the power of the keys
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The supreme ecclesi- astical authority claimed by the pope as successor of St. Peter. The phrase is derived from St. Man.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the power of the keys” mean?
The supreme ecclesi- astical authority claimed by the pope as successor of St. Peter. The phrase is derived from St. Man.
Is “the power of the keys” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.