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Countries of the Popes

Try to name the modern-day countries in whose territory the popes were born.
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: May 8, 2025
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First submittedAugust 19, 2016
Times taken109,445
Average score81.3%
Rating4.85
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# Popes
Country
212
Italy / Vatican City
16
France
6
Germany
3
Greece
3
Israel
3
Syria
2
Croatia
2
Spain
# Popes
Country
2
Turkey
1
Argentina
1
Libya
1
Netherlands
1
Poland
1
Portugal
1
United Kingdom
1
United States
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100 Recent Comments
Malbaby
+3
Level 70
Oct 6, 2016
Not one from the Vatican.
Kaiikyll
+23
Level 16
Jul 17, 2018
There are many from Vatican..
DorkmeisterBlu
+13
Level 74
Oct 6, 2016
I'm from Croatia and had no idea two of the popes were born here. Thanks, Jetpunk!
ivan94cro
+42
Level 68
Oct 7, 2016
Yes, but they were Romans, born before our Croatian ancestors came to this land that is today Croatia. But there is some strong evidence that pope Sixtus V was of Croatian origin, but born in Italy.
HinesBrothers
+31
Level 76
Sep 16, 2020
Was there a Sixtus VI?
eppek
+11
Level 66
Dec 18, 2020
Not yet.
Djilas
+1
Level 85
May 8, 2025
Btw, the name doesn't mean "sixth"
AllHailKingHomer
+1
Level 78
May 10, 2025
I think it does, no?
leontodon
+1
Level 71
May 10, 2025
Unclear. It could be from Greek xystos "shaved", or from Latin sextus "sixth".

Argument for sextus: Sixtus I was the sixth pope not counting Peter. Sextus was also used as a personal name (usually for the sixth child of a family), so it could have been his birth name.

Argument for xystos: The earliest spelling of the papal name in Latin seems to have been "Xystus".

