When and who was the first pope?

As the capital of the empire, Rome is also a natural centre for the growing church. Unlike any other Christian see, Rome can put at least a name to every bishop in an unbroken line back to the 1st century of the Christian era and to St Peter himself as the first pope.

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When did the first pope start?

Of the 266 Popes listed below, 88 came from Rome and the majority (196) came from Italy. Gregory V (3 May 996 – 18 February 999) was the first German Pope before Benedict XVI.
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All the popes – full list.
Start year 1605
End year 1621
English name Paul V
Place of birth Rome, Papal States
Age at start of papacy 52
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Feb 13, 2013