Counting the Keys: Word Frequency Reveals the Centrality of Rome and the Pope for the Early Church

---

From the earliest days of Christianity, Rome stood out—not just as the empire's capital, but as the spiritual center of the growing Church. It was here that both St. Peter and St. Paul bore witness to Christ with their lives, planting the seeds of a community that would become the heart of Christian unity. As disputes and heresies began to emerge in the early centuries, believers across the world looked to Rome—and to the pope—for clarity and continuity with the apostolic faith. St. Irenaeus of Lyons, writing in the 2nd century, captured this deep sense of trust and reverence when he said, "For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church [Rome], on account of its preeminent authority."

Just as word frequencies in literature often point us to the main characters of a story, so too do the writings of the early Church spotlight Rome and the papacy as central figures in Christianity’s unfolding narrative. Rome wasn't just another city with a bishop; it was the place where the voice of Peter still echoed through his successors—and a voice that still continues to resound in the life of the Church today. In a world filled with competing ideas, the Church of Rome became a steady compass—rooted in apostolic tradition, trusted by generations, and recognized as the place where the faithful could find the heart of the Church. In this article, we'll examine word frequency patterns across early Church writings to uncover just how central Rome and the pope truly were to the minds and hearts of the early Christians.

Note: All the charts and tables in this article are based on data drawn from a corpus of 3,644 early Church documents. A complete list of these sources will be provided in a table at the very end of the article.

All Roads (and Words) Lead to Rome: A Look at Early Christian Focus

---

Among the five ancient patriarchates, the Church of Rome stood out as the most iconic and influential in the early Christian world. While Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Constantinople each held significant roles, Rome was uniquely regarded as a central hub of authority, unity, and apostolic heritage.

Even in the earliest centuries, the Church in Rome was viewed as more than just another regional see. The frequency and prominence of Rome's mention in early writings underscore its unmatched standing among the patriarchates. Rome wasn't simply part of the pentarchy—it was its cornerstone.

Word Counts Reveal: The Bishop of Rome as a Focal Point in Early Christianity

---

In the early Church, the title "pope" was applied to both the Bishop of Rome and the Bishop of Alexandria, which is why the chart below includes individuals from both sees bearing that title. Certain names—such as "Pope John"—may appear under both, and in those instances, all occurrences were counted for each see. Over time, however, the title "pope" became uniquely associated with the Bishop of Rome, reflecting his growing prominence in the life of the universal Church.

Even before this exclusive usage took hold, the Bishop of Rome already stood out as a central figure in the Christian world. While "Bishop of Alexandria" appears 176 times and “Bishop of Rome” 162 times without popes included, incorporating the papal references (until the 6th century) gives a more accurate picture of Rome's enduring influence. Rome was not just one patriarchate among many—it was the see where both Peter and Paul shed their blood, the city believers looked to for guidance, and the office whose voice increasingly served as a touchstone of unity and apostolic continuity. The prominence of Rome's bishop in early writings underscores the foundational role he played in shaping and preserving the faith handed down from the apostles.

Table Displaying the Corpus Used to Search for Key Terms

---