Find out what are the functions of the Catholic Church Pope

The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He is considered a spiritual and moral authority that extends over all the Catholics of the world. At this time, the position is occupied by Pope Francis.

According to the British Encyclopedia, the authority of the Pontiff is based on the verse Matthew 16:18 of the Bible. In the passage, Jesus Christ gave St. Peter, the first “bishop of Rome”, a special position of leadership.

As a spiritual leader, the Pope acts as representative of Jesus Christ and successor of St. Peter, guiding the church in issues of faith and morals. One of the most important functions of this leadership is the so -called papal infallibility, which allows the Pontiff to make definitive pronouncements on religious doctrines.

Moreover, the Pope is considered a symbol of unity within the Church, representing the continuity of the tradition of the apostles of Jesus. Filipe Domingues, Vaticanist and Doctor of the Pontifical Gregorian University, based in Rome, explains that the Pope is the so -called Bishop of Rome, the successor of the apostle Peter.

“The central pillar of the Church is St. Peter, he is considered the first Pope, the first leader of the Church and the first figure of centrality and unity. The Pope represents mainly the figure of Peter and Unity. He is the bishop of Rome,” the expert says.

Unlike other Christian traditions, such as Orthodox and Protestant churches, the Pope has the power to teach, known as teaching.

According to Britannica, at the Orthodox Church important decisions are made at meetings involving all bishops without a single supreme leader.

Protestant churches also reject the idea of ​​centralized teaching and emphasize the authority and autonomy of local congregations, according to the encyclopedia.

“Other churches, such as orthodox that are not in communion with the Catholic Church completely, still recognize the Pope with the Bishop of Rome. However, they do not recognize the Pope’s primacy, that is, his authority over the rest of the church,” Domingues explains.

Administrative functions

In addition to spiritual authority, the Pope also plays an important administrative role in the management of the Catholic Church. It supervises the Roman Curia, the administrative body of the Holy See – the central government of the Catholic Church.

In this function, the Pope has authority over the administration and organization of the church in the world. Among the works of the Pontiff is the choice and appointment of cardinals – a church authority that has the power to elect the next Pope in a conclave, as the election that defines the pontiff is called.

In addition, according to information from the Encyclopedia, the Pope has the authority to convene and preside over meetings of bishops called ecumenical councils, which address important doctrinal issues of the Church.

Expert Filipe Domingues explains that the Pope still acts as head of state of the Vatican, a small sovereign territory in Italy established by the Lateran Treaty in 1929. “The Pope is the absolute monarch of this small country,” he says to CNN .

According to Britannica, the Vatican has great diplomatic relevance, being recognized as an autonomous entity and maintaining relations with several countries. This position makes the Pope a prominent political figure on the international scene.

Professor, historian and theologian Gerson Leite de Moraes also explains that the Pope is received in the world as a head of state.

“The Vatican is led by a boss who is both a spiritual leadership figure for all Catholics and a political player of great relevance in international geopolitics,” says the professor.

Important role in diplomacy

The Holy See has permanent observers in the United Nations and maintains diplomatic relations with various countries.

Filipe Domingues explains that there is always a representative of the pontiff in multilateral organizations. “They are the Pope’s ambassadors in other countries,” he says. He adds that the Vatican is “the country that has the most diplomatic relations in the world.”

However, according to sociologist Francisco Borba, the Pope’s work differs in international diplomacy by representing interests of people around the world and not a specific country or group.

“The Pope is spiritual leadership with greater social, cultural and political influence in the world. A leader whose legitimacy is based on his ability to announce good to all, in contrast to other leaders, which are chosen precisely because of his ability to defend the interests of his group,” he explained to CNN .

“This is its strength and fragility. The more it is recognized as the one who defends the good of all and the moral and spiritual elevation of humanity, the greater his influence. But when he and/or the church to which leads are contradictory and focused on corporate interests, his influence decreases,” adds Borba.

The sociologist concludes that the pontiff to be a popular figure “must somehow shock with the powers of his time.” In this sense, the Pope also has the power to make internal reforms in the Catholic Church to respond to contemporary challenges.

Historical examples include the Second Vatican Council, which has modernized church practices and approaches, and Pope Francis’ initiatives, which has adopted a more progressive stance on social and environmental themes, according to Britannica.

The pontiff, for example, has a considerable moral influence on global issues, often defending peace, justice and human rights.

The International Analyst of CNN Lourival Sant’Anna explains that the Pope is still one of the most important leaders of interreligion dialogue. In this sense, he conducts domes with orthodox church leaders, patriarchs, which are relevant in discussing the tolerance and acceptance of differences.

Thus, according to Sant’Anna, the Pope represents not only the continuity of the Catholic tradition, but also a diplomatic and moral power that transcends religious and political barriers, reaffirming his position as a spiritual leader and public figure of great influence.

This content was originally published in know what are the functions of the Catholic Church Pope on the CNN Brazil website.

Source: CNN Brasil