PERSECUTION 5.

did not pay taxes to the Roman government and refused

- violent actions directed against the early Christian Church by inscription to the Roman army
their enemies 6. for having different way of life, faith, and morals

Jesus tells the disciples what would happen to them in the PERSECUTORS
future– sent out into the world where they would move in 10 great persecutors from Apostolic times to the Edict of
constant danger, without power to withstand the attacks of Milan (313 AD):
their enemies 1. Nero (56-68 AD)
*advised to be prepared for hostility, to be wise and yet remaining - accused Christians of being haters of mankind
simple - shift the blame for the burning of Rome in July 64
*must guard their integrity AD from himself to the Christians
*with their sufferings, they will share in Jesus’ own passion - victims: Peter & Paul
2. Domitian (81-96 AD)
Death and resurrection of Jesus became the starting point of - victimized Christians from the noble families
Christian faith. - year 95 AD: executed Flavius Clemens
- sent into exile Flavius Clemens’ wife, Flavia
The 1st Church at Jerusalem consisted of Judaeo-Christians Domitilla, and his sons
who continued to worship in the Temple and to fulfill the law - exiled apostle John to Patmos where he wrote the
of Moses. *faith in Jesus = new lifestyle of communal sharing of book of Revelations
goods 3. Trajan (98-117 AD)
*in daily celebration of the breaking of bread, remembered the - considered Christianity as an organized threat to
covenant love of God with His people in and through the death the peaceful existence of the empire
and resurrection of Jesus 4. Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD)
- seized properties of Christian communities and
STEPHEN tortured them
- Jewish deacon, full of faith and the Holy Spirit 5. Septimius Severus (193-211 AD)
- 1st martyr of the Catholic bible - did not allow fresh conversions in the empire
- arrested and stoned to death when his enemies could not 6. Maximinus Thrax (235-238 AD)
refute his wisdom - persecuted the clergy
*triggered a general persecution in Jerusalem so that Jesus’ 7. Trajan Decius (249-251 AD)
followers sought refuge elsewhere, preaching the gospel - commanded everyone to offer sacrifice to the state
wherever they traveled God; refusal to comply = death
- passed general laws
7 DEACONS - destroyed Christianity
1. Stephen [Link] - recalled all Roman citizens to the state religion
2. Philip 6. Parmenas 8. Valerian (253-260 AD)
3. Prochorus 7. Nicolaus - forbade all Christian gatherings and assemblies
4. Nicanor - persecuted clergy and nobility
*clergy who resumed to hold services in the
ST. LORENZO RUIZ catacombs and other secret places were sanctioned
- 1st martyr of the Philippines with death
9. Aurelian (270-275 AD)
ALMOST STONED TO DEATH - allowed anti-Christian legislation to remain but did
a. Mary Magdalene not seriously implement it
b. Mary, mother of God 10. Diocletian (284-305 AD)
- reversed Emperor Aurelian’s policy and unleashed
REASONS FOR PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS the bloodiest persecution of Christians
1. refused to worship the Roman emperor - ordered:
2. would not join in the pagan ritual activities, which were a. destruction of Christian churches
believed to please the Gods; they became a threat to the very b. burning of all copies of the sacred
well-being of the community scriptures
3. were accused of practicing cannibalism, for eating the body c. prohibition of conducting Christian
and blood of Christ meetings
4. accused of incest, for the customary greeting with a kiss, by
the members of the Christian community
SAUL (PAUL) 2. Dove
- zealous Pharisee from Tarsus - symbolizes peace
- persecutor of early Christians - peace: work of justice and the effect of charity
- encountered Christ (light) and was blinded, but healed by - descent of the Holy Spirit
Ananias 3. Fish
- thereafter believed in God and was renamed Paul - symbol of Christ before the 5th century
- traveled around the Mediterranean Sea and Greece, preaching 4. Phoenix
with unrivaled enthusiasm - symbolizes the resurrection of Christ from the dead
- abandoned his Jewish origins and traditions - mythical bird that lives for 500 years then consumes its life,
- concentrated on Christ’s good news, thus alienating many arising renewed from ashes
Jews 5. Bread
- Romans considered him a leader of a sect preaching a - symbolizes the body of Christ
revolutionary form of Judaism, a threat to social order
- arrested on his last visit to Jerusalem The Catholic Church traces its origin back to the Old
*being a Roman citizen, he demanded to have his case Testament (QAHAL) and the New Testament (EKKLESIA).
decided by the emperor himself Both terms mean the people of God called together or an
assembly convoked by God. They stress the action of God in
Paul’s conversion to faith in Jesus Christ and his subsequent calling the people together.
missionary journeys across Asia Minor and around the
Mediterranean became a great turning point in the history of NATURE OF THE CHURCH
the early Church. a. MYSTERY
b. SACRAMENT
EDICT OF MILAN
- end of persecution CHURCH AS A MYSTERY
- issued by Constantie in year 313; his way of unifying his - church is not limited to what we observe
people - there is something beyond that guarantees its continuous
- granted tolerance to all religions in the whole Roman empire existence and development despite its sinful members, which
*after 3 centuries of hiding and persecutions, the legality of the can only be perceived by faith
Christian Church and its practices was finally attained *imbued with God’s presence, uniquely related to the TRINITY
in the economy of salvation and TRINITY as model of
CONSTANTINE OPENLY FAVORED CHRISTIAN community and life
RELIGION (starting year 312)
1. cleric enjoyed tax exemption just like the pagan priest in the CHURCH AS A SACRAMENT
empire - visible reality which Christ has formed in this world as a
2. crucifixion as punishment was abolished sacred sign of His presence
3. church leaders were permitted to acquire properties - the sign which also means He uses the church to give us the
4. Sunday was declared as a public holiday for all unity and holiness He actually confers through it; He is really
5. gladiatorial combat was abolished as punishment for present in
offenders. *violent fighting wherein only 1 person/group can win - sign and instrument of communion with God and of unity
6. beautiful church structures reflected the emperor’s among all men
recognition of Christianity *1st purpose of the Church: to be the sacrament of the
inner union of men with God (since men’s communion
SIGNS AND SYMBOLS with one another is rooted in that union with God–
- used by early Christians to keep their belief a secret from Church is a sacrament of the unity of the human race)
Roman authorities *the 7 sacraments are the signs and instruments by which the
*when Christianity was declared as the official religion of the Holy Spirit spreads the grace of Christ (head) throughout the
empire, the use of emblems, signs, and symbols to express the Church (body); the church contain and communicate the invisible
reality of Christian faith was allowed grace it signifies– church as a sacrament

