Few human institutions have survived for so long and have played such a crucial role -not only in Europe’s history and culture, but also in the whole world- as the Catholic Church, embodied in its highest representatives, the Popes of Rome.
The Papacy´s origins lies in Jesus’ Apostle, St Peter, to whom History reserves the role of being the first Pope, and on whom the Church´s leadership and apostolic primacy was conferred.
Up to the current Pope, Francis, the Catholic Church provides a list of 266 Popes during its two millennia of History as an enduring institution....This is the story of those 266 men.
A History with lights and shadows, full of numerous examples of sanctity and sincere Catholic feeling, but, unfortunately, also of ambition, pride and sin. It's the History of those who received a heavy but beautiful heritage: to be the representatives of God among men... It's the History of the Popes.
