The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ according to sacred tradition and Catholic teaching. Jesus appointed the twelve Apostles and gave them authority to continue His work, with Saint Peter regarded as the first leader, or bishop, of the Church in Rome. This apostolic succession, beginning with Peter, is seen as the foundation of the papacy and the institutional Catholic Church
. The New Testament records Jesus designating Peter as the "rock" upon which He would build His Church (Matthew 16:18), and Catholics believe this established Peter's unique role as the first pope. While some scholars debate the historical details of Peter's role in Rome, Catholic doctrine holds that Jesus founded the Church through Peter and the Apostles, who were given authority to teach and govern the community of believers
. Historically, the Church developed gradually after Jesus' death and resurrection, with the early Christian community in Rome evolving over decades. The formal structure of the papacy and the title "pope" emerged more clearly by the late 3rd and 4th centuries, with figures like Pope Siricius and Pope Leo the Great solidifying the role of the Bishop of Rome as the leader of the Catholic Church
. In summary, the Catholic Church traces its founding directly to Jesus Christ, who established it through His Apostles, particularly Saint Peter, regarded as the first pope and the foundation of the Church's apostolic succession
