Pageant of the Popes

Pageant of the Popes is a book by John Farrow, first published in 1942. This sweeping historical narrative chronicles the papacy from its founding with St. Peter through to mid-20th-century pontiffs, offering readers a panoramic view of two millennia of ecclesiastical leadership.

Farrow, himself a devout and conservative Catholic, combines scholarly rigor with engaging storytelling, spotlighting both the triumphs and tribulations of the papacy: from medieval despotism and Renaissance nepotism — famously epitomised by the Borgias — to more modern moral and political entanglements such as pacts with Mussolini and Hitler.

The author does not shy away from controversy, examining anti-popes, brief reigns, and scandalous behavior, while also celebrating the enduring resilience and spiritual influence of the Church. Farrow’s work is enriched by vivid anecdotes — from Napoleon’s attempted seizure of the Vatican to the first declaration of papal infallibility in 1869—and concludes with a helpful chronological list of every pope up to Pius XII, making the volume both a captivating narrative and a valuable reference.