I.

Introduction

Roman Catholic Church, the largest single Christian body, composed of those Christians who acknowledge the supreme authority of the Bishop of Rome, the pope, in matters of faith. The word “catholic” (Greek katholikos) means “universal” and has been used to designate the Church since its earliest period, when it was the only Christian Church. The Roman Catholic Church regards itself as the only legitimate inheritor, by an unbroken episcopal succession descending from St Peter to the present time, of the commission and powers conferred by Jesus Christ on the 12 apostles. The Church has had a profound influence on the development of European culture and on the introduction of European values into other civilizations. Its total membership as the 1990s began was about 995.8 million (about 18.8 per cent of the world population). The Church has its greatest numerical strength in Europe and Latin America but also has a large membership in other parts of the world.