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114 pages

English

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Think you really know Church History? Think AgainThe Catholic Church is the longest-standing and the most universal of all institutions. The contributions made by Catholic men and women over the past 2000 years are most impressive, from a properly functioning calendar to the inventions of many things that we all take for granted today.In 101 Surprising Facts About Church History, Fr. Meconi, SJ walks readers through the most amazing achievements of Christ''s Body on earth. From economic and mercantile developments to scientific and astronomical advances, from the cataloging of zoological and botanical species to the cherishing of beautiful music and fine arts, Fr. Meconi shows you why the Catholic Church stands as the greatest promoter of human culture and knowledge.Did you know:•A Catholic priest held the first insights into the "BigBang" theory well before anyone else?•The first prototype of today''s moving robots wasfound in a medieval monastery?•Many types of food and drink have their originswithin the Church, including cappuccino, sparklingwine, and pretzels•The Holy Bible was the first work of the GutenbergPress•The Church has patron saints for all sorts of things,including headaches, ugliness, fireworks, hangovers, and televisionFr. Meconi''s 101 Surprising Facts About Church History takes you through 2,000 years of amazing achievements and contributions by the Church and her many sons and daughters. Beautifully illustrated and chronologically arranged, this work is a reliable guide through centuries of Church figures, facts, and fun.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

Catholic Church

History of Christianity

History of religions

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Publié par	TAN Books
Date de parution	24 avril 2017
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781618907349
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	11 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0500€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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ABOUT CHURCH
H ISTOR Y
TAN BOOKS
Copyright © 2016 TAN Books.
All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts used in articles and critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form whatsoever, printed or electronic, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with per- mission.
Cover and interior design by Caroline Kiser
Cover image: statue of Saint Denis beheaded, patron and first bishop of Paris, in the Crypte of the Sacre Coeur. Photo © Jose Ignacio Soto / Shutterstock. Back cover image: The Colosseum, built 70-80 AD (photo), Roman, (1st century) / Rome, Italy / Bridgeman Images.
ISBN: 978-1-61890-733-2
Published in the United States by TAN Books PO Box 269 Gastonia, NC 28053 www.TANBooks.com
Printed and bound in the United States of America
TO THE HOLY SOULS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US, IN GRATITUDE FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO PRESERVING THE C ATHOLIC F AITH
Preface

W ithin his collection of one hundred short stories, Giovanni Boccaccio (d. 1375) tells the tale of a shrewd Jewish businessman and lifelong Parisian named Abraham. Desirous of entering the Catholic Church, Abraham’s busi- ness savvy finds it reasonable to visit Rome first to see for himself exactly what kind of people Catholics really are. A devout and dear friend of Abraham’s, Giannotto di Civignì, begs him not to go to Rome but to simply present himself to the archbishop of Paris for immediate baptism. Giannotto admits his fear that Abraham will make it to Rome and see the graft and corrup- tion of the pope and the Curia, and would then be too scandalized ever to become Catholic. Disregarding this advice, Abraham travels to the Eternal City and soaks in as much Italian Catholicism as he can stand. He comments not only on the beautiful churches and works of art but also on the prelates who were drunks and gluttons, lax in their prayers and even worse in their morals.
Upon returning to Paris and to the home of Giannotto, Abraham rushes in and declares that he is more eager than ever to be baptized.

Incredulous, Giannotto asks how this can be.
“I see that what these scoundrel clerics so zealously want never takes root. But the exact opposite happens: despite them, your Church grows continually and shines more and more brightly.” Therefore, Abraham concludes, “it is quite clear to me that your Church must have the Holy Spirit for its foundation and support,” arguing that it would have collapsed centu- ries ago were it not for this divine foundation ( Decameron , First Day, Novel Two).
This is a good piece of theology to keep in mind when surveying Church history: it is ulti- mately God who inaugurates, sustains, guides, and brings His Church to completion. As such, the history of the Church is just as much about the fidelity of God as the antics of God’s people. The following collection of facts attest to how the Catholic Church has survived horrible popes and violent dictators, and has been home to billions of sinners in need of a community where they could finally know love.
From the invention of hospitals to hyper- texts, from ancient Gospels to the founding of modern genetics, the Catholic Church has made
The Seven Joys of the Virgin, 1480, by Hans Memling (1435/1440-1494), Memling, Hans (c.1433-94) / Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany / Photo © Tarker / Bridgeman Images

