocas became the Byzantine emperor in 602 AD, Pope Gregory I praised him. Pope Gregory died in 604, and his successor, Sabinian, in 606. After almost a year, Phocas appointed Boniface III as the new bishop of Rome on February 19, 607 AD.

Then, Emperor Phocas issued a decree. He declared Boniface III the "Head of all the Churches" and "Universal Bishop." Phocas moved the title of "Universal Bishop" from the bishop of Constantinople to the bishop of Rome. Boniface made sure that this title belonged only to the bishop of Rome. This act stopped the attempt by the leader of Constantinople to call himself "universal bishop."

The East–West Split

The disagreements about the authority of the Roman bishops reached a peak in 1054 AD. Michael I Cerularius, the leader of Constantinople, tried to strengthen his position. He seemed to act as a rival to Pope Leo IX, because popes had previously said Constantinople should not be called a patriarchate (a major church region).

The dispute ended when the Pope's representative officially removed Michael I Cerularius from the church. In return, Michael I Cerularius removed the Pope from the church (though the Pope had already died). This important event led to the separation of the Eastern and Western churches, known as the East–West Schism.

Other reasons for the split included the Western Church adding the word filioque (meaning "and the Son") to the Nicene Creed without a full church council's approval. Also, the Pope used a fake document, the Donation of Constantine, to support his authority against the Eastern Church.

Second Council of Lyon

The Second Council of Lyon in 1274 AD was called to try and reunite the Eastern and Western churches. Byzantine emperor Michael VIII wanted to end the Great Schism. Pope Gregory X sent representatives to Michael VIII, who had taken back Constantinople.

On June 29, 1274, Pope Gregory X held a Mass where both sides took part. The council declared that the Roman church had "the supreme and full primacy and authority over the universal Catholic Church."

The council seemed successful, but it didn't solve the split for good. The emperor wanted unity, but the Eastern clergy (church leaders) were stubborn. The leader of Constantinople, Patriarch Joseph, stepped down and was replaced by John Bekkos, who supported the union. Despite efforts to defend the union and harsh actions against those who opposed it, most Byzantine Christians strongly disagreed with uniting with the Latin "heretics." When Michael VIII died in 1282, the union ended. His son, Andronicus II, rejected the union, and Bekkos was forced to step down. To this day, many in the Eastern Church see Bekkos as a traitor.

The Reformation

The Pope's leading role was challenged again in 1517 when Martin Luther began speaking out against certain practices in the Catholic Church, like the sale of indulgences. When Pope Leo X didn't support Luther, Luther suggested an "invisible church" (meaning Christians who weren't part of the Roman Catholic Church) and eventually called the pope the Antichrist. Luther's rejection of the Pope's authority led to the start of the Protestant Reformation. During this time, many people in Europe left the Roman Catholic Church and formed other Christian groups.

The Catholic Church in England also legally separated from the Roman Catholic Church during this period. This happened for political and marriage reasons, as well as religious ones. Christianity had been in England since Roman times, even before the Pope's authority was widely accepted there. King Henry VIII and his parliaments completely rejected the Pope's legal authority. Instead, they supported the king's own supreme power over the church, which was fully established during the reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I.

First Vatican Council

The teaching about the Pope's special authority grew even more in 1870 at the First Vatican Council. Here, the idea of ultramontanism (strong support for papal authority) won over conciliarism (the idea that church councils have more authority than the Pope). The council declared papal infallibility. This means the Pope can define certain teachings about faith and morals without error when speaking officially ex cathedra (from the chair of Peter). The council also affirmed papal supremacy, meaning the Pope has supreme, full, immediate, and universal power over the entire Church.

The main document from this council, Pastor aeternus, states that "the Roman church holds the preeminence of ordinary power over all the other churches." This council also confirmed the belief that the Pope is infallible when he uses his highest authority to define matters of faith.

Vatican I said Peter had two types of special authority: one in teaching faith and morals (infallibility), and another in governing and disciplining the Church. Catholics must accept both of these for their faith.

The council rejected ideas that papal decisions needed approval from secular power or that the Pope's decisions could be appealed to a church council. Some argue that this definition of papal primacy has led to too much papal power and is a major problem for unity with Orthodox and Protestant churches.

The First Vatican Council ended suddenly in 1870 due to political events. This left some church teachings a bit unbalanced, focusing heavily on the Pope's role.

Second Vatican Council

At the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), discussions about papal primacy and authority came up again. The document Lumen gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) further explained the Catholic Church's teachings on the authority of the Pope, bishops, and councils. Vatican II aimed to balance the teachings left by Vatican I.

Vatican II confirmed everything Vatican I taught about papal primacy and infallibility. But it also added important points about bishops. It said bishops are not just "representatives of the Roman Pontiff." Instead, when they govern their local churches, they are "representatives and messengers of Christ." Together, bishops form a "college" or group, with the Pope as their head. This group of bishops is responsible for the well-being of the entire Church. This idea, called collegiality, highlights the importance of local churches and the shared responsibility of bishops.

A key passage from Vatican II states: "The order of bishops is the successor to the college of the apostles in their role as teachers and pastors, and in it the apostolic college is continued. Together with their head, the Supreme Pontiff, and never apart from him, they have supreme and full authority over the Universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff." Much of today's discussion about papal primacy explores what this passage means.

The main document from Vatican I, Pastor aeternus, explains the Pope's primary power. It also defines the Pope's supreme teaching authority, meaning when he speaks ex cathedra, he teaches the faith without error. It's generally agreed that the Pope has only used this special authority twice to declare a dogma outside of a church council: for the Immaculate Conception (1854) and Mary's Assumption (1950). Before making these declarations, Popes Pius IX and Pius XII consulted with bishops around the world.