Alphabetical list of Popes

The Popes, in chronological order

1. St Peter, b. Galilee

    Peter always  headed the of list of the 12 apostles closest to Jesus.  A Galilean fisherman formerly named Simon who became the  unquestioned leader of the Apostles and perhaps for a time bishop of Antioch before presiding over the church of Rome on Vatican Hill. His 25-year pontificate,  suggests BP, "is probably no more than a deduction based upon inconsistent chronological data". LP says he ordained three bishops (Linus, Cletus and Clement) and disputed with Simon Magus "(who) was drawing away from those whom  the blessed Peter was gathering into the faith of Christ. And while they debated once at great length, Simon was struck dead by the will of God". tP adds:."According to the mainstream of Christian tradition Peter's powers and prerogatives passed to the bishops of Rome".
    Peter baptized Cornelius, a Roman centurion who had been told by an angelic visitor to send for him, and told his followers: "You must put aside every trace of ill will and deceitfulness, your affectations, the grudges you bore and all the slanderous talk.." GL reports that when Peter first preached at Antioch his head was shorn "to do despite and shame"  and it thus became the custom thereafter "that the clergy should have his crown shaven in sign of right great honor and authority". Peter's onetime roommate, a Roman senator named Pudens, was mistakenly believed to be a woman and had a church built in her name.  Peter was crucified 29 June, 67, supposedly on the  site of the present San Pietro in Montorio. Emperor Nero was suspected of having started a devastating fire in Rome AD 64 so he diverted criticism by persecution of Christians.  According to legend, any other pope named Peter would be the last.
   Depicted in 4th c. bronze statue  and Giotto mosaic in St Peter's; painting in S. Maria del Popolo; in 14th c. wall painting at Mistra.

2. St Linus. b.Volterra. elected 67; d. 76. Identified by Eu and Ir  as the companion of St Paul who sent greetings to Timothy  (in 2 Tim IV; 21.) "You are the rock now, Linus...lead them as I have led them" said Peter to the slave he had baptized. "What (his) actual functions and responsibilities were can only be guessed" (BP). Linus was said to have been directed to ordain 25 priests to serve the growing number of churches and ruled "by the direction of Peter" (LP) that women must veil their heads in church.  "All (the early popes) are called saints (tP) and listed as such in the Roman Martyrology  (but), "it is unlikely that the popes of the early church were...holier men than those of recent times".

3. St Anacletus. b. Rome. elected 76, d. 88. or, according to Eu,  in the 12th year of Domitian's reign, ie. AD 93.  Ordained 25 priests. Anacletus in Greek means 'blameless' which may or may not be the origin of his Greek name. Both Linus and Cletus (the shortened version of his name) are  mentioned in the first eucharistric prayer, also known as the Roman Canon, in which names of early saints are recited. NCE says LP, in crediting him for building a burial monument for St Peter, may have mistaken him for Anicetus.

4. St. Clement I. b. Rome. elected 88, died 97. Eu mentions as him as a colleague of St Paul  and Ir wrote that "he had seen and consorted with the blessed apostles". According to T, Clement was consecrated by St Peter as his successor and GL adds: "Peter...assembled all his brethren and took Clement by the hand and ordained him bishop and made him sit in his own seat". ODP says the story about his exile to the Crimea and being thrown  in the sea  with an anchor around his neck is "without foundation".   
   Nevertheless, Clement remains the patron saint of marble workers, stone cutters and sailors.  He "wrote many books in his zeal for the faith of the Christian religion" (LP) and advised his followers: "Root out the lawless anger of your jealousy, according to the prayer for peace and concord which we have made in this letter". His letter to the church of Corinth, after a revolt against the leaders there, was "a model of pastoral solicitude and firm parental admonition" (PDS).   
   According to Eu, Clement  wrote to Corinthian dissidents in AD 95 urging their reconciliation and dwelling on the bad effects always produced by discord.  His bones are supposedly buried in S. Clemente church, probably sited over his former home.  
6th c. mosaic, S Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna; 8th c. frescoes depicting scenes from his life in St Clemente Church; depicted in painting by Tiepolo in London's National Gallery.

5. St Evaristus. b. Greece. elected 97, d.105. Traditionally of Greek/Jewish background:  LP  says his name suggests Greek origin and that he served ten years. (LC guesses 13).  He established in Rome the seven major administrative districts (deaconates) from which sprang the College of Cardinals. ODP states there is no other   reliable  information about him  except that he was a senior churchman.