Christianity

  • Christianity is a Religion that emerged during the Roman Empire around 30 CE, based on the Teachings of Jesus.
  • Despite strong persecution, Christianity was finally adopted as the Roman State Religion by the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 CE.

Jesus

  • Jesus, also known as Jesus of Nazareth (c.1-c.30 CE) and Jesus Christ, was the Founder of Christianity.
  • Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Galilee and died on a hill near Jerusalem called either Calvary or Golgotha. His Teachings are set out in the New Testament of The Bible.

The Bible

The Book of Christianity is the The Holy Bible.

St. Peter

  • St. Peter was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and was mentioned in all of The Four Gospels as one of the Founders of the Early Christian Church.
  • He is considered by the Roman Catholic Church to have been the first Pope or Bishop of Rome and is venerated as a Saint in all the Christian Churches.

The Roman Popes

  • List of the Popes during the Roman Empire
  • The Heads of the Early Christian Church created its structure.
  • It started with St. Peter as the first Pope, and St. Simplicius as its 47th Pope when the Western Roman Empire ended in 476 CE.
  • The principal residence of the Popes was the Lateran Palace between c.312-1309 CE.
  • 445 CE: Valentinian III confirmed the authority of the Papacy when on the 6 June 445 CE he issued an Edict, first recognising the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over all the other Bishops, and second recognising only the Nicene Creed.

Paul the Apostle

  • Paul the Apostle (c.1-64 CE) is also known as Saint Paul or Saul of Tarsus. Although he was not one of the Twelve Apostles, Paul was a Missionary who was instrumental in formulating the Early Christian Church.
  • The two sources for his biography are the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles, many of which he wrote himself.

The Twelve Apostles

  • The Twelve Apostles were the first Disciples who either chose to follow Jesus or were chosen by him, according to the New Testament.
  • After the death of Jesus, they all worked as missionaries to spread the Teachings of Christianity.
  • The Twelve Apostles were:
    • Simon (known as Peter), Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Simon the Zealot, Judas and Judas Iscariot.

The Roman Basilicas, Churches, Monasteries and Catacombs

  • Lateran Palace (312 CE)
    • The Palace was the principal residence of the Popes between c.312-1309 CE and is still in use.
  • Basilica of St. John Lateran (324 CE)
    • The Archbasilica is dedicated to Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.
    • It was built by Constantine I on the site of the Castra Nova previously occupied by the Imperial Horse Guard, and dedicated in c.324 CE.
    • The central bronze doors are from the Curia Julia (the Roman Senate House).
    • The Holy Stairs that Jesus is believed to have walked on, were relocated next to the Basilica from Jerusalem by Helena in 326 CE.
    • As the Cathedral of Rome it is considered to be the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Church, and ranks above all other Catholic Churches including St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Although it is located outside the Vatican City, since 1929, it has been included as a property of the Vatican See and is not under the jurisdiction of the city of Rome.
    • Until 1870 all the new Popes were appointed in this Basilica. It holds the Cathedra or throne of the Bishop of Rome.
  • St. Peter's Basilica (333 CE)
    • The old St. Peter’s Basilica (on the same site as the new Basilica) was completed by Constantine I in 333 CE and was built on the Circus of Nero, over the Tomb of St. Peter. The Tomb, however, was destroyed in a Raid in 846 CE.
    • The new St. Peter’s Basilica was started by Pope Julius II in 1505 CE, who demolished the Old St. Peter’s Basilica and using material from the Colosseum, began a new construction on the same site. Michelangelo was responsible for the Dome and it was completed by successive Popes by 1655 CE.
    • The new St. Peter’s Basilica is the largest Church in the world and is a site of Pilgrimage and Liturgical functions. It is regarded as the holiest of all shrines in the Catholic Church.
    • Vatican City
      • The Vatican City State, also known as The Vatican, is an independent city state within the city of Rome.
      • Its titular head is the Pope, who is the Sovereign Pontiff, Head of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome.
      • Its buildings include St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, which holds the Papal Apartments where the Popes reside, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Library, Vatican Museums and the Vaticano Obelisk in St. Peter’s Square.
  • Church of the Holy Sepulchre (335 CE)
    • This is the Mother Church of Christianity, also known as the ‘Church of the Resurrection’, and is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem in Israel. It was consecrated in 335 CE.
    • It is one of the holiest sites in Christianity and a site of Christian Pilgrimage. The church contains the two holiest sites of Jesus:
      • ‘Golgotha’: Also known as ‘Calvary’, the site of his Crucifixion.
        • This was identified in 325 CE by Helena of Constantinople, the mother of Constantine I.
      • The ‘Empty Tomb of Jesus’
        • The site of his Burial and Resurrection.
  • Church of the Holy Apostles (337 CE and no longer extant)
    • The Church was built by Constantine I between 330-337 CE, and was the second most important church after the Hagia Sophia. The Church was destroyed in 1462 CE and no vestiges remain.
    • It was the Mausoleum for the Eastern Roman Emperors of the Byzantine Empire starting with Constantine I, in 337 CE until 1056 CE with Theodora, after which there was no more space. The Emperors were placed in Porphyry Sarcophagi.
    • Seven of the Porphyry Sarcophagi are located in the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.
  • Church of the Nativity (339 CE)
    • The Church of the Nativity is a Roman Basilica in Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine, which is considered to be the birthplace of Jesus.
    • It was the first Church to be built in the Holy Land, and was dedicated on 31st May 339 CE.
    • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a site of Pilgrimage in Christianity.
  • Hagia Sophia (537 CE)
    • The Hagia Sophia was built as the Cathedral in Constantinople for the Byzantine Empire in 537 CE by Justinian I. It was in use until 1453 CE.
    • It then became a Mosque between 1453-1931 and four Minarets were added. In 1935 it became a Museum and in 2020 returned to being a Mosque.
  • St. Catherine's Monastery (565 CE)
  • Catacombs of Ancient Rome (c. 150 CE)

