Holy Crises or Papal Problem?

[Martok]

I've actually seen the Papacy become a bonafide superpower on occasion, although it's still extremely rare (I could count on one hand the number of times it's happened).

I remember one particular campaign a couple years ago when that happened, in which the Pope owned all of Europe from the Pyrenees and Atlantic Ocean to the eastern borders of the old Holy Roman Empire. Only the British Isles remained outside his control, as they were still held by the English. He and I had a satisfyingly terrific war against each other, as Catholicism and Orthodoxy met in an epic clash over which version of Christianity was to rule the continent. It was one of the most fun campaigns I've ever had.