When one usually thinks of the catacombs of ancient Rome, images of the dead lying on shelves and persecuted Christians often come to mind. Not to be confused with the Parisian catacombs that were created much later, Rome’s underground complex first appeared at the end of the second century, providing a place for the dead to be buried that was close to the borders of Rome. These burial chambers are often thought of as the final resting place for a great many of the early martyrs of the Church, and while that is often true, they were not the only ones to be buried in this place. Widely used by all, the catacombs were and remain a place full of rich history of the early Christian Church (Christian Catacombs). In this paper, I will be showing the true users of the ancient catacombs, and how the early Christians were not so different from the pagans who inhabited Rome at the time.
Prior to the issue of the Edict of Milan in 313, Rome was a very hostile place for the early Christians (Bishop 106). These Christians were living alongside pagans who were unsympathetic to their religious beliefs, and who were all too willing to serve as persecutors. Because of the illegality of their faith, they were forced underground – quite literally. While the underground burying of the dead was not unknown to the Romans, “with Christianity much more complex and larger burial hypogea originated in order to welcome the whole community in only one necropolis” (Christian Catacombs). In actuality, there were catacombs that were used by Christians, Jews, and pagans. The Roman catacombs were widely used between the second and fifth centuries, and were maintained until the ninth century. The catacombs would fall into disuse around the ninth century,...
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...Studying our origins will teach us a lot about our faith, and it is not something that should be taken lightly. It can change the way that we think and strengthen us in ways that we did not think possible.
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Transition: Considering the catacombs are filled with death, it is expected that there are horrendous stories and legends surrounding them.
St Peter’s basilica which is built based on rational form of architecture is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City, designed by Donato Bramante. Its significant history is that according to the Catholic tradition this was the place that Saint Peter was buried. Not so far away...
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In 1241, King Louis IX was 27 years old, when he decided to build the Sainte Chapelle to house his great treasures – the relics of Christ. In the thirteenth century, the kingdom of France was a prosperous nation in wealth and power. The popular and well-known university, Notre dame was located in Paris that occupied over 200,000 students from many different cultures. “In 1237, the new Franc Emperor of the East, Baudoin II de Dourtenay, was faced by heavy expenses of a mainly military nature; he tried to meet these by selling the Relics of the Passion that were preserved in Byzantium and which he had already partly pledged to the Venetians” (Finance 4). In 1239, Louis bought from him the Holy Crown of Thorns, and two years later bought from him fragments of the True Cross and other relics connected to Christ. King Louis IX was a model for all Christian kings, and this reaffirmed his devotion to Christ, made his kingdom shine in western Christianity, and supported the empire of France. “It is probable that from this date onwards the king thought of building a monumental reliquary to house the precious relics in a dignified manner within the palace precincts, in a similar fashion of the Christian Emperors of the East” (Finance 5). The Sainte Chapelle sparkles like a rare jewel that has magnificent architecture and decoration; the stain glass windows seem to be inside of a jewel case. The many jewels seem to change color every hour with the sunlight rays bouncing back and forth. “The founder, King Louis IX, the future St. Louis, who had it built to house the Holy Relics of the Passion, today dispersed” (Finance 1). The spire has statues of Christ’s apostles at the base of the spire and has angles decorated above the apostles. The ...
Humans have asked questions about their origin and their purpose on earth for eons. The Bible tells humans that God created them and explains their purpose. However, since the Renaissance, humanism answers questions about origins by naturalistic means and science has been redefined in the process. Most institutions of higher education and many individuals have adopted the naturalistic theory of evolution to explain human origin without considering its effects on faith. In contrast to prevailing thought at Goshen College, a literal six-day creation is foundational to the Gospel message. Combining evolution and Christianity makes one’s faith less logical and opens one’s science to new quandaries.
In Ancient Rome, life was vital in every aspect. Continuing to the afterlife was even more imperative to the Romans. The families were very superstitious and believed that passing on to the underworld was sacred and ideal. Life was not always as great as it was made out to be in Ancient Rome; many conditions and problems created quandary in people’s lives. The final days of family members were highly regarded as were the burial customs, illnesses, and treatments and results.
