The origins of the papacy and how Catholicism spread throughout Europe.

Examining the resignations of popes throughout history and the nature of the pope's power.

The increase of corruption as popes acquired temporal power and political influence.

The events that led to the splintering of what was once a universal church.

Examining the pope who bore witness to the Nazi party's rise and the actions of the Catholic Church during one of the most tumultuous times in modern history.

Examining Pope John Paul II, the first celebrity pope, and how his reign represents the birth of the papacy as people know it today.