There have been 266 to 267 popes in the history of the Catholic Church. The Vatican officially lists 266 popes, starting with St. Peter, the first pope, up to the current pope, Francis, who is the 266th pontiff

. Some sources count 267 popes by including Pope Stephen II, who died shortly after his election but before his consecration

. It is also noted that only 265 or 266 men have actually occupied the papal office because Pope Benedict IX held the papacy three separate times in the mid-11th century

. In summary:

• Official Vatican count: 266 popes including Pope Francis.
• Some counts: 267 popes including Stephen II.
• Actual individuals serving as pope: 265 or 266 men due to Benedict IX's multiple terms.

This reflects the long history of the papacy spanning nearly 2,000 years since St. Peter in the 1st century