EARLY CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS The Eucharist and the Church’s entire sacramental and
1. Anchor liturgical life engage in a continual interaction. Christ’s
- symbolizes hope fundamental saving action reaches the individual through the
- hope: conflict expectation of the divine blessing and the Church and its sacraments, and at the same time, the
beatific vision of God; fear of offending God’s love and of individual’s positive embrace of the saving action sanctifies and
incurring punishment builds up the Church.
MYSTERION the faithful into one communion of believers, and
- translated into Latin by 2 terms: guides the Church
1. mysterium 2. The Church is Holy
2. sacramentum - we are sinners, but the Church remains sinless
*in later usage, the term sacramentum emphasizes the visible because it was founded by Christ– can never be
sign of the hidden reality of salvation which was indicated by the tarnished or less than perfect
term mysterium - although Church remembers sin, Church as a Body
of Christ, is sinless
CHRIST HIMSELF IS THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION 3. The Church is Catholic
- for there is no other mystery of God, except Christ - 2 things:
- saving work of His holy and sanctifying humanity is the a. Church possesses the fullness of Christ and has
sacrament of salvation, revealed and active in the Church’s received from him the fullness of the means of
sacraments (holy mysteries) salvation
b. Church has been sent on a mission by Christ to
SCRIPTURAL IMAGES OF THE CHURCH all people in the world to gather all the People of
1. Kingdom of God God (catholic = universal)
- central theme in the teachings of Jesus, particularly 4. The Church is Apostolic
in the New Testament - Church is founded on the Apostles
- described as both a present reality and a future hope - Jesus sent his Apostles to continue his father’s
2. People of God mission, and he gave them authority and power to
- concept is grounded in the covenant made between pass on to others what they had received from Christ
God and Israel, signifying a special relationship - Jesus declared that His Apostles and their successors
- includes all believers, regardless of ethnic/cultural would speak for Him in the serious business of
background gathering in and sanctifying His people and leading
- being part of “People of God” implies being in a them toward salvation
covenant relationship with God
3. Body of Christ FULLNESS OF GRACE
- Church is just like a body, but is the body of Christ, - Jesus intended that the fullness of his grace should come to
really made in him, in his “mystical” body His People in a Church that, from the beginning, was what the
- emphasizes unity of all believers regardless of Creed still calls: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic
individual differences
- each member of the body has a unique role and MARKS OF MISSION
function, just as different parts of a physical body - Lord himself founded the Church and marked it with
contribute to its overall health and operation characteristics which reflect its essential features and mission
4. Temple of the Holy Spirit - through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church fulfills
- Church is the creation of the Holy Spirit these marks
- Christ is the Head of the Church, so is the Holy - our duty: make these 4 marks of the Church visible in our
Spirit its soul daily lives

MARKS OF THE CHURCH

- stated in the Nicene Creed
- inseparable and intrinsically linked to one another
- reflect the Church’s essential features and mission
*Christ himself marked the Church
- 4 marks:
1. The Church is One
- united in charity, one in the profession of faith, one
in the common celebration of worship and
sacraments , one in the Aposyolic Succession
- there is only one source, the Holy Trinity, a perfect
unity of 3 divine persons
- there is only one founder, Jesus Christ, who came to
reconcile all mankind and one “soul,” the Holy
Spirit, who dwells in the souls of faithful, unites all