There have been twelve Greek Popes in the history of the papacy, the Pope being the head of the Catholic Church, with Saint Peter considered to be its first leader.
Saint Peter is acknowledged by both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches as the leading Apostle. In the Catholic tradition, he is also regarded as the first Pope, while in the Orthodox Church, he is recognized as the first bishop. It is estimated that his leadership of the newly established Christian Church started between 30 to 33 CE and ended with his death.
Before the Great Schism of 1054, Christianity was a unified body, with bishops and patriarchs overseeing various regions across the Roman Empire. The Church recognized Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Jerusalem as major centers of authority.
The Pope of Rome, as the bishop of the imperial capital, held a prominent role in the early Church, though it was a time of collective leadership, with all patriarchs sharing influence. These early Greek Popes, like those who followed after Saint Peter, were part of this unified Christian body, leading a Church that, despite regional differences, remained doctrinally and institutionally united.
The concept of the “Catholic” Church, meaning the universal Church, was understood in this context, as there was no division between what we now refer to as Catholic and Orthodox; all Christians were part of one Church.
The first Greek Pope of Rome was Pope Telesphorus, crowned in 126. The last was Pope Zachary (r. 741-752). More than half of the Greek Popes were natives of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece).
Pope St. Telesphorus (Τελέσφορος) was the first Greek Pope and served from 126 to 137. Although some theologians argue that he was Italian, he was born in the small town of Terra Nova which is close to the Greek-speaking area of Calabria, a region that is part of Magna Graecia, a wide area inhabited by Greeks who had been settling there since the 8th century BCE.
His name is Greek, and means someone who accomplishes a goal. Early books refer to him as a hermit who preferred to live in nature instead of in the bustle of Rome. He believed that his time in seclusion would help him assist others.
In Rome he had to fight heretics who did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God, nor the story of the Virgin Mary. He also celebrated Easter on a Sunday, and not on the day corresponding to the Jewish calendar.
Pope Telesphorus is attributed with introducing Midnight Mass at Christmas and the Gloria.
According to the testimony of St. Irenaeus, Pope St. Telesphorus suffered martyrdom.
Pope Telesphorus was succeeded by another Greek pope, namely Pope Hyginus (Χυγίνος)(137-142). He was born in Athens, spent his early life in Achaea in the Peloponnese, and then moved to Rome.
He was the first pope to regulate the celebration of Easter on Sunday in all churches of the empire. He also faced heretics who didn’t believe Jesus Christ was the son of god and the Virgin Mary was his mother, especially one Cerdo who was excommunicated from the Church.
When Pope Hyginus died he was buried next to St. Peter’s tomb on Vatican Hill.
The 13th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church was Eleutherius (Ελευθέριος) (174-189). His papacy extended to 15 years, one of the longest in his era. He was born in Nicopolis of Epirus and later moved to Rome where he started as a deacon under Pope Anicetus.
The only papal decree attributed to the Greek Pope from Nicopolis was that Christians should not turn down food offered to them or food that was available to them as all food came from God.
Some think that he died as a martyr, others think that he died of natural causes, but with problems stemming from his suffering at the hands of his opponents. The Church had Eleutherius buried on Vatican Hill close to some of the other early popes.
The 4th Greek Pope and the 19th of the Roman Catholic Church was Pope Anterus (Ανθηρός), also born in the Greek Calabria region of Italy.
As pope, Anterus began gathering documents called the Acts of Martyrs. These documents contained testimonies from witnesses who were eye witnesses of the martyrdom of popes and other individuals.
Pope Anterus served for only 43 days, from November 21, 235 to January 3, 236. He probably died during the prosecution of Christians ordered by Emperor Maximinus the Thracian. He was buried in the papal crypt of the Catacomb of Callixtus in Rome.
Pope Stephen I (Στέφανος A’) was born to Greek parents who moved to Rome before his birth. After receiving his call, he joined the Church and served in different roles. Pope Lucius I noticed his dedication, made him a bishop, and chose him as his successor. He served from 254 to 257.
The Greek Pope believed that all people needed and deserved help from the Church. He used Church funds to help people living in Syria and other regions, sending generous donations to rebuild their churches.
Pope Stephen I is not celebrated as a martyr by the Catholic Church. However, legend has it that as he was holding Mass on August 2, 257, men of the Emperor Valerian—who had resumed the persecution of Christians—entered the church and beheaded him.
Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church canonized Stephen I.
Greek Pope St. Sixtus II (Σίξτος Β’) was born in Greece, probably in Athens, and served for a little under a year (August 31, 257-August 6, 258), becoming a martyr for his position and his beliefs. Like his predecessor, he was Pope at the time of the Emperor Valerius’ reign.
