What does antipope mean?
An antipope is a person who claims, or is elected to, the office of pope in opposition to a pope recognized as legitimate by the Roman Catholic Church. The phenomenon arose chiefly during periods of crisis, most famously the Great Western Schism (1378–1417), when rival claimants based in Rome and Avignon each excommunicated the other, and for a time a third claimant emerged at Pisa. Antipopes were typically supported by political powers with interests opposed to those backing the recognized pope, so the title often reflects the outcome of power struggles rather than purely spiritual disputes. Historians generally reserve the term for claimants before the Council of Trent era; Felix V, who resigned in 1449, is commonly cited as the last antipope of significance. The word remains useful in religious history, ecumenical discussion, and metaphorically for any contested claim to supreme authority.
nounA person who claims or is elected to be pope in opposition to a canonically chosen pope, especially during historical schisms within the Roman Catholic Church.
- A person claiming or elected as pope in opposition to the legitimately recognized pope, particularly during medieval church schisms.
- By extension, any rival or illegitimate claimant to a position of supreme religious authority.
"During the Great Western Schism, rival claimants in Avignon and Rome each denounced the other as an antipope."
"Felix V, elected by the Council of Basel in 1439, is generally regarded as the last historically significant antipope."
"The chronicler described how the antipope's supporters controlled much of southern France for decades."
Standard plural; used when referring collectively to multiple rival claimants across different schisms.
"Historians have identified more than thirty antipopes since the fourth century."
For nearly forty years, Europe had two — and at one point three — men simultaneously claiming to be the one true pope, and each was branded an antipope by his rivals.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of antipope
The word 'antipope' derives from the Greek prefix 'anti-' meaning 'against' or 'in place of', combined with 'pope', which comes via Latin 'papa' from Greek 'pappas', meaning father — a title applied to bishops and priests before becoming specific to the bishop of Rome. The compound entered English usage in the late medieval period, reflecting the terminology used by church historians to classify rival claimants to the papacy. It shares its prefix with words such as 'antichrist' and 'antipathy', all conveying opposition.
How antipope is actually used
The term is primarily historical and ecclesiastical, used in discussions of medieval and early modern church history. It carries no inherent insult in scholarly contexts but implies illegitimacy from the perspective of the eventually recognized line of popes.
Easily confused with antipope
An 'anti-pope' (hyphenated) is sometimes used loosely to mean someone opposed to papal authority, whereas 'antipope' specifically denotes a rival claimant to the papacy itself.