The first pope of the Catholic Church is traditionally recognized as Saint Peter. Peter, originally named Simon, was one of Jesus Christ's twelve apostles. Jesus gave him the name "Cephas," meaning "rock" in Aramaic, symbolizing the foundation of the Church. Peter traveled to Rome to spread Christianity and is considered the first bishop of Rome, thus the first pope according to Catholic tradition
. While the title "pope" was not used in the early centuries as it is today, and the role evolved over time, the Catholic Church regards Peter as the first pope upon whom Jesus built His Church (Matthew 16:18). After Peter, Linus is traditionally considered the next bishop of Rome, but historical details from that era are uncertain
. In summary, Saint Peter is regarded as the first pope of the Catholic Church, serving as the foundational leader and bishop of Rome in the 1st century AD
