Matthai Reese

The Pope (ローマ教皇) is the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Toaru Majutsu no Index series.

His real name is Matthai Reese (マタイ＝リース). He was a friend and a former disciple of Fiamma of the Right before becoming Pope.

Personality
Unlike a lot of popes in the real world, he feels that he's disconnected from the people outside the chapel and wonders why's that so. Despite this he is still bound by the rules of the Catholic Church and its beliefs. When the magic world learns of the existence of Touma and his powers, Fiamma convinced the Pope that Touma is a Heretic and his powers are a threat to the world, The Pope declares him a Heretic that must be eliminated.

Appearance
He's an elderly man with a white beard. He wears the typical papal regalia and bears a crosier bearing a crusifixed Christ and the hanged body of Judas on the opposite end.

La Regina del Mare Adriatico Arc

 * Main article:La Regina del Mare Adriatico Arc

Matthai Reese is first introduced after the events reqarding the Queen of Adriatic Sea's failure to activate and eventual destruction at the hands of Kamijou Touma. Vento ordered him to sign the document that authorises the attack on Touma to end his life, and by extension an invasion into Academy City to ensure the elimination of a enemy of the Church.

Document of Constantine Arc

 * Main article:Document of Constantine Arc

Some time before the beginning of the October riots, the Pope, along with Acqua of the Back, comes upon Terra of the Left drinking cheap wine, trying to replenish his strength. The Pope comments on his brusque nature of slovenly drinking in the middle of a square, as well as the fact that two of God's Right Seat are out and about without protection. He later scolds Acqua of the Back for smirking at Terra's joke regarding his knowledge of wines despite being a mercenary. Terra of the Left prepares to leave, intending to use the Document of Constantine to cause mayhem among the constituents of the Church against Academy City in order to draw the Russian Orthodox Church to their side. Acqua of the Back objects to the use of civilians, but Terra of the Left states that it would be unnatural not to use the Church's vast human resources, much to Acqua of the Back's chagrin. Terra of the Left later leaves, and the Anti-Academy City October riots begin.

After Acqua of the Back eviscerates, with a pillar in St. Peter's Basilica, Terra of the Left after he discovers that he used children and sight-seers in order to make alignment adjustments to his Execution of Light spell, the Pope arrives. Here, he tells Acqua of the Back to be careful on not destroying the St. Peter's Basilica, not just because of aesthetic and historical reasons, but also because of its importance in defensive functions. Acqua then states that the problem in organizations, that there is always someone out of control in it, and cites God's Right Seat and Terra of the Left as an example. He tells the Pope that it is not enough for God's Right Seat to achieve its goal and become La Persona Superiore a Dio for his desure to save more believers, and states that in order for God’s Right Seat to continue functioning as it should, it needs someone outside of it to watch over it and to guide it. Acqua of the Back tells the Pope that he is the one most suited for that position. The Pope smiles and says that when he first heard about God's Right Seat, he was overjoyed that there was such a quick way of guiding believers. However, he then states that he realized that God does not wish for an easy path to salvation, and comments on how the Father watching over him truly likes trials and tribulations. The Pope then asks what his next move will be, to which Acqua of the Back comments that there is only one option after Terra was purged and Vento still recuperating. The Pope asks if he is going to attack Japan via Russia as Terra suggested. Acqua of the Back states that civilians should not stand on the battlefield, and that only soldiers need to cross swords, implying to the Pope he will act himself. The Pope mubles to himself on how the man who is both a member of God's Right Seat and having the disposition of a Saint will now act.

Later events in the novels
When the Pope later learns that Fiamma had manipulated him all this time, Fiamma casts a powerful spell to destroy the Vatican but the Pope manages to divert the spell onto himself to save the city. After his recovery he sets out to stop Fiamma and his plans, while protecting the Vatican from civil unrest that started since World War III has erupted in Europe.

In Volume 21 he single-handedly stops the riot in Rome and taken back the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church without bloodshed from the bishops that supported Fiamma, as his holiness stopped all conflict and hostile intentions just by his presence. As of the end of Vol21, he is in the underground library of the Vatican trying to find a way to stop Fiamma's plans. In the closing phases of the war, he cooperated with the Anglican Church and the Russian Orthodox Church to take down the Star of Bethlehem, knowing that if he did so God's Right Seat will fall and the Roman Catholic Church may never recover the strength/influence it once had at the height of its power.

In New Testament 1 it is mentioned that after the events of volume 22 he lost his position of Pope and was replaced by Pietro Yogdis.

Design evolution
Matthai Reese's design remains static all throughout the series. Haimura felt that designing him similarly to the real life Pope would not fit the story, and as such stayed his hand from basing it off the Pope, instead basing him off Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series, and Ian McKellen's movie portrayal of Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings novels.

Quotes

 * (To Vassilisa in Vol22): "It matters not. … It is meaningless to have power that cannot protect everyone. As long as it can protect the people, even if the power of the Roman Catholic Church is weakened we must stop Fiamma of the Right"
 * (Vol22) "I can still fight. For the road that leads to a hopeful tomorrow, I cannot possibly stop here."