What does the word "pontiff" mean? Many people usually immediately imagine a person who is connected with the service of God. But not everyone can say what is the history of the emergence of the pontiffs, what exactly do they have, and are there such people now? Consider all the answers in detail.
Definition
The pontiff (or pontiff) literally translates as "draw a bridge." This means that this person is a conductor (bridge) between God and people. Therefore, this title has always been of particular importance, especially in ancient times.
In the modern sense, the pontiff is the head of the Catholic Church. In today's world, this word means the pope. Previously, the definition of the pontiff was slightly different from the modern interpretation, since the duties and position of the top clergy of that time still differed.
Religions also differed, oddly enough, because at first the pontiffs were chapters in a pagan sense, and then in a Catholic one.
Story
If we turn to history, then initially a pontiff (pontiff) was called a person who has a special civil title in ancient Rome.
For the first time this title occurred with the advent of the first high priest - Numa Pompilia.
The title was determined by voting. Sulla abolished the method of election, but in 63 BC, Labien restored him.
All the high priests had the so-called insignia - the distinctive external attributes of any person holding the title of pontifex. These included special clothing, a hat, a hairstyle, a knife and other attributes.
In addition to the managerial task and the presence of religious supremacy, they had another important duty - compiling a calendar. But at that time, the calendar played a big role rather in order not to miss important pagan holidays associated with certain days, so the calendar of Ancient Rome was imperfect, since the dates of Ancient Rome did not coincide with the general ones, the year could either last or shorten.
Pontifex began to occupy not only the dominant position among the pagan priests, but also was engaged in governance from a political point of view. At that time, these people played such great importance for the life of the whole state that the title was then given to the emperors themselves. At that time, politics and religion were very related concepts.
Even Julius Caesar himself, as well as Augustus and all subsequent emperors up to the fourth century AD (up to 382 years), were considered to be a typhoid.
But after the pontiffs were called the high priests, a new religion came to Rome - Christianity. It is known that in 382, Grazian renounced the title in order to once and for all break with paganism and adopt a new faith. Therefore, after a period when the title was given to emperors, from the middle of the 5th century they began to give it to the main person of Catholicism - the pope.
Pontiffs in the modern world
As mentioned above, the meaning of these people and the definition of the word have changed over the centuries. Now the pontiff is the pope, the head of the Catholic Church. His authority in the religious sense is very strong. Politically, influence also persisted, but only on the small state - the Vatican. The pope is a monarch here. And the Vatican is considered the religious capital of Catholicism.
Conclusion
In simple words, the pontiff is a bridge between God and people for Catholics. The Pontiff is now called the Pope. But before such a title had the high priests in ancient Rome during paganism, and then, until 382, emperors (for example, Caesar, Augustus and many other great rulers of ancient Rome).
The Pope has been the main pontiff since the 5th century. This is the highest religious position, and he has a great influence and solves many issues. The pontiff rules and lives in the Vatican.