all our lives more beautiful, meaningful, and efficient. Each of us is surrounded by Catholic events and images, often unaware of how the Faith has formed our culture.
For example, Christmas literally means Christ’s Mass, Halloween is really All Hallow’s Eve, and, where there is a time for feasting, there is also a time for fasting. Mardi Gras is of course French for “Fat Tuesday” because we fast the next day—Ash Wednesday—and the term Carnival is derived from two Latin words ( caro , meat, and vale , goodbye) because it is the time of year we say goodbye to the tastier things of life until Easter morning. The Spanish adios and the French adieu both send you off with the blessing of God ( Deus in Latin), as does even our own “goodbye.” Ancient Christianity permeates who we are today, informing how we keep time, cele- brate occasions, speak, see the world, and more.
Church history is full of both important achievements as well as many unfortunate atroc- ities. 101 Surprising Facts About Church History is meant to show how much the Church of Jesus Christ has done for all of God’s children. From basic human rights to the judgment of cultures

by how they treat the most vulnerable of people entrusted to them, traditional Christian beliefs have given voice to the inherent dignity of every human person more than any other creed or set of principles. The Church helped end modern forms of slavery, condemned as abhorrent all forms of child sacrifice, and elevated the status of women by condemning polygamy, artificial birth control, and abortion.
Jesus Christ wills the eternal joy and sal- vation of every human person. He founded a Church for no other reason than to save souls. The Church is the means by which Christ redu- plicates His own life in others. It is here in this visible community of saints and sinners that the world comes to witness Christ tirelessly pastur- ing His people back to Him. As such, enjoy this traipse through two thousand years of Church history, coming to see the beauty and the rich- ness of this eternally important drama.

St. Ignatius of Loyola July 31, 2016
1
The first name for Christians was “People of the Way”
B efore they were known as Christians, Jesus’s followers were called “People of the Way” (cf. Acts 9:2). They first became known as Christians in Antioch (see Acts 11:26) and were later called Catholics. The Greek word katholikos means “according to the whole” or “universal,” while the word “church” is an anglicized version of the Greek ekklesia , which means “to be called out from this world.”
( above ) Saint Pierre Church in Antakya (Hatay) Turkey. This cave, which was used by the very first disciples to be called Christians, is one of Christianity’s oldest churches. De Agostini Picture Library / Bridgeman Images
( above ) St. Paul preaching in the synagogue at Antioch, illus- tration from ‘Harold Copping Pictures: The Crown Series’, c.1920’s (colour litho), Copping, Harold (1863-1932) / Private Collection / Bridgeman Images
The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith. She bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men. She encompasses all times.
—CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 868
2
The Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the Western world
T he Catholic Church is the only ekkle- sia that teaches she is the one, visi- ble, and uninterrupted Church founded by Jesus Christ. The Church is thus the oldest institution in the Western world, trac- ing her roots back to Christ’s founding recorded in Matthew: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church” (16:18). As the English writer and Catholic convert G.K. Chesterton
came to realize, the Catholic Church is the only institution capable of freeing us from the “degrading slavery” of being children of our age, and the only one on earth who talks “as if it were the truth; as if it were a real messenger refusing to tamper with a real message.”
( below ) Giving of the Keys to St. Peter, from the Sistine Chapel, 1481 (fresco), Perugino, Pietro (c.1445-1523) / Vatican Museums and Galleries, Vatican City / Bridgeman Images
3
The Catholic Church has many major rites
C hrist’s Church is much wider than the Latin or Roman rite with which most westerners are familiar. There are two other ancient Eastern rites originating from the earliest sees of Christianity: the Antiochene and Alexandrian rites. Under the guidance of St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, an influential bishop of Constantinople, the Byzantine rite
arose a bit later, as did the Armenian and Syrian rites further east. The term “rite” refers to the prayers, ceremonies, and practices of a religious body. Such rites (see table, opposite page) are not different Churches but ancient and diverse ways the one Church has always worshiped, so as to respect the traditional customs of a local people.
( below ) The Fathers of the Church: Saint Basil of Caesarea, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Gregorius of Nazianzus—an icon of 17th cent. from Lipie, Historic Museum in Sanok, Poland. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Genealogy of the Christian Churches
JERUSALEM
Church of the Twelve Apostles
+ These Catholic Churches have an established hierarchy in the United States.
* The Ruthenian Church has its orgins in the peoples from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today, this area of the former empire includes the following national and cultural identities: Carpatho-Rusins, Slovaks, Hun- garians, Croatians, and others.
( above ) Landscape with Saint John on Patmos, 1640 (oil on canvas), Poussin, Nicolas (1594-1665) / The Art Institute of Chicago, IL, USA / A. A. Munger Collection / Bridgeman Images
4
St. John was the only Apostle who did not die a martyr
P eter and Paul made their way to Rome after A.D. 60 to evangelize at the heart of the empire. In the year 64, a devastating fire broke out in Rome and the emperor Nero, blaming the Christians, used it as an occasion to squelch this new reli- gion