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Pope
From A Storehouse of Knowledge
In the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope is the supreme religious authority and head of the Church on Earth. The apostle Peter is widely considered to be the first Pope, and a linear succession from him (known as Apostolic succession) is a cornerstone of the Catholic faith.
The divine privilege of infallibility is attributed to the Pope when he addresses the whole Church on matters of faith or morals.
There is a tradition dating back to AD 533 of a newly elected Pope selecting a new name to symbolize his new life as the head of the Catholic Church. [1] The current Pope is Benedict XVI.
