History of the Church

Jesus born

1 CE

Jesus starts his public ministry

30

Jesus crucifed

33

Jesus resurrected

33

Pentecost

33

Beheading of James

44

By Herod Agrippa

Council of Jerusalem

50

St. Ignatius of Antioch

Period: 50 to 107

Crucifixion of Peter

64

Beheading of Paul

64

Fire of Rome

64

Persecution under Nero

64

Christiani non sint - let the Christians be exterminated.

St. Polycarp

Period: 69 to 155

Important Apostolic Father.
Accused of being Christian in Smyrna. Gov wished to spare, asked him to curse Christ in public but he would not. Sentenced to be burned alive but flames didn't harm him. Killed by a sword. Feast February 23

"Five Good Emperors"

Period: 96 to 180

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, Marcus Aurelius

St. Justin Martyr

Period: 100 to 165

Converted to Christianity @ 13 after studying philosophy.
Wrote an Apology of the Faith addressed to the Emperor. Scourged and beheaded. Feast June 1.

Trajan's Rescript

112

Response to Pliny's questions. More just (no anonymous tips, apostates lived) but still could be persecuted for being a Christian

Hadrian's Rescript

123

Response to Serenus Granianus, Proconsul of Province of Asia. No mob justice, and could only be prosecuted for actual crimes, not just for being Christian. Relative toleration.

St. Irenaeus

Period: 130 to 200

Bishop of Lyon, disciple of St. Polycarp. Combated heresies, esp. Gnosticism. Martyred during reign of Septimus Severus.
Feast June 28.

Tertullian

Period: 160 to 225

Son of Roman centurion, converted to Christianity, wrote Apologetic works, joined heretical sect

St. Hippolytus

Period: 170 to 236

Wrote many Apologetic works, argued with other saints, broke from Church, elected Antipope, exiled with Pope, reconciled to Church, martyred.

Origen

Period: 185 to 254

Theologian, deacon, teacher, priest.
Tortured for two years under Decius and then released, died several years later. Wrote many works but some of his teachings are rejected.

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

203

Noblewoman and slave, forced to raise children and give birth in prison. Scourged, attacked by wild animals, and then stabbed to death.
Feast March 7.

Edict of Decius

250

Made Christianity illegal again to stabilize and unite empire. Christians had to sacrifice to pagan gods and have a certificate to prove it. Christians who refused to sacrifice or did not have a certificate were exiled or put to death

Valerian 1st Rescript

257

Forbade Christians from meeting in public places and from celebrating Eucharist in the catacombs.

Valerian 2nd Rescript

258

Priests, bishops, and deacons immediately executed, and Christians of rank removed from office and sold into slavery.

Pope St. Sixtus II and Deacon St. Lawrence

258

Pope and seven deacons captured while celebrating Mass. Sixtus and six deacons beheaded, but St. Lawrence sent to get Church treasure and bring it to them. Returned with a group of poor people - the treasure of the Church.
Roasted alive, told his guards to turn him over because he was done on that side.

Diocletian's Tetrarchy

295

Constantius - Prefecture of Gaul
Maximian - Prefecture of Italia
Galerius - Prefecture of Illyricum
Diocletian - Prefecture of the East and full leadship over entire empire as "lord and god."

Great Persecution under Diocletian

Period: 303 to 312

Churches destroyed, books burned, Christians imprisoned, tortured, forced to sacrifice to pagan gods, and martyred for the next few emperors until Milvian Bridge

St. Agnes

304

Virgin martyred during persecution of Diocletian. Consecrated herself to Christ @ 12, prospective husbands denounced her as a Christian, tortured by fire, sent to a brothel but first guy who looked @ her with lust struck blind. Finally beheaded.
Feast January 21.

Edict of Toleration

311

Galerius struck ill, believes retribution of Christian God, issues edict tolerating Christians as long as they obeyed law and promised to pray for emperor and empire.

Battle of Milvian Bridge

312

Constantine marches on Rome against Maxentius, Maximian's son. Has a vision of the cross "by this sign you will conquer." Orders troops to etch cross on their shields and wins the battle.

Edict of Milan

313

Constantine and Licinius. Restored all property to Church, freedom to practice religion, made Christianity legal.

First Council of Nicaea

325

Arianism and the Nicene Creed

First Council of Constantinople

381

Divinity of the Holy Spirit

Council of Rome

382

Canon of New Testament declared

Council of Ephesus

431

Nestorianism and Mary as Mother of God

Council of Chalcedon

451

Monophysitism (esp the Eutychian form)

Second Council of Constantinople

553

The Three Chapters Controversy: Nestorianism, Monophysitism, and imperial-papal relations

Third Council of Constantinople

Period: 680 to 681

Monothelitism; admonished by Pope Honorius I

Second Council of Nicaea

787

Iconoclasm

Fourth Council of Constantinople

Period: 869 to 870

Photian Controversy: potential East-West schism; deposed Patriarch Photius

First Lateran Council

1123

Investiture Controversy; simony; clerical celibacy

Second Lateran Council

1139

Arnold of Brescia's (twelfth century heretic who condemned all clerical material possession) teaching and criticism of the Church; put an end to papal schism

Third Lateran Council

1179

Process for papal elections (only cardinals); condmened Albigensianism and Waldensianism

Fourth Lateran Council

1215

Transubstantiation of the Eucharist; annual Penance; suppression of Albigenses; crusades

First Council of Lyon

1245

Deposition and excommunication of Emperor Frederick II; crusades

Second Council of Lyon

1274

Healing of the Great Schism with Constantinople

Council of Vienne

Period: 1311 to 1312

Suppression of the Knights Templar

Council of Constance

Period: 1414 to 1418

Great Schism of the papacy, condemnation of Jan Hus

Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence

Period: 1431 to 1445

Reform and union with the East

Fifth Lateran Council

Period: 1512 to 1517

Reform of the Church, esp discipline (failed)

Council of Trent

Period: 1545 to 1563

Protestantism and reform

Council of Trent

1546

Final decisive statement on Canon of Scripture

First Vatican Council

Period: 1869 to 1870

Papal infallibility; condemnation of various errors

Second Vatican Council

Period: 1962 to 1965

Renewal of the Church in the modern world
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