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Pope Facts

Can you guess these facts about the current pope, famous popes from the past, and the papacy in general?
Quiz by WolfCam
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Last updated: May 8, 2025
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First submittedJanuary 24, 2018
Times taken28,232
Average score76.2%
Rating4.41
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Answer
New pope elected in 2025
Leo XIV
The pope before that
Francis
Country that the above was born in
Argentina
Country that John Paul II was born in
Poland
In 2013, he became the first "Pope Emeritus" in history
Benedict XVI
Country which is led by the pope
Vatican City
City which completely surrounds the above
Rome
The first pope
Saint Peter
The most common name of popes – having been used 23 times
John
Country in which most popes were born
Italy
Leader who Leo III crowned as "Emperor of the Romans" on Christmas Day in 800 AD
Charlemagne
War which Urban II called for in 1095
First Crusade
European leader who "kidnapped" the pope in 1809 and held him for five years
Napoleon
The pope's bodyguards since 1506
The Swiss Guard
The meeting at which a new pope is chosen
Papal Conclave
High-ranking Catholic official who is part of the group that chooses the pope
Cardinal
City in southern France which was home to the papacy in the 1300s
Avignon
Official residence of the pope (hint: starts with A)
Apostolic Palace
Dogma which says the pope can't be in error when he makes an
official decision about church doctrine
Papal Infallibility
Term for a motor vehicle used by the pope during public appearances
Popemobile
Term for a certain type of papal decree
Papal Bull
39 Comments
+10
Level 79
Jan 28, 2018
Papal infallibility... Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing... Or they do know?
+12
Level 65
Sep 27, 2023
Note that papal infallibility is considered ONLY for dogma related issues and ONLY when officially stated ex-cathedra i.e. officially stated as a dogmatic statement.

It hasn't been invoked since 1870.

+8
Level 37
May 26, 2024
It was invoked in 1950 when Pope Pius XII declared the dogma of the Assumption of Mary.
+5
Level 85
Jan 28, 2018
It is also known as the Papal Palace, Palace of the Vatican and Vatican Palace. The Vatican itself refers to the building as the Palace of Sixtus V
+3
Level 68
Jan 31, 2018
I guessed "papal palace" in desperation, but then I had some sort of spider-sense feeling that "papal palace" actually sounded kind of right!
+2
Level 46
May 22, 2018
Isn't it also called the Lateran Palace?
+5
Level 79
May 23, 2018
I thought Lateran too but I looked it up and it seems that's just his place in a different part of town - presumably for when he gets too drunk to drive home.
+19
Level 68
Jan 31, 2018
Wait… the pope's car is really called the POPEMOBILE?? That's outstanding!
+24
Level 63
Feb 6, 2018
Nana nana nana nana Popemaaaan.
+30
Level 74
May 22, 2018
Popeman and Cardinal
+1
Level 71
May 14, 2025
Yay bird sidekicks!
+8
Level 73
May 22, 2018
I think the term "popemobile" came into use with the creation of a bulletproof vehicle, after the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. I remember at the time, as a young Protestant teen, I thought it was a pretty cool name - one of the little things that helped create a more personal connection between that pope and the people.
+5
Level 67
Sep 27, 2023
Pretty sure this is right. I grew up very Catholic, and only heard "Popemobile" in reference to the car with the big bulletproof glass box that the pope sits in when riding down the street.
+2
Level 64
May 16, 2025
Actually started earlier than that, term was coined by US press in the mid 60's, this from Wikipedia:

"The term "popemobile" was first used in English-language media to refer to a custom-built Lincoln Continental used by Pope Paul VI during a pastoral visit to New York City in 1965. After the visit, the car was sold to Fort Dodge, Iowa eye doctor Eric Swanson, who promoted it as the "Pope-Mobile" and loaned it for other uses, including ticker-tape parades for the Apollo astronauts."

It definitely saw a new wave of usage in the 80's though due to news stories about JPII getting a bullet proof one following an assassination attempt.

+4
Level 48
Oct 12, 2020
I grew up hearing people speaking about it in TV so naturally, could never realize how bizarre it sounds. Hahaha
+2
Level 63
Sep 28, 2023
I only got 11/20 but i was giddy that this was actually a question and I knew it!
+2
Level 71
May 14, 2025
Weirdly, his plane isn't called Pope Force One.
+3
Level 67
Feb 1, 2018
Ugh, couldn't recall the English term for the guards, and somehow my eyes skipped right over the conclave question. I think I would have gotten that one. Some cool facts in there.
+6
Level 66
May 22, 2018
I have that problem of just not seeing questions sometimes. It's caused me to miss a few that I definitely know the answers to... not this time, though.
+11
Level 92
May 22, 2018
Shouldn't Bergoglio and Ratzinger be acceptable answers for #1 and #4? They still are the same person. Just asking because I can never remember the German's papal name. I couldn't even do it when he was the pope.
+5
Level 81
May 23, 2018
Cardinal Rat Fingers, Pope Palpatinius, and maybe Darth Sidious should all work, as well.
+3
Level 47
May 23, 2018
I'm a 'good Catholic' but have always gotten a kick out of Ratzo's resemblance to Palpatine.
+2
Level 81
May 25, 2018
Unlimited.. POWER!!!
+2
Level 80
Jun 28, 2018
Hooray for us cardinals!
+3
Level 74
Jul 26, 2020
Most definitely, yes.
+8
Level 72
Sep 15, 2018
There have only been 21 Pope Johns. John XIV and John XX did not exist.
+12
Level 75
May 8, 2021
Exactly, they're from Bielefeld
+5
Level 60
Oct 5, 2023
According to Wiki, John XIV was born Peter Canepenova and was recommended as pope by Emperor Otto II. There is quite extensive information that seems to prove that he, indeed, existed. Pope John XX didn't exist because of miscounting by John XXI. He counted John XIV twice.
+4
Level 92
Sep 27, 2023
You might think you know your Popes, but can you distinguish them from types of pasta, Roman emperors, and Serie A teams? Pope, Pasta, Emperor, or Serie A Team- An Italy Click Quiz
+3
Level 73
Sep 27, 2023
Avignon mentioned \o/
+1
Level 74
Sep 29, 2023
Popemobile sounds so funny
+1
Level 93
May 8, 2025
I like the pope. The pope smokes dope.
+1
Level 48
May 8, 2025
Breaking News: Chicago man becomes world leader.
+1
Level 49
May 8, 2025
however, in another blow to the worful cubs, he is a white Sox fan.
+1
Level 63
May 9, 2025
1. Cardinals are not part of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, so they don't "rank" anywhere.

2. There are many more types of papal decrees than just bulls.

+2
Level ∞
May 9, 2025
Made a couple changes.

Papal bull seems to be a weird one where no one really knows what it is. The Wikipedia article is so squishy. You can tell that people have nitpicked every definition until the final result is an article that refuses to offer one.

+1
Level 66
May 17, 2025
Isn't a papal bull one to which a lead seal, a 'bulla', is attached?
+1
Level 73
May 12, 2025
As someone else said, there have not been 23 Johns. There have been fewer, unless you count antipopes. The fact that the latest John was John XXIII is due to medieval transcription errors
+1
Level 71
Jun 3, 2025
Since Leo XIV is from Chicago, can his decrees be considered "Chicago Bulls"?