Questions / The Church and the Pope

Wasn’t the papacy invented centuries later?

Church teaching

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In short: Catholics read Peter’s role in the Gospels as a job meant to be passed on, and see Rome acting with authority long before Leo the Great. CCC 881

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

The Church teaches that Jesus made Simon Peter the rock of His Church, gave him the keys, and made him shepherd of the whole flock. CCC 881

Peter’s office was meant to be passed on, and the Pope is Peter’s successor. CCC 862 CCC 882

Our words

Historians argue about how the role developed, and we say so on our papacy page. But around AD 96 Clement of Rome was already writing to correct the church at Corinth, while the apostle John may still have been alive.

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Sources on this page

How we know · 3 Catechism paragraphs

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 862, 881, 882 (official text on vatican.va).

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