History of Catholicism in Rome: Medieval

Ann T. Orlando

3 October 2005

Outline

Review from last time Constantine Barbarian Invasions Tensions between Eastern and Western

Christianity Importance of Rome in West

Christianity in Rome before Constantine

Small, Greek speaking community Site of martyrdom of two great apostles: Peter and

Paul c. 64 AD Bishop of Rome is preeminent among other bishops Christians worship in small house churches Martyrs are the great heroes of the period

– Catacombs are places of burial– Tombs of martyrs become site of reverence and pilgrimage

Diocletian: Just before Constantine

Roman Empire suffering internal and external strife at end of 3rd C

Diocletian divides Empire into 2 sections (East and West) with an Augustus and a Caesar

– Constantine’s father Caesar in West To encourage unity Diocletian starts an Empire-wide

persecution of Christians in 303– This was the worst of all persecutions

When Diocletian retires, war breaks out among successors

Map of Roman Empire: Diocletian’s Divisions http://www.unc.edu/awmc/awmcmap45.html

Constantine the Great (c. 280-337)

Constantine’s father, Constantius, one of the Caesars

When he dies Constantine declared Augusts by his army

Pivotal battle was at Milvian Bridge in Rome

– Constantine has a vision (dream) of a cross and sees “By this sign conquer”

– Victory at Milvian bridge gives Constantine sole control of the Empire

Considers Christianity true religion; but only baptized on his death bed

http://harpy.uccs.edu/roman/constant.jpg

Constantine and Rome

Constantine celebrates his victory by

– Building an arch in forum near the Coliseum

– By completing huge basilica in forum

Leaves Rome to establish Constantinople as Eastern Capitol

http://harpy.uccs.edu/roman/archcon10.jpg

Constantine and Church in Rome

Before he leaves, he ‘gives’ most of Rome to the Pope

– That is, he gives the land and buildings of his enemies to Pope

– Most important of these is the Lateran Palace

Church overnight becomes the most important landholder in Rome

– Converts pagan temples into Christian churches– Builds new Churches, especially at site of martyrdoms with

money from Constantine

Conversion of Temples: Pantheon

Built c. 120 AD Renamed Mary of the

Martyrs– But everyone still calls it

the Pantheon

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Pantheon.html

Main Churches in Rome

Built by Constantine on Site of martyrdoms

– Church of St. Lawrence– St. Peter’s Basilica– St. Paul Outside Walls– St. John Lateran

All rebuilt in later centuries

– Baptistery of John Lateran remained

http://www.holycross.edu/departments/visarts/projects/kempe/pilgrimage/chr_stjohn.htm

Former House Churches

Become sites of major Churches

Known as Titular Churches Example: San Clemente

– Large churches built over site of house churches

Churches Celebrating Mary

Starts with Council of Ephesus, 431, which formally declares Mary Theotokos, Mother of God

Most famous and earliest in Rome is Mary Major, built in 432

http://www.hp.uab.edu/image_archive/cr-03/cr-01/mosaic03.jpg

After Constantine

Little has changed in terms of pressures on Empire– Barbarians– Internal strife; civil war amongst Constantine’s

sons

Barbarians attack and sack Rome in 410– Huge psychological impact throughout Empire

After Sack of Rome

Waves of Barbarian invasions– Goths– Huns– Visigoths– Vandals

Increasingly in the West only civil authority is in the Church– Bishops act as judges and magistrates– Only people who can read

Western and Eastern Churches become increasingly separated, as political divisions grow

– Takes centuries– Roman Empire exists in East with Constantinople as its capitol

until 1453

Development of Church as Political Power

Church did fill vacuum Church was a ‘democratic’ place

– Place of meritocracy

Pope was the most politically powerful person in Western Europe for about 1000 years– Pope crowns Charlemagne, 800– Pope crowns Holy Roman Emperors

Driving Force: Monasteries

The center of spirituality, education, culture in Western Europe during the ‘dark’ ages

Started in East in 3rd C, but adopted in West in 4thC Most important Western Monastic figure: St. Benedict of Nursia

– Lived in Rome for a while– Moved to Monte Cassino just outside Rome– Benedicts Rule

Many churches is Rome have cloisters and monasteries associated with them

Many Popes, including Gregory Great (d. 604) were monks

Pope St. Gregory Great (540-604)

Benedictine monk; wrote a life of St. Benedict– Lived in Monastery of St. Andrew (now known as

St. Andrew and Gregory the Great)

Gregorian Chant Clerical reforms Sent missionaries to England

Modern Map of Romehttp://catholic-resources.org/AncientRome/Platner-modern_rome.jpg

November: Renaissance and Baroque Rome

Great churches Great art Great city planning All in a time of great upheaval in the Church (the Reformation) Why I am skipping 800 years

– Rome was the political capitol of Europe; Pope as king maker in Germany and France

– But great intellectual and artistic developments moved to France (e.g., University of Paris; Romanesque and Gothic architecture)

– Much of Medieval Rome destroyed in Baroque and Modern periods

– Greatest Christian city in this period was Constantinople (New Rome