# Was there ever a black pope? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 18, 2013, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680 "2013-02-18T07:25:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ajfrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ajfrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajfrod)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/1 "2013-02-18T07:25:30Z")
Hello Has anyone ever heard of a black pope? from what I read there were popes from north Africa, were all white? let me know ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/2 "2013-02-18T07:36:12Z")
" The first black pope was Pope St. Victor I. He served from 186-197 A.D. and lived in North Africa. He was the 15th Pope. Victor I was the pope who changed the language of the church from Greek to Latin. He also was responsible for determining when Easter would be celebrated. And then there was Pope St. Militiades, who was pope from 311-314 A.D., when Constantine the Great ruled the Roman Empire. Constantine was the first emperor of Rome to allow freedom of religion in that part of the world. In 324 A.D., Constantine adopted Christianity as the official religion of the empire. The third black pope was Pope Saint Gelasius I, who was the 49th Pope, serving as pope from 492 A.D. to 496 A.D. Believe it or not, Gelasius I established February 14 as Valentine’s Day, in honor of St. Valentine, who reportedly burned at the stake because of his faith. Gelasius I was the last African pope. " [http://www.macombdaily.com/article/20130217/OPINION03/130219543/murray-dare-one-hope-for-a-fourth-black-pope-](http://www.macombdaily.com/article/20130217/OPINION03/130219543/murray-dare-one-hope-for-a-fourth-black-pope-) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/3 "2013-02-18T07:48:48Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > " The first black pope was Pope St. Victor I. He served from 186-197 A.D. and lived in North Africa. > > And then there was Pope St. Militiades, who was pope from 311-314 A.D., when > > The third black pope was Pope Saint Gelasius I, who was the 49th Pope, serving as pope from 492 A.D. to 496 A.D. Although all of those gentlemen appeared to have been from North Africa whether they were actually _black as per modern American concepts of the same_ is an open and probably unknowable question. Just as likely, if not more likely they looked like generically Mediterranean caucasians. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/4 "2013-02-18T07:49:03Z")
There were three African Popes, but they are far back enough in history that what ethnicity they were is all speculative. They could’ve been sub-Saharan African, or Berber, or decended from Greek or Latin colonists, or some mixture of any of the above. There were also a decent number of early Popes from Syria and Judea (Peter, of course, was Judean), so even if the African popes were 100% of Latin descent, there have probably been at least a few non-white Popes ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/5 "2013-02-18T07:54:35Z")
The three African popes were most likely Berber, rather than sub-Saharan. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/6 "2013-02-18T08:12:44Z")
There was even a Jewish pope! ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bob\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_X)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/7 "2013-02-18T16:57:02Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The three African popes were most likely Berber, rather than sub-Saharan. “Miltiades” was certainly Punic (descended from the colonists of Lebanese origin who founded Carthage), rather than Berber: the name is a Latinization of _Melchiades_ (by which he is more commonly known), which is what is called a “calque” in which part of a word is translated, part of it left alone, _melchi-_ being Punic for “royalty” and _-ades_ a Greek suffix for “descendant of” (his original name was presumably _ben-melchi_). Victor would most likely be Punic as well: it was the class of landowners and city-council-members from the provinces, not peasantry, who got Roman citizenship and assimilated into the Latin-speakers in the first couple centuries. Gelasius, however, would probably be of mixed ancestry, as the ethnic subgroups had lost much coherence by his time (5th century). ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/8 "2013-02-18T22:41:56Z")
I agree that based on populations of the time, it is more likely that these individuals were pale to olive skinned, and that without evidence, assuming they were black because they came from Africa is unlikely. [Peter Turkson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Turkson) _may_ stand a chance at being the next Pope. It sounds like he’s at least singed that bridge lately if it’s not burnt it due to some statements. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/9 "2013-02-19T00:20:01Z")
If there actually was a black pope, I bet he was the first one to wear that badass hat. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/10 "2013-02-19T18:40:06Z")
Until fairly recently, neither Christianity nor Islam penetrated very far into Sub-Saharan African culture, simply owing to communication issues. For various historical reasons, Christianity was stronger in the east, whereas Islam was stronger in the west; in both it tended to be much moer common among the elite and didn’t necessarily affect folk beliefs or practices very deeply. It’s a complex subject, however. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/11 "2013-02-19T18:55:08Z")
