Showing posts with label Early Christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Early Christianity. Show all posts

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Saint Ninian in Scotland


We just learned about the Latin Vulgate Bible.

Another part of early Christian history is Saint Ninian in Scotland.

The center of emperor Constantine's missions to spread Christianity to the Roman empire was in Constantinople, in what is now called Turkey.
It spread west, to Greece, Italy, France and Spain, and even all the way to England.

North of England is the country of Scotland, and at the time there were people living there known as "Picts".
They worshiped animals, trees and all sorts of other mythological things.

A man named Ninian went to visit Scotland around 400 AD to talk to the Picts and tell them about Jesus and Christianity.
He built a church in the town of Whithorn and called it "Candida Casa" which means white house, and many of the Picts became Christians.


(from: wikipedia - ninian)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jason - Bishop of Tarsus

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Latin Vulgate Bible


We just learned about the The Great Persecution - Persia.

Another part of early Christianity was the Latin Vulgate Bible, made in 382 AD by Saint Jerome.

The original writings in the Bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament were in all different languages.
Some of the books were in the languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
So if someone wanted to read the whole Bible they had to know how to speak three different languages!

Some people had translated a few parts of the Bible into Latin, which was the most commonly spoken language in the Roman empire.

A man named Jerome was given the job of putting together one whole copy of the Bible in Latin, and trying to make it as perfect as possible with no mistakes.
Jerome did such a good job that he is called Saint Jerome, and the Bible that he made called the Vulgate became the most trusted Bible anywhere.
Even today some churches use the Latin Vulgate version for some of their church services in Latin.


(from: wikipedia - vulgate)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lucius - Bishop of Laodicea in Syria

Sunday, September 15, 2019

The Great Persecution - Persia


We just learned about the city of Constantinople.

Another part of early Christianity is the The Great Persecution - Persia.

The great persecution is the name for when Christians were killed or put in jail for being Christian.
It had happened in Rome a long time ago, until Constantine took over.

After he created the city of Constantinople and was the ruler of the Roman empire, some of the other countries did not like him and were worried that he would come and try to take them over.

In the country of Persia, there was an emperor named Shapur II who was at war with the country of Rome.
The leader of the Christian church in Persia was named Simeon Barsabae.
Shapur II got angry with him and all the other leaders of the church because they were Christian, and the Roman empire was the head of the Christian church, so he killed Simeon and thousands of other Christians to try and stop Christianity from coming into his country.


(from: wikipedia - shemon bar sabbae)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Olympus and Rhodion

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Constantinople


We just learned about the life of monks, called Monasticism.

Another part of early Christianity is the city of Constantinople.

In the old Roman empire, the head of the capital was the city of Rome in Italy.

When Constantine was the emperor, he wanted to make a new city to rule from that wasn't Rome. In the city of Byzantium in what is now the country of Turkey he built up the city and called it "Nova Roma" or "New Rome", and it was later called Constantinople.

In this city the emperor ruled the Roman empire and also helped churches get started and help spread Christianity.


(from: wikipedia - constantinople)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Philologus - Bishop of Sinope

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Monasticism


We just learned about the Fifty Bibles of Constantine.

Another part of early Christianity is Monasticism, which means talking about monks.

We've learned a lot before about Monks and Nuns.

During the years 300-400 Christianity went from became illegal and people being killed for being a Christian, to being legal in the Roman empire.

Around that same time is when people started going off by themselves to live in caves, or live in buildings together called monasteries or convents.

Monks and Nuns have been around for hundreds of years, but it first started in the 4th century (300 - 400 AD) and when it was made legal people started making places for monks to live, and the monks also started being very important in how people understood the Bible.


(from: wikipedia - christian monasticism)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Caius - Bishop of Ephesus

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Fifty Bibles of Constantine


We just learned about the Four Great Uncials.

Another part of early Christianity is the Fifty Bibles of Constantine.

When Constantine made it safe to be a Christian in Rome, a lot of people became Christians, and new churches started being made.

In these old times, they didn't have easy ways to make copies of books.
A person called a scribe had to write down by hand every single word every time they wanted to make a copy, so it was a lot of work.

Constantine wanted to make sure that all of the churches were teaching the right things, so he ordered that his scribes make 50 copies of the Bible, and that they would be sent to all the churches in the city of Constantinople.

Most of those Bibles were lost, but some people believe that the Four Great Uncials we just learned about where part of that collection.


(from: wikipedia - fifty bibles of constantine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Linus - bishop of Rome

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Four Great Uncials


We just learned about the Codex Vaticanus, the oldest copy of the Bible ever found.

Another part of early Christianity is the Four Great Uncials.
The word Uncial sounds like "uh-nt-shell" and it means a kind of ancient writing.

Just like the Codex Vaticanus we just learned about, there are three other old writings called Codex that were discovered through the years.

- Codex Vaticanus, written around 300 AD
- Codex Sinaiticus, written around 330 AD
- Codex Alexandrinus, written around 400 AD
- Codex Ephraemi rescriptus, written around 450 AD

These all have the Old Testament and New Testament in them, and because they were found from different parts of the world over a hundred years apart, the Bible historians try to use them to make sure that the Bibles we read are all correct.



(from: wikipedia - great uncial codices)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Asyncritus - bishop of Hyrcania

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Codex Vaticanus


We just learned that Christology is the study of what Jesus was really like.

Another part of early Christian history is the Codex Vaticanus.

This is the oldest copy of the Bible still existing in the world, written some time around 325 AD, over 1,500 years ago!

It is written in Greek, and has copies of the Old Testament and New Testament in it.

The Codex was found some time around 1400 AD, and has been in the library in Vatican City since then, for over 500 years.

