What is Answerbag?

Ask questions and share your knowledge with the world here on Answerbag. Get the best answers where there are no duplicate questions and questions are always open - our community of over 1,142,000 will find your answer!

Join For Free!
 

What Are the Duties & Obligations of a Pope?

Friday, October 30, 2009
Related Tags: pope | pius | infallible | apostle | mongardi
 

Instructions

History

  • Step 1:
    In the Catholic tradition, the Pope is the successor to Peter, the Apostle of Christ. Popes have held the position as the supreme leaders of the Catholic Church for about 2,000 years.

Function

  • Step 1:
    The Pope possesses absolute power as the spiritual leader of the world's one billion Catholics, the largest Christian church in existence. He is also the secular leader of the nation of Vatican City.

Misconceptions

  • Step 1:
    The most common misconception associated with the Pope is the doctrine of infallibility (speaking without error). Many people presume that everything the Pope says is infallible, but only one Pope ever made an infallible statement, Pius XII in 1950.

Matters of Faith

  • Step 1:
    The primary duties and obligations of a Pope are to serve as the supreme pastor of Catholics worldwide, setting forth the manner in which they shall pursue their faith and life in accordance with the teachings of Christ.

Interesting Facts

  • Step 1:
    The shortest-reigning Pope was Urban VII (13 days). Excluding Peter the Apostle, the longest-reigning Pope was Pius XI (over 31 years).

Resources

Photo/Video Credit

Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Michela Mongardi

Related Content
What Is Infallibility?
Infallibility refers to a freedom from error. Roman Catholic theology posits infallibility in the office of the pope when he speaks authoritatively on matters of faith and morals.
About Catholic Beliefs
When most people think of Catholicism, they think of the Roman Catholic Church. This article will deal with some of the beliefs that set the Catholic Church apart from other branches of Christianity.
Definition of the Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church originates from Jesus and His 12 apostles. More than 2,000 years later, it is the largest church in the world. The papal succession, from Peter through current times,...
Definition of Catholics
Catholic is a term that, by definition, means "universal." In regards to religion, the term catholic is generally used to refer to members of the Roman Catholic Church, which is headed by the...
Facts about the Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church is the institution based upon the winners in the early struggles to devise a religion based around the teachings of Jesus Christ. Many different sects battled for...