History of the Catholic Church
Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church in the year 33 A.D. in the city of Jerusalem:
History shows that the Catholic Church is the only Church in the world today which traces her beginning with Jesus Christ. It shows that the Catholic Church alone was founded by Jesus, while all other churches were begun by men.
“Catholic” means universal. Universal means ~ a: present or occurring everywhere b : existing or operating everywhere, or under all conditions
St. Cyril said: “Now the Church is called Catholic because it is throughout the world, from one end of the earth to the other, and because she teaches universally and without holding back all the truths of faith…” 347 A.D.
St. Cyril said: “If you are visiting in any city, ask not simply where the Lord’s house is, or only where the church is, but ask where is the Catholic Church, because the religions who treat the church with abuse, irreverence, or contempt also attempt to call their own buildings houses of the Lord.” 347 A.D.
The word “Catholic” comes from the Greek word katholikos, meaning universal.
The name “the Catholic Church” is found for the first time in the letter of St. Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, written about the year 110 A.D.
How St. Peter fits into the founding of the Catholic Church:
St. Peter’s true and original name was Simon. He was the son of Jona. The apostle Andrew was his brother.
Later, meeting his brother Simon, Andrew said “We have found the Messias,” and brought Simon to Jesus, Who looked upon Simon, said: “You are Simon the son of Jona: you will be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter.”
In the Bible and religious writings, you will see St. Peter’s name referred as:
Simon ~ his original name given at birth.
Cephas ~ St. Paul often refers to St. Peter as Cephas ~ means rock
Petrus ~ is from the Latin language ~ means rock
Kipha ~ from the Aramaic language ~ means rock
In the Jewish tradition, the name Peter (rock) was never used before as a first name.
While journeying along with His Apostles, Jesus asks them:
"Whom do men say that the Son of man is?"
The Apostles answered: "Some say John the Baptist, and Elias, and others say Jeremias, or one of the prophets".
Jesus said to them: "But whom do you say that I am?"
Simon said: "You are Christ, the Son of the living God".
And Jesus answering said to Peter: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
And I say to you: That you are Peter, a rock, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
And whatsoever you will bind upon earth, it will be bound also in heaven:
and whatever you will loosen on earth, it will be loosened also in heaven".
Then he commanded His disciples, that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ (Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-21).
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?"
Peter said to Jesus, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."
Jesus said to Peter, "Tend My lambs."
Peter said to Jesus again, a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?"
Peter said to Jesus, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."
Jesus said to Peter, “Shepherd My sheep.”
Jesus said to Peter the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?"
Peter was grieved because Jesus said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?"
And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You."
Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird (to fasten or secure clothing, for example with a belt or band.) yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go."
Jesus was telling what kind of death Peter would have, glorifying God. (Peter was crucified upside down.) And when Jesus had spoken this, Jesus said to Peter, "Follow Me!"
Peter, turning around, saw the disciple John following them.
So Peter seeing John, said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"
Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?
You follow Me!"
St. Peter was a martyr, he was crucified upside down on a cross, in Rome, Italy.
St. Peter was the first Pope: From the year 32 A.D. to 67 A.D.
The next Pope was St. Linus. 67 A.D. to 76 A.D.
There have been a total of 265 Popes
Pope ~ From the Latin language Papa, meaning Father
Pontiff ~ A High Priest
Vicar ~ From the Latin language, Vicarius, meaning, forming a substitute, a substitute in office. The Pope is often referred to as the Vicar of Christ. This is because the Pope is a substitute for Jesus on earth.
See ~ The seat of the power of the Pope or Bishop. From the Latin, Sedes, meaning a seat.
|
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When Jesus had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Jesus. 21 (Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you." 22 And when Jesus had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." 24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to Thomas, "We have seen Jesus."
But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 26 Now a week later His disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see My hands, and bring your hand and put it into My side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." 28 Thomas answered and said to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to Thomas, "Have you come to believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (His) disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written that you may (come to) believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in His name. John 20: 19-31
And Jesus, answering, said to Peter: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.
And I say to you: That you are Peter, a rock], and upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
And whatsoever you will bind upon earth, it will be bound also in heaven:
and whatever you will loosen on earth, it will be loosened also in heaven".
Then He commanded His disciples, that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-21).
|