PenguinTorpedo
+4
Level 49
Jul 8, 2021
idk thats kinda sus
filiphoset
+15
Level 62
Feb 7, 2022
Was there a Sixtus IX?
dt1
+8
Level 43
Oct 6, 2016
Is anyone else surprised that Israel is so low on the rate answered? 54% when I took it
kalbahamut
+6
Level 81
Oct 6, 2016
Catholicism is a Roman religion.
Maladroit
+13
Level 51
Mar 26, 2020
It does have distant roots in Israel, though. Once I got through the countries near Italy, I went straight there.
kalbahamut
+6
Level 81
Mar 26, 2020
No, it did not.
nerdalert
+35
Level 87
Jun 22, 2022
Huh? Catholics are Christians. Christianity is rooted in Israel. That certainly qualifies as "distant roots".
gl3
+12
Level 61
Apr 3, 2023
Jesus was literally born in Judea. Before the Romans changed the name of the land.
TheForsakenFurby
+2
Level 76
Aug 27, 2023
You could use this logic for every branch of all Abrahamic religions or even religions with Abrahamic influence. Is Sikhism rooted in Israel? Mormonism? Anglicanism? Shiism? Bahai? If your answer to all of these in "yes" then fair enough, but otherwise I really don't follow your logic here.
Savio
+5
Level 66
Jan 14, 2023
No, the Roman empire adopted Christianity under emperor Constantine, some time around the 4th century CE. Prior to that, the Romans worshiped a religion similar to the ancient Greeks (e.g.-Jupiter the Roman equivalent of Zeus, Minerva the Roman equivalent of Athena). Christians were once persecuted by the ancient Romans.
cwasims
+12
Level 62
Mar 26, 2020
I was also surprised, given that Peter was the first pope.
Geopro
+1
Level 59
Jul 19, 2021
@kalbahamut is correct
Morker
+3
Level 50
Oct 6, 2016
Very original! Great idea!
Parinter
+3
Level 43
Oct 8, 2016
Very surprised by Syria where there are three popes was born!
kalbahamut
+25
Level 81
Aug 12, 2017
Syria was home to some of the oldest Christian communities in history. Remember Paul was supposedly converted by a vision he saw on the road to Damascus. You know where Damascus is, right?
Geopro
+7
Level 59
Jul 19, 2021
Itd be interesting to know whether Paul's vision was in Syria or not. It was on the road to Damascus like kalbahamut said, but he was travelling from Jerusalem, so it may have been in Israel before he reached modern day Syria.
idontlikeit2
+8
Level 75
Aug 12, 2017
The only one i missed was argentina, which i just found out was where pope francis was born in... i really dont know much about religion...
divantilya
+4
Level 36
Mar 18, 2018
Would never have guessed Greece. Thought of it, but then said "Nah, they're Greek Orthodox."
kalbahamut
+19
Level 81
Mar 7, 2019
There was a lot of Church history prior to the Eastern/Western split in the early 11th century.
IsleAuHaulte
+8
Level 91
Jul 2, 2018
Too Western World oriented.
Geopro
+21
Level 59
Jul 19, 2021
Yeah, tell the popes that!
nerdalert
+8
Level 87
Jun 22, 2022
Given the plummeting religious affiliation in the West (replaced largely by political ideology), I don't think that will be a problem for long.
Djilas
+2
Level 85
May 8, 2025
There has been no shortage of political ideology throughout history, hard to say it "replaced" religion
Pharley
+4
Level 74
Mar 7, 2019
Bit too much time for this. Was just typing random countries in the end and got a few more right.
fcalvaresi
+10
Level 37
Dec 13, 2019
The French popes : Sylvester II (999-1003), Stephen IX (1057-58), Nicholas II (1059-61), Urban II (1088-99), Callixtus II (1119-24), Urban IV (1261-64), Clement IV (1265-68), Innocent V (1276), Martin IV (1281-85), Clement V (1305-14), John XXII (1316-34), Benedict XII (1334-42), Clement VI (1342-52), Innocent VI (1352-62), Urban V (1362-70), Gregory XI (1370-78).
fcalvaresi
+9
Level 37
Dec 13, 2019
The German popes : Boniface II (530-32), Gregory V (996-99), Clement II (1046-47), Damasus II (1048), Leo IX (1049-54), Victor II (1055-57), Benedict XVI (2005-13).
MarcellDAvis
+7
Level 78
Oct 14, 2021
There's a rule that there has to be a German pope at least every 1000 years I guess.
Mikenator
+9
Level 71
Dec 28, 2019
I can imagine that one Pope, who was born in UK drinking his afternoon tea in the Vatican :)
dragonflyboy
+2
Level 49
Sep 30, 2020
bit steryotypical
Ladspot50
+14
Level 56
Feb 7, 2023
A bit stereotypical, innit mate?
ing
+7
Level 72
Dec 25, 2020
Britain? And 93% got it (I didn't)? Who was it, Pope Nigel I ?
rainangel
+2
Level 46
Sep 28, 2023
I got it because I was typing Ukraine (who doesn't have any Popes born there as far as anyone knows), as a Brit it surprised me a lot !
spingospungo
+7
Level 57
Sep 20, 2021
Almost as English-sounding - Adrian IV. He's quite important for Irish history since he 'gave' Ireland to Henry II of England. It's somewhat ironic that England's first attempt to subdue Ireland came with the blessing of the Roman Catholic church.
sjj93gg
+1
Level 55
May 18, 2025
Besides the sad stereotype about tea, he was pope long before tea even came to Europe.
Azazello
+3
Level 34
Mar 26, 2020
Nice quiz! I missed one because I somehow completely forgot that the UK existed 😂
KWOrpheus
+7
Level 79
Mar 26, 2020
That feeling when the only answer you miss was Turkey because you're an idiot and you said Istanbul.
JackintheBox
+4
Level 80
Mar 26, 2020
Typed*, you mean?
SouthwestChief
+31
Level 72
Aug 6, 2021
No, he looked up from his computer, out into the room, and said "Istanbul." That's why he was such an idiot.
sumguy
+2
Level 86
Mar 26, 2020
Source?
mhmyea
+5
Level 47
Jan 2, 2024
trust me
Krisik06
+3
Level 36
Mar 26, 2020
I'd never get Libya.. But got all others
coxbury
+4
Level 57
Mar 26, 2020
Tried Morocco; Algeria; Tunisia and Egypt, but decided there was too much desert in Libya - Yeah yeah - the Desert fathers and all that. Thought most of the north africans were Coptic.
Geopro
+1
Level 59
Jul 19, 2021
Only missed Libya!
evilcheeser
+3
Level 75
May 9, 2025
Most north africans *were* Monophysite (which is close enough to Coptic in this context), but that was only defined as a heretical belief (i.e. considered non-Catholic) by the Council of Chalcedon in 451, while the Libyan pope in question died in 199.
JonOfKent
+3
Level 58
Jun 28, 2020
Ugh. Only forgot to guess one Yugoslav country. Croatia...
Catiggy
+5
Level 31
Jul 24, 2021
Pope Gregory V was born in Austria..
JohnnyYeet
+4
Level 61
Dec 31, 2022
Was just about to comment on the lack of Austria in this quiz...
JohnnyYeet
+7
Level 61
Dec 31, 2022
Two of the German Popes are wrong: Pope Gregory V was born in Austria and Pope Leo IX was a German but was born in Egisheim in what is now Alsace, France.
IfIamYou
+2
Level 68
Apr 3, 2023
i think that is missing some Popes. like 5 italians, 1 from iberian peninsula, 2 from africa, some from greece.
zakatan
+3
Level 65
Apr 3, 2023
Funnily enough, when you look up for Syrian Popes, you get a list of 6. Then on a more close scrutiny, you find out that 3 of the Syrian Popes where born on what then was Syrian but now it's not.
FreeStater
+3
Level 78
Apr 3, 2023
Could've sworn one was from Austria.
SpartanLlama
+2
Level 74
Apr 4, 2023
Just missed Libya. I was considering guessing North African countries just to mess around but I got lazy and didn't feel like it
LuckyCat
+2
Level 68
Apr 5, 2023
Argentina is a bit random.
mhmyea
+2
Level 47
Jan 2, 2024
Francis B)
Nickelz
+2
Level 67
Apr 5, 2023
Austria belongs here.
kimanguri
+2
Level 60
May 8, 2025
...