Roman Persecution of Christians

The Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787 CE)

  • Between 325-787 CE, seven Ecumenical Councils discussed and resolved matters of Doctrine and Practice within the Christian Church.
    1. First Ecumenical Council (325 CE)
    2. Second Ecumenical Council (381 CE)
    3. Third Ecumenical Council (431 CE)
    4. Fourth Ecumenical Council (451 CE)
    5. The Fifth Ecumenical Council (553 CE)
      • The Second Council of Constantinople rejected Origen of Alexandria.
    6. The Sixth Ecumenical Council (680-681 CE)
      • The Third Council of Constantinople: rejected Monothelitism and Monoenergism.
    7. The Seventh Ecumenical Council (787 CE)
      • The Second Council of Nicaea: Rejected Iconoclasm.
  • First Council of Nicaea (325 CE)
    • This was the first of the Ecumenical Councils to resolve the differences in Doctrine within Christianity.
    • The Council of Nicaea rejected and banned Arianism, and declared Arian a heretic, and instead, accepted Trinitarianism.
    • The Council established the Date of Easter to be the first Sunday after the Full Moon, following the Spring Equinox on the 21st March. (In Western Christianity this makes it the period between 22 March to the 25th April).
    • The Council also produced the Nicene Creed as well as laying down the basis for Canon Law.
  • First Council of Constantinople (381 CE)
  • Council of Ephesus (431 CE)
  • Council of Chalcedon (451 CE)
    • The Council of Chalcedon was held in 451 CE  and was the Fourth of the Ecumenical Councils, and  presided over the second great schism in Christianity after the Schism over Arianism.
    • Monophysitism: The Council of Chalcedon specifically rejected Monophysitism.
    • Nestorianism: The Council of Chalcedon banished Nestorianism to the East.
    • The Eastern Orthodox Churches split from the West: The rejection of Monophysitism also caused the separation of the Eastern Orthodox Churches from the West, who did not accept the conclusions of the Council of Chalcedon.
    • Confirmation of the Pentarchy: The Pentarchy was made up of the Patriarchs of Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria.
    • The Council ratified the Title of Patriarch for the five Archbishops in the Roman Empire. They became known as the Pentarchy or Holy Patriarchates of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church.
  • Schisms within Christianity
    • Subsequently, there were two major splits over doctrine within the Christian Church:
      • The first was the Great Schism in 1054 CE, when the Eastern Orthodox Church finally separated from the Catholic Church.
      • The second was the Reformation in 1517 CE, when the Protestant Church separated from the Catholic Church.

