Bingo ideas / For religious education

Popes Bingo Cards

A history game for a religious-education class or trivia night. Cards are filled with real popes — Peter, Gregory, Leo, Francis — and the first to a full line calls it.

Free to design and print · edit any square · 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5

Popes bingo makes a long stretch of church history feel approachable by turning the names into a game. Use it in a catechism class, a history unit, or a parish trivia night, keep the names below or add your own, and cards print in a couple of minutes.

Because every card is shuffled from the same square list, no two players get the same grid, so the whole group can review the same figures together while each person listens for the pope that matches a square on their card.

Squares for a popes card
  • Peter
  • Linus
  • Clement I
  • Sylvester I
  • Leo the Great
  • Gregory the Great
  • Gelasius I
  • Nicholas I
  • Urban II
  • Innocent III
  • Boniface VIII
  • Pius V
  • Gregory XIII
  • Benedict XIV
  • Pius IX
  • Leo XIII
  • Pius X
  • Pius XII
  • John XXIII
  • Paul VI
  • John Paul I
  • John Paul II
  • Benedict XVI
  • Francis

These are just a starting point — swap in your own words in the editor before you print.

Ideas for your game

  • Pair each name with a fact

    Read a short clue, like the pope who called the First Crusade, and have players find the matching name to make the history stick.

  • Focus on one era

    Swap the squares for the popes of a single period, such as the early church or the modern era, so the game matches your lesson exactly.

  • Print a stack or play live

    Print a batch for a class, or share one link and a QR code so a parish group or remote study can all play the same round together.

Editable and printable

Edit every square. Open the card in the editor, keep the suggested squares or replace them with your own words, emoji, or photos, and pick a theme that fits the day.

Print a whole set at once. Each card is shuffled from the same square list, so every player gets a unique grid. Print to standard letter or A4 paper on any home printer — or order professionally printed cards shipped to your door.

Or play live. Share one link and a QR code and the whole room plays from their phones, in person or over video.

Questions

How do I make popes bingo for free?

Open the editor, pick a parchment theme, keep the suggested names or type your own list, and print. A basic set is free to design and print.

Are these real popes?

Yes, every square is a genuine pope, from Peter and Leo the Great to John Paul II and Francis, so the card holds up in a real history lesson.

Can I match it to my curriculum?

You can edit every square, so set them to the popes of the era or theme you are teaching and the game becomes a focused review for your class.

Can I print the cards at home?

Yes. The print view is sized for standard letter and A4 paper, so any home printer works, and you can also order professionally printed cards.

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