what do you suggest they do about it?

Djilas
+1
Level 85
May 14, 2025
Fix the quiz
Myles980
+1
Level 22
Apr 21, 2023
YAS SLAY QUEEEN
Myles980
+1
Level 22
Apr 21, 2023
DO MY MAPS PLEASE

THERE AWESOME

AnAngryYordle
+9
Level 71
Aug 25, 2023
My favorite pope is Boniface VI, who was elected in the year 896 at the ripe age of 90 years and died two weeks later
Hockputer
+8
Level 56
May 8, 2025
Update USA!
PontiacLover
+7
Level 44
May 8, 2025
USA Pope! first North American and American Pope!
Djilas
+5
Level 85
May 8, 2025
And the first Peruvian. But some people would say the second American.
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
I say that
Anonymousbear25
+1
Level 43
May 8, 2025
chicagooooooooo
Snoflakes
+3
Level 71
May 9, 2025
Chiclayo!!
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
From chiclayo to the world !!
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
I would find it funny that he went from chicago to chiclayo, sounds very similar
Dynniks
+17
Level 67
May 8, 2025
I was on this site during the election of Leo XIV. Pretty cool that this quiz being updated is how I found out that a new pope had been elected!! Jetpunk was my white smoke!
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
Thats, funny
GlassMonkeyCode
+1
Level 69
May 8, 2025
Where would Catholicism be without the popes?
Snoflakes
+1
Level 71
May 9, 2025
It's hard to imagine a scenario without 'divine guidance', since the tradition of a pope dates back to Saint Peter himself. I'm confident in guessing there'd be a lot more and different branches of catholicism though, like in protestantism
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
Its believe in catholic tradition that Jesus Christ told Saint Peter that he wanted him to lead his church
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
We dont know, we catholics could be in a very different place, maybe a small palestine and israel religion or not something at all, although a very good push was from a roman emperor that decided to convert the empire to catholicism
mf3
+7
Level 89
May 8, 2025
In 2018, Villanova beat Michigan to win the NCAA basketball tournament for the second time in 3 years. This year, they didn't even make the tournament. But as a somewhat unexpected consolation, they got the papacy (Leo's alma mater).
xyzzy
+3
Level 71
May 9, 2025
The Israel one isn't accurate.
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
You are totally right
Shinkari
+3
Level 55
May 9, 2025
Isn't Roman Africa correspondent to present-day Tunisia instead of Libya?
barmanitan
+2
Level 82
May 11, 2025
Wiki says that Victor I was probably born in Libya so I'm assuming that's who is being counted here as Gelasius I seems even less certain (with any of Libya, Tunisia, Italy possible). So I think Tunisia should probably be accepted because of the uncertainty over where each was born. There is also Miltiades, who Wiki doesn't give a guess for lol just says of African descent
Dimby
+1
Level 80
May 12, 2025
Oh good lord. I tried Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, and Sudan just in case someone came from Northern Africa back in the day. Totally missed Libya somehow.
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
Thats literally me
FreeStater
+1
Level 78
May 12, 2025
According to the Palmarian Catholic Church, Switzerland belongs on this list, but not the U.S.
PontiacLover
+2
Level 44
May 13, 2025
The new Pope is American, he was born in Chicago
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
The new pope is from U.S
Fred96
+8
Level 46
May 12, 2025
It's Palestine
DukeOfLorraine
+4
Level 65
May 12, 2025
It's the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
Jerusalem its technically palestine if the israelis didnt occupied
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
yup
Huntwren
+1
Level 23
May 14, 2025
I know this quiz has been around for a while, and recently updated - but I just wanted to say thank you as it inspired me to make my first quiz!
Yamilet
+1
Level 26
May 15, 2025
seeing LIBYA is very interesting
Eduuuu13
+1
Level 37
May 16, 2025
It was actually the only black pope I think, from bereber origin
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