why was the pope in rome such a powerful figure
Pope The office of the pope is the papacy. His ecclesiastical jurisdiction, the Diocese of Rome, is often called "the Holy See"[6] or "the Apostolic See", the latter name being based on the belief that the Bishop of Rome is the apostolic successor to Saint Peter.[7] The pope is considered one of the world's most powerful people because of his diplomatic and cultural influence.[8][9][10]