The pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and therefore, his religion is Catholicism. Specifically, the pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church, regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, who was appointed by Jesus Christ as the leader of the apostles. The pope holds supreme authority in matters of faith, morals, church discipline, and governance within the Catholic Church
. For example, Pope Francis, who served as pope from 2013 until his death in 2025, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, embodying the Catholic faith and its traditions
