The pope is the Bishop of Rome and, therefore, the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. The primacy of the Roman bishop is largely derived from his role as the traditional successor to Saint Peter, to whom Jesus is supposed to have given the keys of Heaven and the powers of "binding and loosing", naming him as the "rock" upon which the church would be built. The current pope is Francis, who was elected on 13 March 2013, who I had the pleasure of seeing. The pope is considered one of the world's most powerful people because of his diplomatic and cultural influence. He is also head of state of Vatican City. In antiquity, popes helped in the spread of Christianity and the resolution of various disputes. In the Middle Ages, they played a role of secular importance in Western Europe, often acting as mediators between Christian monarchs. Currently, in addition to the expansion of the Christian faith, the popes are involved in charitable work, and the defense of human rights. Because of the popes ability to help spread Christianity throughout Rome, it allowed for Rome to move away from polytheistic views and therefore allowed for spiritual growth.