Italians, Europeans or Others Trivia Quiz

Answer: Italians

Pope Telesphorus was bishop of Rome during the reign of Emperors Hadrian and Antonius Pius. He is considered as the eighth Pope and he became a martyr. He was born in the Calabrian town of Terra Nova and he had Greek roots. His name means "to accomplishing a goal" in English. His papacy began around the year 126 AD and ended around 137 AD.

Answer: Italians

John Paul I was Pope for 33 days during August and September 1978. He is referred to as "The Smiling Pope". Albino Luciani was born in October 17, 1912 and was ordained a deacon in 1935 and a priest a few months later. He was appointed Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, Italy in 1958. Later he was made Patriarch of Venice and was elevated to Cardinal.

He was elected Pope on August 26, 1978 taking the name John Paul.

Answer: Others

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he was the first Jesuit to become Pope and also the first one from South America. He was born in Buenos Aires from Italian parents and joined the Jesuits in 1958 following a recovery from a very serious illness. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created Cardinal in 2001.

He was elected Pope on March 13, 2013 and took the papal name Francis honouring St Francis of Assisi. He died in April 2025.

Answer: Others

Robert Francis Prevost became, in 2025, the first Augustinian Pope and the second from the Americas to become one. He was born in Chicago in 1955 and in 1977 earned a degree in Mathematics. He was ordained a priest in 1982 and was later sent to the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru. In 1999, he was elected Provincial Prior of the Augustinian Province of "Mother of Good Counsel" in Chicago and served as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, from 2015 to 2023.
He was elected Bishop of Rome in May, 2025.

Answer: Others

He was born in Syria around 669 and his birth name was Gregorios. He became Pope in 731 and his reign lasted until November 28, 741. During his papacy, Gregory began work on the oratory at St. Peter's Basilica, where he was buried after the oratory was completed. He is venerated as a saint and his feast day is celebrated on December 10.

Answer: Others

Also called the African, he was the second Pope from Africa. He reigned between 311 and 314 AD. He was a Berber from North Africa and during his papacy Roman Emperor Constantine proclaimed his history-changing Edict of Milan in 313 A.D, which gave legal status to Christianity.

He was also gifted the Empress Fausta Palace where the church built the Lateran Palace. He was declared a saint and his feast day is celebrated on January 10.

Answer: Europeans

He was born Bruno von Karnten, he was the grandson of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I and he was Duke of Carinthia. He was the chaplain of Holy Roman Emperor Otto III and when the throne of Rome was vacated, Otto selected him as the new Pope, the church agreed and he was made Pope on May 3, 996, taking the name Gregory and being the first German to become Pope.

Answer: Europeans

Pope Martin IV was the 189th Pope who reigned from 1281 to 1285. He was born in France as Simon de Brion and studied in Padua and Bologna. French king Louis IX appointed de Brion as the treasurer of St. Martin church in Tours. He became member of the king's council and later became chancellor. He served as chancellor for two years before becoming a cardinal.

Answer: Europeans

Nicholas Breakspear was born in 1100 in England. After his father became a monk, he decided to follow his steps and joined St. Rufus monastery in Paris. He was named abbot and later he served as Cardinal Bishop of Albano. Following the death of Pope Anastasius IV, he was made Pope on December 3, 1154 and he passed away in 1159.

Answer: Europeans

Born Roderic de Borja he grew up in the small town of Xativa, which is now part of Spain. He adopted the name Rodrigo Borja after his uncle became Pope Callixtus III. He studied at the university of Bologna and became Cardinal-Deacon of San Nicola in Carcere.

He held various positions such as Cardinal-Bishop of Albano and Archbishop of Valencia, Spain, before elected Pope in 1492. He reigned as Pope until his death in 1503.

Answer: Italians

He was born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti in May, 1857. He was ordained priest in 1879 and ordained Bishop in 1919. He was appointed Archbishop of Milano in 1921 and elevated to Cardinal on the same day. He was elected Pope in February 1922 and reigned until 1939.

Answer: Europeans

He was born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on 16 April 1927 at Marktl, Germany. He was ordained deacon of München und Freising in 1950 and priest in the same church the following year. He was ordained Bishop of München und Freising in May, 1977 and elevated to Cardinal the following month.

He was elected Pope in April 2005 and reigned until February 2013, when he resigned his position due to his advanced age.

Answer: Others

He was born in Bethlehem around 30 AD and he was a Hellenized Jew. He became the fifth Pope of Rome around 90 AD and reigned until his death in 107 AD. He was canonized and his feast day is on October 26. He was buried in the tomb of St Peter in Vatican City.

Answer: Italians

He was born in Rome in 820 and his birth name was Nicolaus. He was appointed sub-deacon by Pope Sergius II and later deacon by Pope Leo IV. He was elected Pope in April 858 and cooperated with the military to halt the advance of the Arab assaults in Italy. He died in 867 and he is remembered as Nicholas the Great.

Answer: Italians

He was born in 1160 with the name Lothar to parents Count Trasimund of Segni and Claricia dei Scotti. He was initially educated in Rome, before continuing his studies in Paris and finishing them at Bologna. In 1190 he was appointed Cardinal-Deacon of Santi Sergio e Bacco and at the same time elevated to Cardinal. He was elected Pope in 1198 and reigned until his death in 1216.
Pope Innocent III was the 176th Pope and Bishop of Rome and he is regarded as the most important Pope from the medieval period.