When were popes first elected?

Answer 1

The popes were chosen almost immediately after the death of the sitting pope. The earliest popes were chosen by consensus of the clergy and people of Rome. In 1059 it was ruled that the cardinals should elect the pope. In 1274 the Church ruled that the cardinals should be locked away (Latin: cum clave) until a new pope has been chosen. From that came the English word conclave.

Answer 2

A:The official position of the Catholic Church is that Peter was the first pope, from perhaps 30 CE, and that he was executed in Rome around 65 CE, which would make his reign a total of about 35 years.

On the other hand, Francis Aloysius Sullivan ('From Apostles to Bishops: The Development of the Episcopacy in the Early Church') says that the consensus of scholars is that on the available evidence, the church of Rome was led by a college of presbyters, rather than a single bishop, for at least several decades of the second century. There being no evidence that Peter ever went to Rome, he might well have been an early leader of the Christian Church but not in Rome and therefore not the first pope. The first bishop of Rome who is firmly attested is Anicetus, whose papacy is dated from 157 to 168 CE, a total of about eleven years, although the bishops of Rome only took the definitive title of 'pope' in the fourth century.

Answer 3

Peter was appointed as leader of the Church when 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)

Peter assumed the position upon the Ascension of Our Lord into heaven. The term 'pope' did not come into usage until many years later but Peter was still considered a pope even though the establishment of the office of pope and hierarchy was yet to come. All the apostles, even Paul, deferred to Peter for important decisions.

And, yes, Peter did reside, at least for a time, in Rome and died there under orders from Roman Emperor Nero. Francis A. Sullivan SJ in his book From Apostles to Bishops states unequivocally that Peter was in Rome and died there. His statement is based on both scripture as well as the writings of early Church fathers.

Peter would have assumed leadership about the year AD33 and he died sometime between AD64 and AD67.

Answer 4

The official position of the Catholic Church is that Peter was the first pope, from perhaps 30 CE, and that he was executed in Rome around 65 CE, which would make his reign a total of about 35 years.

On the other hand, Francis Aloysius Sullivan ('From Apostles to Bishops: The Development of the Episcopacy in the Early Church') says that the consensus of scholars is that on the available evidence, the church of Rome was led by a college of presbyters, rather than a single bishop, for at least several decades of the second century. There being no evidence that Peter ever went to Rome, he might well have been an early leader of the Christian Church but not in Rome and therefore not the first pope. The first bishop of Rome who is firmly attested is Anicetus, whose papacy is dated from 157 to 168 CE, a total of about eleven years, although the bishops of Rome only took the definitive title of 'pope' in the fourth century.

For more information on the early popes, please visit:

http://christianity.answers.com/catholicism/a-brief-history-of-the-early-popes

Answer 5

Roman Catholic AnswerThe word "pope" was first used of the Holy Father in Rome somewhere between 300 A.D. and 523 A.D. It was reserved exclusively for the Bishop of Rome in the early sixth century. However, the papacy, as the appointed Vicar of Christ, started when Our Blessed Lord name St. Peter as the first Vicar in St. Matthew 16: 17:19. The office of Vicar was from the Old Testament Kingdom of Judah, the King's Vicar ruled in his name, and carried the "Keys of the Kingdom" which Our Blessed Lord gives to St. Peter in verse 19.

Answer 6

Francis A. Sullivan says, in From Apostles to Bishops,that there is a general agreement among scholars, including Catholic scholars, that the church of Rome was led by a council of presbyters until well into the second century, with no evidence of a ruling bishop. The first monarchical bishop of Rome was probably either Pius I or Anicetus, in the middle of the second century.

The title 'pope' was used in the west exclusively for the Roman pontiff from about the third century, although the same title was also used for some eastern leaders - today the leader of the Coptic Church continues to be known by the title of pope. The fourth-century Council of Nicaea gave the bishop of Rome a level of authority over other bishops in Western Europe, comparable to the authority held by the bishops of Constantine and Alexandria.

Answer 7

In the year 32 when Jesus Christ established his Church he placed Peter to be the Shepherd and watch over the flock.