persecuted Popes went to their glorious deaths, persecuting Emperors found
death, assassination or insanity (and even the occasional lightning bolt!).
During the age of persecution, early Fathers and Apologists would write the
first pieces of Christian literature outside the canonical Scriptures. The
value of their writings were matched by both the value of their lives and
their martyrdoms. Sts. Ignatius, Polycarp and Justin resound from the
second century, Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria from the early third.
As Rome decayed further, more frequent would be the persecutions.
Bishops, Priests and Deacons – none would be spared the sword, whip,
rack or roast. Young virgins, old men, even the Scriptures and sacred
vessels would feed the flames. Heroes abounded, but so did apostates. It
will always be easier to speak of martyrs than to die as one.
“In Thee, Lord, we place our trust. We shall never be put to shame.” That
trust in the Lord would not be in vain. While the Church endured Her tenth
and so far greatest persecution from the Tetrarchs Diocletian, Galerius,
Maximian and Daia, a doubtful Constantine contemplated seizing Rome
from the tyrants. The haruspices said no, but the cross and the words in the
sky said yes: “In Hoc Signo Vinces.” The battle was fought nine miles
outside of Rome, and on October 29, 312 AD, Constantine’s labarum with
the letters Chi-Rho entered the ancient capital of the Empire in triumph.
And so would begin a new era – the liberty of the Church. It would be a
springtime of Church construction and mass conversion (though some
insincere). But he who “goes about seeking the ruin of souls” never sleeps,
and heresy would be his next weapon. Donatis, Arius, Nestorius and
Eutyches would plant their seeds of doubt and division. In response,
Councils, Creeds, Saints and Fathers would rise to meet the challenge. New
heroes of colossal stature would appear: Athanasius, Ambrose, Hilary,
Basil, Chrysostom and Augustine – just to name a few. So, too, new types
of Christian heroism – the hermitical and monastic lifestyles.
From liberty to establishment – Christianity would become the official
religion of the Roman Empire in 380 AD. But it was an Empire in its
death-throws. Not even a growing Church and new Christian civil laws
could save it. Finally overwhelmed by the barbarians, it would be carved up
and fade into romantic memory. To some it seemed the end of the world;
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