When we ask who the first Pope was, we are really asking: Where did the Church begin, and whom did Jesus entrust with His mission? According to Catholic tradition and Scripture, the first Pope was St. Peter the Apostle — one of Jesus’ closest followers, and the rock upon which Christ chose to build His Church.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says to Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18). This was not just a moment of affection — it was a divine commission. Peter received the “keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,” a biblical image of authority and guardianship. From that moment, he became the visible leader of Christ’s Church on earth.
Peter’s leadership was not about power, but about service and faith. Though he once denied Jesus, his heart was transformed by mercy. After the Resurrection, Christ asked him three times, “Do you love me?” and each time Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus replied, “Feed my sheep.” This charge — to shepherd the flock — defines the very heart of the papacy.
After Pentecost, Peter preached boldly in Jerusalem and led the growing Christian community. Eventually, he traveled to Rome, where he was martyred around the year 64 AD during Emperor Nero’s persecution. The Church recognizes this as the beginning of the line of Popes — the Bishop of Rome succeeding Peter as the visible head of the universal Church.
So when we speak of the Pope today — whether it is Pope Francis or any of his predecessors — we are looking at a continuous line of faith that stretches all the way back to Peter, the fisherman whom Jesus called to become a shepherd.
May we, like Peter, allow Christ to transform our weakness into strength. The same Lord who built His Church on Peter’s faith still calls each of us to stand firm in love and trust.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
