Pope Paschal I (Latin: Paschalis I; died 824) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 25 January 817 to his death in 824.

According to the Liber Pontificalis, Paschal was a native of Lazio Rome born Pascale Massimi and son of Bonosus and Episcopa Theodora.

[3] The Liber Censuum says that Paschal was from the Massimi branch of the Massimo family, as was his predecessor, Stephen IV.

[4] Pope Leo III placed Paschal in charge of the monastery of St Stephen of the Abyssinians, where his responsibilities included the care of pilgrims visiting Rome.

[5] According to early modern accounts, Leo III may have elevated Paschal as the cardinal priest of Santa Prassede.

[6] Goodson attributes this account to a "desire to explain the attention that the pope so lavishly and prominently paid to that church later in his career.

According to the Liber Pontificalis, Pope Paschal's legate Theodore returned with a document titled Pactum cum Paschali pontifice, in which the emperor congratulated Paschal, recognized his sovereignty over the Papal States, and guaranteed the free election of future pontiffs.

[9] At first, Emperor Louis confirmed the agreement reached in Rheims with Paschal's predecessor, Stephen IV, and detailed in the document Pactum Ludovicanum about free papal elections and noninterference in Church affairs unless officially asked for help.

Paschal refused to submit to the authority of the imperial court, but he did take an oath of purgation before a synod of thirty-four bishops.

Paschal gave shelter to exiled monks from the Byzantine Empire who had fled persecution for their opposition to iconoclasm.