Since the time of Jesus Christ’s death in the 30s AD, there have been 266 popes in the Catholic Church, up to and including Pope Francis – Jorge Mario Bergoglio – who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

St. Peter, the first to hold the title of pope, is widely regarded as the most important.

Christ appointed him as the first Bishop of Rome, and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, a major papal church, is named in his honor.

The New Testament also contains St. Peter’s writings addressed to those persecuted in Asia Minor.

Peter is believed to have died around 64 AD and was succeeded by Pope Linus.

In modern times, many Catholics believe that John Paul II is a strong candidate for the title of most influential pope.

John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian in the 16th century. Born Karol Wojtyla in Poland, John Paul’s three decades in the Vatican were characterized by significant events for the Catholic Church.

He oversaw the church’s entry into the digital age, while also remaining a prolific writer.

Father William Saunders notes that he revised the Canon Laws, wrote over a dozen encyclicals, nearly 50 apostolic letters, and several books in his catalog of “great” popes.

Although not officially named John Paul the Great, there is a widespread feeling that he will be one day.

John Paul famously held a Mass to pray for God’s forgiveness for the Catholic Church’s past wrongdoings and made over 100 state visits, including interactions with non-Christians.

One such visit included the Pope leading Mass for 80,000 people at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, in 1979.

Only a select few popes – Leo I, Gregory I, and Nicholas I – have been given the title “the great.”

In the 5th century, Pope Leo I met with Attila the Hun and averted a siege of Rome, although the Vandals later captured the city.

Pope Gregory I, in the late 6th century, popularized “Gregorian Chant,” a tradition still found in many Catholic churches today.

Born into wealth, Gregory I later relinquished his riches, entered a monastery, and assisted the poor.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Gregory was considered the treasurer of Rome, and it chronicles his efforts to prevent sieges from groups such as the Lombards.

He also repaired Rome’s infrastructure, sought peace with the Lombards and Gauls, and enforced government laws he personally disagreed with and protested against, explaining that he did his duty to obey [Emperor Maurice] while not “restrain[ing] what ought to be said on God’s behalf.”

Pope Nicholas became pontiff in the mid-9th century. He famously opposed a king’s attempt to divorce his wife and marry another woman. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, he also advocated for the Holy See’s leadership of the Catholic Church and pushed for the “supremacy of Rome.”

Other popes, while not given the moniker “the great,” have had a lasting impact on the world.

One such pontiff was Pope Gregory XIII.

Due to perceived inaccuracies in the Julian calendar, Gregory XIII introduced a new calendar in 1582, as the spring equinox had moved back to early March over a period of 1,400 years.

On Oct. 4, 1582, Gregory XIII decreed that the following day would be Oct. 15, not Oct. 5, thus correcting the lunar discrepancy. By the end of the 16th century, most Western countries had adopted the new “Gregorian calendar.”

Another historically influential pontiff was Pope Innocent III. Around 1200, Innocent III initiated several “Crusades” against Muslim-controlled territories in modern-day France, Spain, and Portugal, as well as an effort to reclaim the historic Holy Land near present-day Israel and Jordan.

He also extended his influence into personal matters, ordering King Philip of France to reconcile with his estranged wife.

The most recent pope, Francis, was seen as influential because he was one of the few to engage more deeply in the political arena than previous pontiffs.

In 2015, Francis released the first papal encyclical focused on the environment: Laudato Si.

Among other effects, it helped set the stage for that year’s U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris, which resulted in a global warming treaty between 196 countries.

He was also known for his criticisms of Western market capitalism, calling the “unfettered pursuit of money” the “dung of the devil” during a speech.

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