One of the most common claims made by critics of the Catholic Church is that there were once three popes ruling the Church at the same time. While the claim is frequently repeated, it is rarely understood.

I remember a conversation with two Mormon missionaries who were passionately criticizing the Catholic Church. Among their objections, they confidently insisted that there had been three popes at one time.

So I asked them a simple question:

“Who were the three popes?”

Silence.

Then I asked, “What were their names?”

More silence.

Finally, I asked, “What year did this happen?”

They looked at each other and shrugged. They had no idea.

I responded, “You seem to strongly dislike something that you have never actually studied.”

Then I decided to make a point.

“May I borrow your watch for a moment?” I asked.

One of the missionaries handed me his watch.

“Thank you,” I said. “This is a very nice watch. I think I’ll keep it.” Then I slipped it into my pocket.

“Except it’s not yours,” one of the missionaries replied.

“Yes, it is,” I continued. “I think it’s mine, so I’m going to keep it.” Then, I turned to the other Mormon missionary and asked, “What do you think?”

He answered, “It’s his watch.”

I responded, “But what if you thought it was yours, I thought it was mine, and he thought it was his? Whose watch is it?”

Without hesitation, the missionary replied, “It’s still his.”

“Exactly,” I said. “It’s objectively his watch even if we claim it as our own.” The same principle applies to the papacy.

Critics often claim that there were three popes at one time, but that is not true. There was only one legitimate pope and two others who claimed to be. The Church refers to those false claimants as antipopes.

Just as there was one true owner of the watch despite multiple claims, so there was one true pope despite multiple men claiming the office. There was one true pope and two men who falsely claimed to be pope. To understand where this misconception comes from, we need to look at the historical events that led to the confusion.

Pope Clement moved the papacy to Avignon, France, because of violence taking place in Rome. He was concerned for his safety and his life. After Pope Clement died, Pope Gregory VII decided to move the papacy back to Rome. However, he died in 1378 shortly after returning.

Following his death, a new pope, Urban VI, was elected. His election was recognized by the Church and accepted by the major parties involved in the election process. For a pope to be validly elected, he must be chosen through the proper procedures established by the Church, receiving the necessary support and recognition from the majority of legitimate electors.

However, Urban VI was not a particularly well-liked pope. It did not take long for many people to become dissatisfied with him. He was known for being harsh, blunt, and highly critical, especially toward bishops and other Church leaders. Many of the bishops disliked his mannerisms, his stern personality, and what they viewed as an antagonistic leadership style.

As a result, thirteen members took it upon themselves to attempt to elect another pope. There was just one problem, they did not have the authority to do so or near the majority of the electoral. A valid papal election requires the proper participation and approval of the College of Cardinals. A small faction acting on its own cannot simply declare a new pope because it is unhappy with the current one.

Nevertheless, these thirteen members proceeded with their own election and chose a rival claimant, whom they named Clement VII. Clement VII then returned to Avignon, France, where he received strong support from the French crown and its allies. As a result, what had begun as an ecclesiastical dispute quickly became entangled in politics between Rome and France.

Urban VI, excommunicated anti-pope Clement, who like Martin Luther, refused to accept the excommunication. Instead, also like Luther, he attempted to excommunicate Pope Urban VI in return. As a result, both sides issued excommunications and condemned one another. Supporters of Urban VI insisted that he was the legitimate pope, while supporters of Clement VII argued the opposite. After about five to ten years, the situation became even more confusing. The problem was that both men died and their new successors were elected by each side.

Now imagine this situation continuing for another ten or twenty years. By that point, many people were completely confused. A new generation had grown up in the middle of the dispute. People began asking, “Who is the real pope?” As the confusion continued, more and more people became frustrated with the constant disputes, accusations, and political maneuvering surrounding the papacy.

The legitimate pope at this time was Boniface IX who didn’t live long requiring the Church to elect a successor. Meanwhile, the situation in Avignon was also changing rapidly. Over time, the Avignon claimant lost the support of much of the French monarchy that had originally backed him. Without that political support, his position became increasingly weak, and he was effectively removed from power.

In 1409, an anti-council tried to elect another anti-pope known as John XXIII. As you will see later in history, there was a real Pope John XXIII who was universally recognized by the Church as a legitimate pope. That fact alone helps illustrate the point. If the claimant elected during this crisis had been a legitimate Pope John XXIII, the Church would not have later assigned the same papal name and number to another pope. He was an antipope.

This was now the third claimant to the papacy in roughly thirty years. By this point, everyone was frustrated with the division and confusion. To resolve the crisis, a legitimate council was called in 1414, the Council of Constance. Tired of the ongoing divisions, the true pope chose, for the good of the Church, to freely resign and step down. It was his own decision. The other two claimants, however, did not step down voluntarily. They were removed from their positions.

With the divisions finally brought to an end, the Church came together and in 1417 elected a new pope, Martin V, who was widely accepted throughout the Church. So, after roughly thirty or so years, the crisis was finally resolved and there was once again one pope with unity in the church. In reality, there had only ever been one legitimate pope to begin with, Urban VI and his successors. The confusion arose because other men were claiming to be pope at the same time. For the average person living during that period, it was understandably confusing. Many people did not know all the details surrounding the controversy. They simply saw a pope in Rome and a claimant in France.

But the bottom line is simple: there was only one legitimate pope and two antipopes. There were never three true popes at the same time. Quite frankly, that would be impossible. It would be like having three presidents of the United States at the same time. No matter how many people claim the office, there can only be one legitimate president. The same principle applies to the papacy. Even if multiple men claim to be pope, only one can be the true successor of St. Peter.

Despite all of these difficulties, Christ guided His Church through the crisis. The Church endures. In fact, the Catholic Church is the longest-lasting institution in the world. Through persecutions, divisions, scandals, disasters, and enormous challenges over the centuries, the Church has weathered every storm and emerged on the other side.

Throughout history there have been individuals who were stubborn, divisive, or resistant to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Yet the Catholic Church continues because Christ is its head.

Christ promised that He would guide His Church into all truth through the Holy Spirit. As Jesus says in John 16:13: “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” Because of that promise, Christ continues to guide His Church.

Whether people listen or not, Christ remains faithful. Judas betrayed Him. Peter denied Him. All of the apostles fled at His arrest. Yet Christ still poured out the Holy Spirit upon them. The same principle applies throughout the history of the Church. Whether priests, bishops, or popes are holy or unfaithful, Christ still lives and Christ still works.

That is why the Church continues to endure. Through every crisis and every period of confusion, the Church emerges on the other side without changing its doctrines or abandoning its official teachings. Yes, there are sometimes scandals, and there are times when people within the Church fail to act as they should. But none of this should surprise us. Scripture itself warns about false teachers and wolves in sheep’s clothing.

The real question is: What did Christ promise? Jesus said: “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

That promise implies that the gates of hell will try to prevail. Satan will attack the Church. There will be opposition, confusion, scandals, and attempts to divide God’s people. Yet Christ’s promise remains the same. The gates of hell will not prevail.

Jesus Christ is victorious, and so is His Bride, the Church. Despite every attack throughout history, Christ continues to preserve and guide His Church, just as He promised.