According to the Liber Pontificalis, Sixtus II was also a philosopher. From the beginning of his term he had to deal with heretics, but he decided to bring them together instead of trying to convert them to the Church’s teachings.
Roman Emperor Valerian was against the Christians and increased the persecution they suffered. He forbade them to gather in cemeteries and ordered the death of those who were caught there.
Pope Sixtus II was one of the few martyred popes who did not speak out against their death sentences. His beheading took place in the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, which is likely where his tomb is.
The Greek Orthodox Church honors Sixtus II with a feast day on August 10.
Pope Zosimus (Ζώσιμος) was another Greek Pope born in Magna Graecia, in Calabria specifically, who served from March 417 until December 418, during a turbulent time for the Church.
He was known for his cantankerous temper in controversies over Gaul, Africa and Rome. He is also known for issuing a decree forbidding clergy members to visit taverns. He was also involved in the controversy with the Pelagians, a heresy the followers of which believed that humans, by divine grace, have free will to achieve human perfection.
According to the Liber Pontificalis, Pope Zosimus made the decree for deacons of the church to wear the maniple.
When Pope Zosimus died unexpectedly he was buried in the sepulchral Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls.
Greek Pope Theodore I was the bishop of Rome from November 24, 642 until his death in May 14, 649. His ancestors were of Greek descent but lived in Jerusalem. Pope Theodore was good with the poor, offering goods and money to them and building churches.
Like several of his predecessors, he had to deal with a heresy called the Monothelites, who believed that Jesus Christ had only one will. Also, he would not officially recognize his contemporary colleague the Patriarch Paul in Constantinople because Paul had been elected in an uncanonical procedure.
The Greek Pope was beloved by the church and is remembered to this day for his kindness and generosity to the poor people of Rome. The Greek Orthodox Church has given him a feast day on May 18th.
Pope Theodore I died suddenly and was buried at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Pope Conon (Κόνων) was the 83rd Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. The Greek Pope, who was born in Thracia, served from October 21, 686 to September 21, 687.
Conon moved to Rome where he became a priest and then a missionary bishop. The 680s was a turbulent decade because countless people from the east moved to Rome to escape tyrannical rulers.
When Pope John V died in August 686 two separate factions emerged, backing different potential leaders of the Catholic Church. One side included the military and called for the appointment of a priest named Theodore. The other faction was mainly composed of the clergy who favored the candidacy of an archpriest named Peter. Eventually the two sides agreed to a compromise, namely Conon.
Pope Conon supported Justinian II in lowering the taxes for ordinary citizens. When he died, he was buried at the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Peter.
Pope John VI (Ιωάννησ ΣΤ’) was a Greek born in Ephesus. He was the only Pope in history to come from Asia Minor. The Greek Pope succeeded Pope Sergius I and his papacy began on October 30, 801 and ended on January 11 805. His term was marked by significant political and military changes in Italy in which he was involved.
When the Byzantine commander Theophylactus invaded the Italian mainland from Sicily, Pope John VI immediately intervened, forbidding him to use violence against the Romans.
Likewise, when Lombard Duke Gisulf of Benevento crossed into Roman territory and took captives, the Greek Pope intervened and persuaded Gisulf to withdraw his forces and return home. Then the Pope sent priests to the Lombard camp and offered a ransom to Gisulf for the release of the Roman captives.
Pope John VI died of natural causes due to old age.
Pope John VII (Ιωάννης Ζ’), the 86th Pope of the Catholic Church, was a native Greek born in Calabria. He was Bishop of Rome from March 1, 705 until October 18, 707. His father worked for the Byzantine emperor, making him the first ever Pope born to a Byzantine official.
His papacy was marked by his good relations with the Lombards who ruled much of Italy, and his shaky relations with Byzantine Emperor Justinian II.
The Greek Pope was a well-educated man. After his election he had several rivals to contend with. There were three contenders to control Italy: the Lombards, the Byzantines, and the Church. He managed to have good relations with the Lombards only.
Relations with Byzantium and the Church soured at the Quinisext Council when Pope John VII refused to ratify the canons, receiving harsh criticism from Byzantium.
Pope John VII died and was buried in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary which had been added on to St. Peter’s.
Pope St. Zachary (Ζαχαρίας) was the last Greek Pope and reigned from December 741 to March 752. He was born to a family of Greek origin in the Calabrian town of Santa Severina.
Pope Zachary reigned at a difficult time, when Italy was invaded by barbarians while trying to maintain good relations with the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms and the Byzantine Empire.
This Greek Pope was successful in establishing good diplomatic relations with all parties. Church historian Johann Peter Kirsch said of Zachary: “In a troubled era Zachary proved himself to be an excellent, capable, vigorous, and charitable successor of Peter.”
When Pope Zachary died, he was buried at St. Peter’s Basilica.
