Dark Ages

200-650 Fathers of the Church

Period: 200 to 650

Writers of Importance who extended the Tradition of the Apostles. Of two types:
Greek from the east whose primary language was Greek and wrote in Greek.
Latin from the west and whose primary language was Latin and wrote in Latin.

Edict of Milan 313

313

Constantine and Licinius decree for the toleration of religions

St. John Lateran (313)

313

First legal Church in the Roman Empire. It is the cathedral of Rome and is often called the "mother of all Churches"

St. John Lateran and the Lateran Palace

313

Constantine gives the land of the Laterani Palace to the Bishop of Rome and builds him a cathedral --- the first legal church in the roman Empire. It is the cathedral of Rome and is referred in Catholicism as the "mother of all churches".

Council of Niceae

325

Church Council that condemned Arianism, set a common date of Easter (first Sunday after the first full moon of the spring equinox after Passover, Nicene Creed, and canon law.

Arius

336

priest of Alexandria was the creator of Arianism which stated that the Logos was born of the Father as the first act of creation. Condemned at the Synod of Alexandria and again at the Council of Nicaea in 325

Constantine

337

Emperor, Made Christianity legal

Eusebius of Nicomedia

341

bishop of Constantinople, chief proponent of Arianism after Council of Nicaea. He was a good friend with Constantine's sister and got her to protect the Arians. He ordained and sent Ufilius to convert the barbarians in Germania. He baptized Constantine in 337 an Arian as Constantine lay dying.

Antony of Egypt

356

lived as a hermit in Egypt and eventually comes to be known as the father of monasticism. He accepts a few disciples to live around him

Hilary of Portiers (310-368)

368

Bishop of Portiers in Gaul. He was a pastoral bishop who wrote on the truth of the faith and founded monasteries.

Athanasius of Alexandria

373

Bishop of Alexandria who was the chief opponent of Arianism. At the time of the council he was a deacon. Shortly afterwards he was ordained a bishop. He is exiled twice by successors of Constantine who at the behest of the Arians tried to get him on some trumped up charges. He dies on his own diocese in 373.

Basil the Great (330-379)

379

Bishop of Caesarae one of the Cappadocian Fathers who wrote on the Trinity and who also wrote a rule for monks used primarily in the east.

Council of Constantinople 1

381

Church Council called by the emperor Theodosius. Among the issues it dealt with were ARIANISM and MACEDONIANISM: a heresy which denies the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Created the creed today recited in the Church

381 Council of Constantinople --Patriarchs

381

Patriarchs are important bishops usually given territorial authority over an area of bishops and archbishops. In the early Church there were three main patriarchs:Rome, Alexandria and Antioch. In 381 the Council of Constantinople added Constantinople as a fourth and gave it priority over Alexandria and Antioch. This didn't sit too well with Rome.

Ulfilias (311-383)

383

Arian bishop ordained by Eusbius of Nicomedia, he was sent to convert the Goths

Gregory of Nazianzus (329–389)

389

One of the Cappadocian Fathers and good friend of Basil the Great

Gregory of Nyssa (c.332–395)

395

Bishop of Nyssa and Constantinople. He was one of the Cappadocian Fathers

Ambrose of Milan (340-397)

397

Governor of Milan who was elected bishop and became a great pastoral bishop and theologian. He was also the mentor to St. Augustine who he baptized c. 387

Martin of Tours (316-397)

397

Hungarian born Roman officer who at Tours in Gaul had an experience of the poor Christ. This caused him to leave the army and to begin a life as a monk. He later was name bishop of Tours.

The Age of Feudalism

Period: 400 to 1400

Feudalism conventionally denotes the type of society and the political system originating in western and central Europe and dominant there during the greater part of the Middle Ages.

John Chrysostom (349-407)

407

Archbishop of Constantinople his name "Chrysostom" means, "golden tongue" for his eloquence.

410 Barbarian Sack of Rome

410

Jerome (347-420)

420

priest who translated the Bible into Latin called the Vulgate. He also wrote on a number of subjects

Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

430

Bishop of Hippo Regius in North Africa. He was a tremendous scholar as well as a pastoral leader of the Church. One of the Latin Fathers he wrote extensively on many subjects. He died in 430 as the barbarians were literally at the gates of the city of Hippo.

