Institutions, Power and Narratives: Discussing The Cambridge History of the Papacy

Seminario permanente di Storia del Papato

On Thursday 15 October at 5.00 pm, at the Pontifical Gregorian University, the inaugural event of the new annual cycle of the permanent seminar on the History of the Papacy – now in its fifth edition – will take place, entitled “Institutions, Power and Narratives: Discussing The Cambridge History of the Papacy”.

The work, published by Cambridge in 2025 and edited by Joëlle Rollo-Koster (University of Rhode Island), Robert A. Ventresca (King’s University College at Western University), Melodie H. Eichbauer (Florida Gulf Coast University) and Miles Pattenden (University of Oxford), marks a significant milestone in contemporary historiography on the history of the Papacy. The Papacy is commonly regarded as the oldest institution still in existence in the world, and its resilience and enduring power have long fascinated historians. The *Cambridge History of the Papacy* explores how and why the Papacy has survived over the centuries. It examines its role as an instrument of authority, governance and social and cultural influence, at a time when many other powerful institutions, empires and states have disappeared or been reduced to predominantly ceremonial functions. The work therefore offers a fresh perspective on how popes have interpreted the role of the Papacy, and also shows how papal authority has been challenged on numerous occasions over the centuries.

The event, which aims to explore the premises, origins, characteristics and historiographical perspectives of the work, will be introduced by Roberto Regoli (Pontifical Gregorian University), Editor of the journal *Archivum Historiae Pontificiae*, followed by a discussion on the most significant historiographical aspects of the work between Joëlle Rollo-Koster (University of Rhode Island), one of the editors, and Andrea Antonio Verardi (Pontifical Gregorian University).