Here's why:
* "El Papa": This refers to the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church.
* "De la": This is a prepositional phrase meaning "of the".
To understand the meaning, you need to know what comes after "de la".
For example:
* "El Papa de la Iglesia Católica": This would translate to "The Pope of the Catholic Church".
* "El Papa de la familia": This would be a humorous phrase, meaning "The Pope of the family" (a father who is strict or controlling).
* "El Papa de la música pop": This would refer to "The Pope of pop music" (someone considered to be a great influence or authority in that genre).
Therefore, you need more context to understand the meaning of "el papa de la".