Who was the first pope?

The first pope was St. Peter the Apostle, appointed by Jesus Christ himself. Catholic teaching holds that Christ gave Peter a unique primacy among the Apostles, making him the first bishop of Rome and the foundation of the Church's visible unity on earth.

Historical Witness

The unbroken succession of popes from Peter to the present — currently more than 260 successors — is a visible sign of the continuity the Church sees as essential to its divine constitution.