Including Pope Francis, how many men have been Pope of the Catholic Church?

Including Pope Francis, two hundred-sixty six (266) men have been Pope of the Catholic Church. In March 2013, Pope Francis became the 266th and current Pope of the Catholic Church. His is a title that he holds ex officio as Bishop of Rome, and sovereign of Vatican City.

The term pope (Latin: papa "father") is used to denote that this official is the highest spiritual leader of the church. The English usage of the title usually refers to the head of the Catholic Church. The Catholic pope uses various titles by tradition, including Summus Pontifex, Pontifex Maximus, and Servus servorum Dei. Each title has been used to reflect unique historical events and unlike other papal prerogatives, is not incapable of modification.

According to Catholic Encyclopedia, a significant number of popes have also been recognized as saints. At one point, forty-eight (48) out of the first 50 consecutive popes were made saints. Also, noting the first 31 popes, 28 died as martyrs.

Today, the theology of Pope Francis and the Catholic clergy is to focus on their duty to help those who are poor, marginalized, and often neglected. "The church should not focus on trivial issues and should not be overly prone to condemn things or people. Priests should be very welcoming, and the church confessional must be used to motivate people to better themselves."