The institution of the Catholic Church leader dates back to the Bible and Jesus Christ itself according to Christian tradition.
The first Pope was St. Peter, a disciple of Jesus who, according to the Bible, directly received him the mission of establishing the Church.
“And I also tell you that you are Peter, and upon this stone I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it / And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and all that you turn on on earth will be bound in the heaven, and all that they turn off will be turned off in heaven,” says the passage of Matthew, chapter 16, verses 17 and 18.
According to the Vatican, the pontificate of Peter ended between 64 and 67, being succeeded by Pope Linus.
According to John’s passage in the Bible, Peter and another disciple were the first to go to the tomb of Jesus after his resurrection, being Peter the first to enter it.
Moreover, the first miracle is attributed to him after the resurrection of Jesus.
It is understood that the apostle’s tomb is under the basilica that bears his name, the Basilica of St. Peter, which is inside the Vatican. Beside her is St. Peter’s Square, where the faithful gather to watch the appearances of the popes and receive blessings.
After Peter, the Catholic Church had more than 260 popes, being Francisco number 266. He died on Monday (21), after a stroke and heart failure.
See images of Pope Francis’ visit to Brazil:
Was this content originally published in who was the first Pope of the Catholic Church? on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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