Updated by Anastasios Gordon Sekandi at 15:33 EAT Sunday 27 May 2025

The greatest popes didn’t just shape the Church — they changed the course of history.

It may surprise you to learn that being pope is no easy job. This 2,000-year-old line of leaders of the worldwide Catholic Church may be considered infallible when defining matters of faith and morals, but they are, after all, still human. And they bear an immense responsibility: providing spiritual and moral leadership to over a billion people.

That’s no small task.

It’s little wonder, then, that throughout history, some popes have risen to the challenge more fully than others—using the power of the papal office not just to guide, but to transform the Church for the better.

Even more remarkably, some of these men didn’t just change the Catholic Church—they helped shape the course of human history itself, using their immense influence to leave an indelible mark on the world.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few of the greatest popes of all time, what they achieved, and how they did it.

Pope Francis

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, known to the world as Pope Francis, was a breaker of tradition—and he arrived at a moment when the Church needed it most.

In an era marked by growing skepticism toward the Catholic Church—fueled by abuse scandals, corruption, and rising spiritual apathy—Pope Francis brought renewed attention to the faith in a spirit of hope and healing.

His deep humility, emphasis on God’s mercy, and unwavering concern for the poor and oppressed made him one of the most beloved popes in modern history. He championed interfaith dialogue, forging connections with religious leaders across the globe.

From the moment he stepped onto the balcony as the newly elected pope, Francis set a different tone—choosing a name synonymous with poverty and humility, and humbly asking the crowd to pray for him before offering his blessing.

Though Pope Francis has now passed away, his legacy of compassion, service, and spiritual renewal lives on, continuing to inspire millions and offering hope for the future of the Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul II

Karol J. Wojtyła became the first Polish pope—Pope John Paul II—in October 1978 and remains one of the most beloved popes of the modern era. His theological insight was unparalleled, and he took it upon himself to commission an official, modernized declaration of what the Catholic Church believes about God, creation, and humanity.

Beyond this, Pope John Paul II authored the groundbreaking letter On the Dignity and Vocation of Women, in which he described women as “the representative and the archetype of the whole human race.” He championed the full personhood of women, rejecting the notion that they were second-class citizens of the Church.

His influence reached far beyond theology. Drawing on his personal experiences under the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II, he played a pivotal role in the collapse of the Iron Curtain. As pope, he worked tirelessly to normalize relations with Communist Russia and famously urged the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

Pope John Paul II’s ongoing promotion of unity, human dignity, and compassion helped lay the groundwork for the peaceful reunion of East and West. His unwavering commitment to human rights also contributed to the peaceful fall of several dictatorships—a legacy for which he is still vividly remembered today.

Pope John XXIII

Born the fourth child in a poor family of fourteen children, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli would go on to be elected pope in October 1958. He entered the priesthood at just eleven years old and became Pope John XXIII at the age of seventy-six.

Much like Pope Francis today, Pope John XXIII was a tradition-breaker—a man marked by mercy, empathy, and kindness. During World War I, he paused his religious studies to serve as a military chaplain. In World War II, he played a crucial role in saving the lives of Jews fleeing the Holocaust, providing them with transit visas. For his heroic efforts, he was honored with the title “Righteous Among the Nations,” an award recognizing non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

As pope, he worked tirelessly to improve relations between the Catholic Church and other faiths, notably removing anti-Semitic language from the traditional Good Friday prayer.

Like Pope Francis, Pope John XXIII embodied the doctrine of God’s love, striving to create peace and unity wherever he served.

Pope Pius XII

Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli was elected Pope Pius XII in March 1939, placing him directly in the path of World War II.

He has been accused by some of maintaining too neutral a stance during the early tragedies of the Holocaust—and indeed, at first, Pope Pius XII sought to keep the Vatican out of a war that threatened its very survival. But that caution did not last long.

He soon publicly condemned the Nazis, their violence, and their racist policies through a series of official statements. Behind the scenes, he oversaw the creation of a vast rescue network that ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of Jews. He also organized food, aid, and general relief efforts for oppressed Jewish communities across Europe.

Walking a perilous line between Nazi retaliation and secret aid, Pope Pius XII risked the very heart of Catholicism to protect those in need.

Although controversy remains over his initial hesitation to confront the Nazi regime, his later actions—and the testimonies of countless Jewish Holocaust survivors—stand as powerful evidence of his courage and compassion, securing his legacy as one of the great popes in history.

Pope Innocent III

Pope Innocent III was, perhaps, the most powerful and capable man ever to hold the papacy—though not the kindest or most empathetic. Yet despite his flaws, the Catholic Church may not have survived without him.

An intelligent, learned, and energetic figure, Lotario dei Conti di Segni ascended to the papacy in January 1198. From the outset, he exerted immense influence over the Christian states of Europe, asserting papal supremacy even over kings.

The Catholic Church faced grave threats during the 12th century—challenges that, left unchecked, might have torn it apart. Upon his election, Innocent immediately set to work addressing them.

One of the greatest dangers lay in rampant corruption within the Church. Innocent would not tolerate it. He imposed strict reforms, making the Church more rigid and uncompromising. While this crackdown curtailed corruption, it also stifled honest criticism and dissent.

But it was Innocent’s bold reassertion of papal rights and authority that truly defined his legacy. He wielded his influence to bring monarchs under the Church’s dominion, reinforcing the papacy’s preeminence.

Through his efforts to develop canon law, centralize Church administration, and expand ecclesiastical power, Pope Innocent III reshaped the Catholic Church—leaving an indelible mark that would endure for centuries.

Pope Leo I

Finally, the earliest pope on this list, Pope Leo I served from 440 to 461, during the chaotic dissolution of the Roman Empire.

Pope Leo I is best known for writing the celebrated Tome of Leo, which established the crucial doctrine that Christ’s two natures—human and divine—coexist perfectly, and that through the Incarnation, human nature is restored to unity with the divine.

One of the most remarkable moments of his life came in 452, when he personally met with Attila the Hun and convinced the fearsome invader to turn back from his planned attack on Italy. Attila, it seems, was so impressed by Leo’s presence and authority that he voluntarily withdrew. When Rome was later sacked by the Vandals in 455, Pope Leo helped lead efforts to rebuild and restore the devastated city.

Among his enduring teachings is the powerful Christmas Day sermon, “Christian, remember your dignity,” in which he emphasized the innate dignity shared by all Christians—saint and sinner alike—and called them to live according to that dignity through goodness and virtue.

A pope uninterested in power for its own sake, a resolute peacemaker, and a theologian who clarified the Church’s understanding of Christ’s dual nature, Pope Leo I stands among the greatest figures in the history of the papacy.

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