Given that Acts chapter 8 describes the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch by Philip, if there were any sub-Saharan popes they would have been referred to as either Ethiopian or perhaps Nubian rather than simply African. If any early popes were black they would most likely to have been former African slaves from Rome rather North Africans. At least two early popes are supposed to have been former slaves. However, I suspect that if that if any early popes had been black some tradition would have come down. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/12 "2013-02-19T19:15:34Z")
Does Damon Pope on \*SOA \*count? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/13 "2013-02-19T19:22:27Z")
There used to be a chap in the city where I live who was black, and claimed to be the Pope. He wore some kind of robes and a mitre, and carried some kind of staff. I haven’t seen him in a few years, though, so maybe he gave up the papal shtick. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/14 "2013-02-19T19:36:12Z")
FWIW, [Victor I](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Victor_I) doesn’t seem to look black; but then again, [Pope Hilarius](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Hilarius) doesn’t look very fun, so maybe it’s nothing to go by. (If this board allowed pictures, I’d from now on post the wiki picture every time to show my appreciation, or lack thereof, of a particularly well executed witticism. It’d be glorious.) ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/15 "2013-02-19T19:47:43Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > (If this board allowed pictures, I’d from now on post the wiki picture every time to show my appreciation, or lack thereof, of a particularly well executed witticism. It’d be glorious.) [Greasemonkey script to view images inline on the SDMB](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=617007) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/16 "2013-02-19T22:45:06Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > If there actually was a black pope, I bet he was the first one to wear that badass hat. And establish purple as the color of Lent and Advent. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/17 "2013-02-20T00:56:07Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > And establish purple as the color of Lent and Advent. OK, let’s get them out of the way… They see me pontificatin’ and they be hatin’ I got 99 problems but a life of celibacy unencumbered by a wife ain’t one. It’s hard out here for a pope on the street ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/18 "2013-02-20T14:21:03Z")
The Superior General of the vJesuits is called “The Black Pope” [http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/tbEVeUwrYmy/New+Black+Pope+Celebrates+First+Mass+Head](http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/tbEVeUwrYmy/New+Black+Pope+Celebrates+First+Mass+Head) > **[Superior general of the Society of Jesus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_General_of_the_Society_of_Jesus)** > > The superior general of the Society of Jesus is the leader of the Society of Jesus, the Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position sometimes carries the nickname of the Black Pope, because of his responsibility for the largest male religious order, in contrast with the white garb of the pope. The thirty-first and current superior general is Fr Arturo Sosa, elected by the 36th General Congregation on 14 October 2016. > The formal ti... > [@](#): > > “Black Pope” is a derogatory nickname given to the Superior General[1] usually by the media (and never used by the Jesuits themselves). The name comes partly from the color of the plain black priest’s cassock, worn by members of the Society, including the Superior General, partly from a past concern (most prominent around the 16th and 17th centuries) amongst Protestant European countries concerning the relative power of the Jesuits within the Roman Catholic Church, and partly because the Superior General is elected for life. Not what the OP is looking for, I know, but technically an accurate answer. ---
**Author:** ![ajfrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ajfrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajfrod)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/19 "2013-02-21T05:18:01Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > The Superior General of the vJesuits is called “The Black Pope” > > [http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/tbEVeUwrYmy/New+Black+Pope+Celebrates+First+Mass+Head](http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/tbEVeUwrYmy/New+Black+Pope+Celebrates+First+Mass+Head) > > [Superior general of the Society of Jesus - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_General_of_the_Society_of_Jesus) > > Not what the OP is looking for, I know, but technically an accurate answer. I was talking about the skin colour, but it is quite correct ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680/20 "2013-02-21T05:39:27Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > There were also a decent number of early Popes from Syria and Judea (Peter, of course, was Judean), so even if the African popes were 100% of Latin descent, there have probably been at least a few non-white Popes … that’s one weird definition of white you have there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-ever-a-black-pope/650680.md?page=2)