Council of Ephesus 431

431

1.Nestorianism:
2.Nicene Creed: Declaration that those who stray from the Creed are in heresy.
3.Excommunication: Punishment one brings on oneself by straying from the faith in matters of doctrine.
4.Theotokos: God-bearer. Title given to Virgin Mary

John Cassian (360-435)

435

Monk who traveled to Rome and then was asked by the pope to found monasteries in Gaul.

Council of Calcedon (451)

451

Monophysitism: denies the two natures of Christ that is both human and divine. The Monophysites said that Christ had one nature divine.

Attila the Hun (406-453)

453

Leader of a group from the steppes in the east. He attacked western Europe and met his match in a bishop of Rome named Leo

Pope Leo I (390-461)

461

Bishop of Rome who wrote extensively on the Trinity. He also was the first to make a serious case for the role of the Bishop of Rome as successor of St. Peter. He saved Rome from being plundered by Attila.

476- End of the Western Empire

476

In 476 the last roman Emperor Romulus Augustus was deposed by the barbarian chieftain Odaecer

Clovis, King of the Franks (reign 481-511)

511

Barbarian warlord and tribal leader who unites Frankish tribes into a unified confederation and also converts to Christianity through the efforts of his wife Clotilde ( 475-545)

John II

533

His real name is Mercurius. On being elected pope, he becomes the first Bishop of Rome to use a regnal name being called John II.

Hagia Sophia

537

Patriarchial Basilica of the Byzantine (Constantinople) Orthodox Church from 537- 1453. From 1453 to 1931, it served as an imperial mosque after the fall of Constantinople.

Caesarpapism

Period: 537 to 732

Caesarpapism is a period when the Eastern Emperor forced the western Church to submit to its authority by the Emperor giving his blessing to the man who was elected Bishop of Rome.

Benedict of Nursia (480-547)

547

Father of western monasticism, he wrote a rule that balanced a life in community or prayer (ora) and work (labora). He big monastery was at Monte Cassino and his twin sister Scholastica also founded women's monasteries that used his rule.

Council of Constantinople II (553)

553

Repudiated three writers as Nestorians including one of Fr. Joe's favorite people Theodore of Mopsuestia

Justinian

565

An Emperor of the East who reigned 527-565 who tried to reunite the empire. He also commissioned and built the Hagia Sophia

Gregory the Great (540-604)

604

Bishop of Rome who sent missionaries (usually Benedictine monks-- having been one himself) to evangelize the barbarian tribes.

Mohammed (570-630)

630

Great prophet of Islam. He received the revelations that led to the formation of the religious ideals and practices. Originally from Mecca he was forced to moved to Medina. Islam only spreads far and wide after his death.

Rise of Islam

Period: 630 to 1000

Spread of Islam

Period: 632 to 950

Damascus and Antioch in 636 and 637
Jerusalem 638
Alexandria 642
Crossed into Spain in 711
Defeat of Islamic forces at Constantinople by Leo Isaurian in 717
Charles Martel, King of the Franks halted Muslim invasion of Europe in 732.

Isidore of Seville (560-636)

636

Bishop of Seville in Spain who was often considered the last of the western Fathers of the Church

Council of Constantinople (680-681)

681

Monothelitism: denies that Jesus has two wills: human and divine which match his 2 natures: human and divine. The Council condemns this and says the two wills are essential to the two natures.

Charles Martel (Mayor of the Palace--- Leader of the Franks 737–741)

741

Remembered most for the Battle of Tours in 732 where he pushed the Islamic forces into Iberia (Spain) and thus helped to crush the Islamic move into Europe.

Stephen II, Bishop of Rome 754

754

The bishop of Rome makes an alliance with the Frankish kings, specifically Pepin II and then begins the break with the Eastern Emperor. This alliance provides the pope with protection and gives him the "donation of Pepin" which become the Papal States. He refused at his election to wait for the approval of the Byzantine Emperor.

Roman Synod 769

769

Under Stephen III -- Bishop of Rome --- declares that the office of the Bishop of Rome should be elected from deacons and cardinal priests of Rome.

Council of Nicaea II (787)

787

Iconoclasm and relics

Charlemagne (Charles the Great reigned 742-814)

814

Ruler of the Franks who was crowned by Pope Leo III as the Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day 800 in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. This begin the definitive separation of the east and the west

Pope Leo III (Bishop of Rome --- 795-816)

816

Bishop of Rome who for a variety of reasons crowns Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor on December 25, 800 at St. Peter Basilica in Rome. The event is significant especially for the fact that the pope crowns the Emperor and gives him a title showing that ultimately he is over the Emperor.