▁he ▁established ▁Catholic ▁Christian ity ▁as ▁the ▁official ▁religion ▁of ▁the ▁emp ire , ▁he ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁western ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Rome , ▁Dam as us , ▁as ▁a ▁pont if ex , ▁while ▁calling ▁the ▁eastern ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Alexand ria , ▁Peter , ▁an ▁epis cop us : ...   the ▁profession ▁of ▁that ▁religion ▁which ▁was ▁delivered ▁to ▁the ▁Rom ans ▁by ▁the ▁divine ▁Apost le ▁Peter , ▁as ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁preserved ▁by ▁faithful ▁tradition ▁and ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁prof essed ▁by ▁the ▁Pont iff ▁Dam as us ▁and ▁by ▁Peter , ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Alexand ria ▁... ▁We ▁author ize ▁the ▁follow ers ▁of ▁this ▁law ▁to ▁assume ▁the ▁title ▁Catholic ▁Christians   ... ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Pope ▁Bened ict ▁XVI ▁adopted ▁@ pont if ex ▁as ▁his ▁Twitter ▁handle , ▁prompt ing ▁users ▁to ▁pose ▁questions ▁with ▁the ▁# ask pont if ex ▁has ht ag . ▁This ▁has ▁been ▁maintained ▁by ▁his ▁successor ▁Pope ▁Francis , ▁who ▁now ▁uses ▁it ▁as ▁his ▁Twitter ▁handle . ▁ ▁Sum mus ▁pont if ex ▁Vari ous ▁forms ▁of ▁sum mus ▁pont if ex ▁( high est ▁pont iff ▁or ▁bishop ) ▁were ▁for ▁centuries ▁used ▁not ▁only ▁of ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Rome ▁but ▁of ▁other ▁b ish ops ▁also . ▁Hil ary ▁of ▁Ar les ▁( d . ▁ 4 4 9 ) ▁is ▁sty led ▁sum mus ▁pont if ex ▁by ▁E uch er ius ▁of ▁Ly ons ▁( P . ▁L ., ▁L ,