Theodosius I and the Edict of Thessalonica (380 CE)

  • In 380 CE 37 February, Theodosius I passed the Edict of Thessalonica, which banned all other forms of Christianity apart from the Nicene Creed, making it the State Religion.
    • The Edict ended the worship of the Ancient Egyptian Religion in Egypt, and the Cult of Isis.
    • From 380 CE Theodosius I began persecuting the old Roman Pagan Religion.
    • Between 389-391 CE he passed the Theodosian Decrees forbidding the worship of the Ancient Roman Pagan Religion and the worship of the Ancient Greek Religion. They were condemned as Paganism.
    • He banned the Haruspices (Soothsayers) from practicing Divination.
    • He dissolved and banned the Vestal Virgins, and the Eternal Fire to Vesta was extinguished.
    • Theodosius I ordered the destruction of three famous Pagan Temples:
      • The Serapium of Alexandria, Egypt 391 CE (burnt by Christians).
      • The Temple of Apollo in Delphi destroyed in 390 CE, which ended the Oracle of Delphi.
      • The Temple of the Vestal Virgins in Rome 394 CE
    • He ended the Eleusinian Mysteries in 392 CE, by closing all their Sanctuaries at Eleusis, as being too Pagan.
    • Theodosius I abolished the Roman Olympic Games in 393 CE as being too Pagan.

The Four Great Church Fathers

The Three Petrine Sees (325 CE)

  • St Peter was considered to have been pre-eminent amongst the Twelve Apostles.
  • Rome and Antioch were believed to have been founded by St. Peter, and Alexandria by Mark the Evangelist, his disciple.
  • The First Council of Nicaea 325 CE ratified the authority of the three Bishops of Rome, Alexandria and Antioch as having metropolitan authority over the bishops of their neighbouring provinces.
  • The Eastern Orthodox Church still holds St Peter as well as St Paul, to be the pre-eminent Apostles. They do not accept the Bishop of Rome as the sole successor to St Peter, because they believe St Linus was the first Bishop of Rome.

The Pentarchy (451 CE)

The First States to adopt Christianity as the State Religion

  • 301 CE Armenia
    • This was the first State to establish Christianity as the State Religion.
    • St. Gregory the Illuminator baptised Tiridates III and was allowed to convert the Armenian Nation from Zoroastrianism and Paganism. He is the Patron Saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
    • Other States then followed in adopting Christianity:
  • 341 CE Ethiopia
    • The Ethiopian King Ezana adopted Christianity as the State Religion.
  • 380 CE Roman Empire
    • The Roman Empire adoped Christianity as the State Religion.
    • In 312 CE, it had already legalised the practice of Christianity with the Edict of Milan.

Other Features of Early Christianity

  • Early Christian Symbols before Constantine I
  • Before the symbol of the Cross was adopted, there were various Early Christian Symbols:
    • Alpha and Omega
      • The Monogram of Jesus, meaning his Name as ‘the First and the Last’ because they were the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet.
    • The Dove with an olive branch
    • The Fish
    • The Anchor
    • The Phoenix
  • Christian Symbols after Constantine I (307-337 CE)
    1. The Christian Cross
    2. Chi Rho
      • The Greek letters ‘Chi’ – X, and ‘Rho’ – P, which were the first two letters of Christ when spelt in Greek. Chi Rho became a monogram of the early Christian Church based on a vision held by Constantine I.
    3. IHS
      • IHS are the letters from the first three words of ‘In Hoc Signo Vinces’ (In this sign you will conquer).
      • These are the famous words spoken by Constantine I after seeing the letters Chi Rho in the sky before his victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 CE.
      • IHS also stands for the first three letters of the word ‘Jesus’ in Greek capital letters.
  • INRI
    • This is the acronym for ‘Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum’, which means in Latin ‘Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews’.
    • Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judaea, had this written on a sign and put on the cross that Jesus was to be crucified on.
    • In Western Christianity many crucifixes and figures of Christ on the Cross display the letters INRI, either on the cross or above his head.
  • Mysticism in Christianity
  • The Devil in Christianity
    • The Devil is considered to be a fallen Angel who is in constant opposition against God and is the personification of evil and sin.
    • He is also known as Lucifer, Satan and Beelzebub.
  • Early Church Music (363-1517 CE)
    • Council of Laodicea (363-364 CE). The Council ruled that Hymns and Psalms were to be sung by the Clergy not the Congregation (Laity), and Psalms and Hymns must only come from the Scriptures.
    • This remained unchanged until the Reformation (1517-1668 CE). Musical Instruments were never used during Services in the Early Church.

 

Basilica of St. John Lateran, Rome (324 CE)

Get Directions Go to Visitor Map
Posted in .