Pope

The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He is chosen by a council of cardinals, then holds the post for life. Catholics believe that the Pope is infallible, and is the closest thing to a direct connection to God.

Previous popes were heavily involved in politics around the world, but by the 17th century with the rise of strong monarchies and nation states their power diminished. Popes today tend to stick to spiritual matters.

At one point their was a quarrel with the king of France, and he set up his own pope at Avignon rather than in Rome.