papacy

The office and jurisdiction of a pope.

The period of time during which a pope is in office.

A succession or line of popes.

The system of church government headed by the pope.

The office, dignity, and authority of the Pope or Bishop of Rome; the papal; jurisdiction; the ecclesiastical organization subject to the Pope.

The succession or line of popes, with its ecclesiastical and political traditions.

That system of ecclesiastical government which recognizes and is based upon the apostolic primacy and supreme authority of the Pope or Bishop of Rome over the church universal; the Church of Rome; the Roman Catholic Church.

The office and dignity of the pope, or pontiff, of Rome; papal jurisdiction.

The popes, collectively; the succession of popes.

The Roman Catholic religion; — commonly used by the opponents of the Roman Catholics in disparagement or in an opprobrious sense.