the.com/pontifex
a bridge-builder who ended up building bridges to god instead of rivers.
means an ancient roman high priest, a title later inherited by the pope as pontifex maximus.
from latin for bridge-maker, pons plus facere, originally the college of priests who literally maintained rome's sacred bridges over the tiber and later oversaw religious law itself.
literal meaningbridge builder, not priest, originally
julius caesarheld the title pontifex maximus, 63 bc
pope's titlestill officially pontifex maximus today
tiber bridgepons sublicius was their sacred maintenance job
for instance
pontifex maximus — rome's chief priest role, later absorbed by the papacy
julius caesar — elected pontifex maximus in 63 bc before his political rise
pope francis — formally titled pontifex maximus in vatican documents today