Popes, or Pontiffs originally keeper of the bridge to mount Olympus, from the time Rome adopted the Greek Panthenon of gods, and renamed them. Any one who claims to be in toutch with gods, is a figure of power in the political arena, especially when emperors, claimed to be gods.
Many Popes have been involved in political intrigue, for theocracy was the earliest form of Government. Popes gained power, the same way modern politicians do, peddeling iinfluence.
Simply because the power derives from the amount of people who support you. Relgion is the most powerfull buisness in the world because it can influence large number of people and thats why it has connections with many powerfull people around the world such as buisness men.Pope givesand puts people in direction to how the world should be according to their reasonings.
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Answer from a CatholicActually, he is not very powerful in the way the modern world uses the term. He rules a country that is the size of a large estate, he is unable to change doctrine or dogma of the Church as it is already defined and cannot change. He is only the Vicar of Christ, and as such, commands a huge amount of respect as a man who has given up everything, including his privacy, to take care of Christ's Church.Popes received their authority when Peter was appointed as leader of the Church and Our Lord said:
And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:
because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is
in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I
will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever
thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.
(Matthew Chapt. 16)
In other words, Our Lord told Peter that 'He would build his Church on him and that he could make the rules and they would be honored in heaven.'
Popes are elected by the College of Cardinals (all cardinals under 80 years of age) in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican.
Pope Innocent III was the most powerful pope of Medieval times.
The Pope was a powerful figure because of the position he held. The Roman Catholic Church was thought of as controlling you for all eternity, so you would want to respect its leader!
Henry did it so he could marry a different wife and it made the pope less powerful.
The Pope was a very powerful man.
Pope Innocent III
The pope outranks the head of the Jesuit order.
he was excellent at manipulation of the masses
The most powerful priest in Rome is the Pope.
The pope.
The pope is the absolute monarch of the Vatican.
None
The Pope.