pontiffs
Successive Rome bishops
Pontiffs is the plural of pontiff, a formal title for the pope—the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The word carries ceremonial weight and appears in religious and journalistic contexts: The pontiffs of the twentieth century faced unprecedented challenges.
Historically, pontiff referred to high priests in ancient Rome, but modern usage is almost exclusively papal.
Of foremost importance
- archbishopSenior prelate over province
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- prelateSenior church official
- patriarchMale head of family
monsignor · primate · metropolitan · curia · episcopate · clergy · ecclesiastic · vicar
Catholic Church's supreme leader
- papalof the pontiff
- apostolicOf the first disciples
- successionFollowing in order
- Holy SeePapal governing authority
infallibility · encyclical · ex cathedra · tiara · fisherman's ring · conclave · election · reign
Ceremonial religious attire
- mitrePointed clerical headwear
- crosierEpiscopal ceremonial staff
- palliumDraped outer garment
- cassockFull-length clerical garment
throne · altar · incense · benediction · procession · mass · sacrament · ordination
Vatican's principal basilica
- basilicaColonnaded church with apse
- Sistine ChapelVatican worship hall
- Swiss GuardPapal security force
- RomeItaly's capital city
audience · balcony · blessing · canonization · beatification · jubilee
Incapacity for mistakes
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- decreeAuthoritative legal command
- bullSteer before castration
- edictAuthoritative public command
mandate · doctrine · dogma · canon law · primacy · sovereignty · governance · pronouncement
cardinal
Of foremost importance
- archbishopSenior prelate over province
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- prelateSenior church official
patriarch · monsignor · primate · metropolitan · curia · episcopate · clergy · ecclesiastic · vicar · nuncio
pope
Catholic Church's supreme leader
- papalof the pontiff
- apostolicOf the first disciples
- successionFollowing in order
Holy See · infallibility · encyclical · ex cathedra · tiara · fisherman's ring · conclave · election · reign · abdication
vestments
Ceremonial religious attire
cassock · throne · altar · incense · benediction · procession · mass · sacrament · ordination · consecration
St. Peter's
Vatican's principal basilica
- basilicaColonnaded church with apse
- Sistine ChapelVatican worship hall
- Swiss GuardPapal security force
Rome · audience · balcony · blessing · canonization · beatification · jubilee
infallibility
Incapacity for mistakes
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- decreeAuthoritative legal command
- bullSteer before castration
edict · mandate · doctrine · dogma · canon law · primacy · sovereignty · governance · pronouncement · dispensation
- Ancient RomansJulius Caesar, patricians, consuls, Marcus Aurelius, Nero
- clergypriest, bishop, pope, nun, monk
- Papal HistoryVatican, Holy See, tiara, College of Cardinals, cardinals
- Roman societypatrician, patricians, plebeian, plebeians, citizen
- Roman religionJupiter, Mars, Venus, Apollo, Neptune
- Roman divinationaugury, auspices, omens, augurs, auspex
pontiffslaypeople
Those outside a profession
laity · parishioners · congregants · novices · seminarians
pontiffskings
Male hereditary rulers
emperors · heads of state · prime ministers · presidents · monarchs
pontificate, pontiff, pontifical, pontificates, pontificating