“In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” (Thessalonians 1:8, 9). The Middle Ages was a time of death, pain and superstition; no one could escape God’s judgment. When the Roman Empire fell, The Church had created an everlasting clutch of control over the people. If one did not obey The Church, they were excommunicated and labeled heretics, cast out into the world with no spiritual guidance, never to see the light of God again. However, The Church also offered hope and a chance of salvation in a time that was inevitably grim and solitary. This statement will be proven the through the analysis of The Church’s rise to power, the threat of heretics, the effects of excommunication and inderdictment. The role of monks and nuns in the medieval society, the use of sins and the idea of heaven and hell and how The Church used sacraments to gain control of people’s lives will also be discussed to prove this statement. Christianity is based upon the teachings of a Jewish man named Jesus. He encouraged people to act out of compassion instead of self interest, to tolerate difference and work towards reducing the suffering of less fortunate beings. However, Roman Emperors, Nero, Decius and Valerian, persecuted those who practiced Christianity; regarding the worshiping non-Roman gods as treason. It wasn’t until later in the Empire’s development that Christianity became more accepted.
The Basilica of St. Denis contributed to the rise of the Catholic Church, for it provided a physical representation of the “Holy Jerusalem”, for many people to see. By viewing this representation of heaven, many people reestablished their faith into the church and longed for salvation, so that they can be accepted into the “spiritual heaven” after their death. This desperate attempt to gain salvation caused individuals to devote themselves to the church, which brought the Catholic Church leverage, power, and wealth.
The rise of Christianity in Rome did not come easily. It came with much destruction and death. The spark of Christianity in Rome came from an appearance of Martyrs in Rome. Martyrs were people that were executed for going against the common beliefs of pagan (polytheistic) ways. (Tignor, 2011, p. 286) Because of these awful executions, Christianity is said to be based off of “the blood of martyrs.” One of their main ways of spreading Christianity was through the sharing of their writings and by 300 CE there was an exceptional amount of book production throughout Rome. (Tignor, 2011, p. 289) “Christianity operated as one among many minority religions in the Roman Empire, and on several occasions experienced widespread persecution, especially under the emperors Nero (r. 54–68), Decius (r. 249–251), and Diocletian (r. 284–305). However, the situation changed radically under the emperor Constantine (r. 306–337), who in 313 issued the Edict of Milan that made Christianity a legitimate religion in the empire.” (Melton, 2010, p. 634)
At last I arrived, unmolested except for the rain, at the hefty decaying doors of the church. I pushed the door and it obediently opened, then I slid inside closing it surreptitiously behind me. No point in alerting others to my presence. As I turned my shoulder, my gaze was held by the magnificence of the architecture. It never fails to move me. My eyes begin by looking at the ceiling, and then they roam from side to side and finally along the walls drinking in the beauty of the stained glass windows which glowed in the candle light, finally coming to rest on the altar. I slipped into the nearest pew with the intention of saying a few prayers when I noticed him. His eyes were fixated upon me. I stared at the floor, but it was too late, because I was already aware that he wasn’t one of the priests, his clothes were all wrong and his face! It seemed lifeless. I felt so heavy. My eyes didn’t want to obey me. Neither did my legs. Too late I realised the danger! Mesmerised, I fell asleep.
Hall, Gerald. "Jesus' Crucifixon and Death." Academics' Web Pages. School of Theology at McAuley Campus. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.
Scott, Robert. The Gothic Enterprise: A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2003.
Church History in Plain Language is written by Bruce L. Shelley. This work focuses on the history of Christianity from 6 B.C. to the current period. It covers some of Christianity’s greatest events, theologians, and the various subsection of Christianity. Other than the events leading up to the death of Jesus, I had very little knowledge of Christianity’s history. After reading through the book, I have gained understanding on the Christian Councils, scholasticism, Christendom, and modern trends of Christianity.
Family history is very important to an individual. By knowing where you come from, you can have a better perspective of your life. Having a clear understanding of your family background allows you to better appreciate the things that you would normally take for granted. The house, the car, and the average clothing may look better when one sees the sacrifices their family has made. They will see that their family has worked very hard just so their family can experience the better things in life. A persons roots and origin is one of the most important things to explore. It alone can bring you closer to self-discovery.