The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian church in the world. It is one of the world’s oldest institutions with over 1.3 billion people baptized by the church as of 2019. The church has played a significant role throughout world history and is still an important establishment in the modern world. The Nicene Creed contains the fundamental principles of Catholicism. The Pope presides over the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church holds that the pope is the successor to Saint Peter and that it is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church established by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission. The Catholic Church also holds that its bishops are the heirs of Christ’s apostles. The entire basis of the Christian religion is the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ roamed about the Roman Empire in Judea to spread his learnings. The Parish priests of Catholic churches have a variety of tasks, including leading daily Mass, hearing confessions, visiting and anointing the sick, teaching catechism, witnessing weddings, going to funerals, and attending burials.
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First Pope Of The Catholic Church
Saint Peter, also known as Peter The Apostle, is considered as the first pope of the Catholic Church. It is believed that Jesus Christ himself anointed Saint Peter as the pope of the Catholic Church. It is inferred that there have been over 260 popes after Saint Peter.
As Saint Peter was the founder of both the Church of Antioch and the Church of Rome as well as a notable saint, he was revered by all early Christian churches. He is recognized by Catholic and Orthodox tradition as the first bishop of Rome, as well as the first bishop of Antioch. His papacy is thought to have lasted from AD 30 until his death, which would make him the one with the longest rule at between 34 and 38 years; however, this hasn’t been confirmed. Historians believed that Saint Peter was crucified under the reign of Emperor Nero in Rome.
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Duties Of The Pope
Pope Francis is the current pope. He is also the first pope from Latin America. He succeeded Pope Benedict XVI. The papacy has to fulfill many duties, just like bishops and priests all over the world. Some essential duties of the pope include visiting every bishop in the world after 5 years. The calculation boils down to meeting roughly 20 bishops every week. Every Sunday, he offers blessings to travelers and pilgrims from his private study window, which looks out into Saint Peter’s Square.
The pope also holds a general audience of approximately 5,000 pilgrims every week. This audience is held at Saint Peter’s square during summers and at the modern hall during winters. He also has to oversee all the religious ceremonies that take place in Vatican City. He officiates the Christmas and Easter ceremonies taking place at Saint Peter’s.
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