The Roman Catholic Church has maintained a 2,000-year tradition of choosing a pope, who is the successor of St. Peter. While there have been a variety of controversies and scandals in the papacy over the centuries, there nevertheless exists an unbroken line of successors that goes back to St. Peter himself.
Often the question is asked, "When did St. Peter become the first pope?"
The "rock" of St. Peter
The Gospel of Matthew narrates the event that made St. Peter the first pope, when Jesus says to him:
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
(Matthew 16:17-19)
While Jesus did not say directly that he was appointing Peter as "pope," that title came later to denote the leader of the Church.
Rock ... Pope
It might seem strange that Jesus called Peter "rock," but it was his way to emphasize Peter's role in the Church.
According to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, "evidence suggests that Jesus' words to Peter were originally spoken in Aramaic. In this language, the word kepha is the equivalent of Peter and denotes a 'sizeable rock' -- one suitable as a building foundation. This Aramaic name is preserved [in its Latinized form] as Cephas nine times in the New Testament."
This is why the Church continues to teach that Jesus appointed Peter as the foundation stone of the Catholic Church.
Simon Peter holds the first place in the college of the Twelve; Jesus entrusted a unique mission to him. Through a revelation from the Father, Peter had confessed: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Our Lord then declared to him: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." Christ, the "living Stone," thus assures his Church, built on Peter, of victory over the powers of death. Because of the faith he confessed Peter will remain the unshakable rock of the Church. His mission will be to keep this faith from every lapse and to strengthen his brothers in it.
(CCC 552)
Not only that, Jesus also said these words at Caesarea Philippi, a city that was literally built on a massive rock!
Peter was to be the "rock" of the Church and was to receive a privileged place among the apostles.
When the Gospel writers would list the names of the apostles, Peter's name is listed first.
Every pope since St. Peter follows in this line of tradition that was initiated by Jesus himself before he died.
