The origin of Popes have been in existence for nearly 2,000 years, and throughout history, different countries have produced popes to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
Below is a list of the top five countries with the most popes based on Popes’ history on Wikipedia.
1. Italy – 217 Popes
Italy leads by a wide margin, having produced 217 popes. This is no surprise since the Vatican is located in Rome, Italy. Many of the early and medieval popes came from cities within the Italian Peninsula, especially Rome. Italian dominance in the papacy continued for centuries, with the last Italian pope being John Paul I, who served briefly in 1978.
2. France – 16 Popes
France comes second with 16 popes. During the 14th century, the papal court was even moved to Avignon, France—a period known as the Avignon Papacy. This helped increase the number of French-born popes during that time. The last French pope was Gregory XI, who brought the papacy back to Rome in 1378.
3. Germany – 6 Popes
Germany has had six popes, including some from the time of the Holy Roman Empire. The most recent and notable was Pope Benedict XVI, who served from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. Earlier German popes include Gregory V and Clement II.
4. Syria – 6 Popes
In the early years of Christianity, Syria was a major center of the faith. The country has produced six popes, including Pope Anicetus and Pope Gregory III. The last Syrian pope, Gregory III, reigned from 731 to 741.
5. Greece – 4 Popes
Greece, especially in the early Christian centuries, contributed nine popes. These included Popes like Anacletus and Sixtus II. Greek influence in the Church was strong during the early centuries of Christianity. The last Greek pope was John VII, who served from 705 to 707.