People have used this codex to make sure that the Bibles that people have today teach the history as it was written down over a thousand years ago.


(from: wikipedia - codex vaticanus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Rufus - Bishop of Thebes

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Christology


We just learned about the Seven ecumenical councils where people met a bunch of times to try and solve disagreements about what to believe.

Another part of early Christianity is Christology.

This is the study and understanding of who Jesus Christ was, in every detail.
From before he was born, when he was born, everything he did on earth, how he died and what happened afterward.

Between the years 300 and 400 AD, a lot of people talked about every single thing that Jesus did and had meetings with each other to try and decide on what was the truth.

It all happened during this time, because for the first time ever people could be Christians without going to jail, and there were churches, leaders and really smart people everywhere learning everything they could about Jesus.

Christology really continues even today as people read and study about Christianity and work to understand what the truth is!


(from: wikipedia - christology)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Agabus the Prophet

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Seven Ecumenical Councils


We just learned about Christianity in Armenia, with the country of Armenia being the first to become Christian.

Another part of early Christianity was the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

We learned before about the First Council of Nicea where people met to decide about the right ways to believe in God and Jesus, and what was true from history.

For a long time, people kept having arguments about what was true and what wasn't.
Any time there was a big argument, they would meet together at what they called an "Ecumenical Council" which just means a church meeting.

For over 400 years people met together to try and solve arguments, and these big meetings were called the Seven Ecumenical Councils:

- The First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, talked about what Jesus was really like.

- The First Council of Constantinople in 381 AD talked about the Holy Spirit.

- The Council of Ephesus in 431 AD talked about sin and about Jesus' mother Mary.

- The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD talked about different leaders of the church, and about Jesus.

- Second Council of Constantinople in 553 AD talked about what Jesus was like.

- Third Council of Constantinople in 680 AD talked about what Jesus body and mind was like.

- Second Council of Nicaea in 787 AD talked about whether people should make paintings or pictures of saints and Jesus.

That's a whole lot of meetings with a lot of church leaders!

People worked hard for hundreds of years to try and make sure they were teaching people the truth about God, based on all of the writings in the Bible and other historians from thousands of years.

Even today all the leaders of the churches meet together to try and make sure they are spreading the word of God the way that they believe is right.


(from: wikipedia - first seven ecumenical councils)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Aristobulus - Bishop of Britain

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Christianity in Armenia


We just learned about the First Council of Nicea where people met to talk about what the truth was about Jesus.

Another part of early Christianity was Christianity in Armenia.

In the year 301 there was a religious person named Gregory the Illuminator who grew up learning about Christianity.
When he was older he talked to the King of Armenia named Tiridates III about Christianity, and the King decided to become Christian too.

Gregory baptised Tiridates III, and then the King decided to make Christianity the official religion in the country of Armenia.



(from: wikipedia - gregory the illuminator)



(from: wikipedia - tiridates iii of armenia)



(from: wikipedia - tiridates iii of armenia)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stachys - Bishop of Byzantium

Sunday, July 14, 2019

First Council of Nicea


We just learned about the story called The Golden Legend.

Another part of early Christianity was the First Council of Nicea.

As Christianity was spreading all over the world, some people were arguing over what the meanings were of different parts of the teachings of Jesus and the Bible.

One of the biggest things people fought about was whether God the father was really Jesus' father or whether Jesus was as powerful as God the father.

A few hundred church leaders were all invited to come together and figure out what the right answer was, to a place called Nicea.

After they talked, they wrote up the Nice Creed, a way for people to remember what the real truth was.
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father [the only-begotten; that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God,] Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father By whom all things were made [both in heaven and on earth]
Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down and was incarnate and was made man
He suffered, and the third day he rose again, ascended into heaven
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
And in the Holy Ghost.


(from: wikipedia - first council of nicea)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Urban - Bishop of Macedonia

Sunday, July 7, 2019

The Golden Legend


We just learned about the Holy Tunic.

Another part of early Christianity is The Golden Legend.

One of the things about early history, is that many people would tell stories, and it was very hard to tell what was true and what was not.
After Saint Helen was said to have found the Holy Cross, there was a story that was told about the history of the cross.
It said that a seed from the apple that Adam and Eve ate from in the garden of Eden was planted in the ground and buried with Adam.
Then a tree grew from that seed, and the wood from that tree was used to make the Holy Cross.

Most people think this was just a story, and it is not a part of the Bible.
It's a good example of how hard it can be sometimes for Christians to make sure they are keeping the right history and teaching people the truth about Jesus.


(from: wikipedia - golden legend)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Amplias - Bishop of Odyssus

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Holy Tunic


We just learned about the Holy Nails that people believe are the nails used to crucify Jesus.

Another discovery that some people believe Saint Helen made was the Holy Tunic.

This is the robe that Jesus wore when he was crucified.

The Bible says that soldiers took it off of him and kept it.
When Saint Helen went on her pilgrimage, stories say that she found it and gave it to a church in the city of Trier in Germany.

The church there has a robe that they say is the real thing, and they bring it out once every 15 to 50 years, but not very much!

Other churches in France, Georgia and Russia also say that they have the robe, so there is no telling which one is the real one, or even if any of them are.

One of the problems with looking at these things from history is that they are over 2000 years old, so things could have been lost or switched a thousand years ago and no one knows for sure.


(from: wikipedia - seamless robe of jesus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Andronicus - Bishop of Pannonia

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Holy Nails


We just learned about the True Cross that Saint Helen discovered.

Another part of early Christianity is the Holy Nails.

The legends of Saint Helen's discoveries after the true cross say that she also found the nails that were used on Jesus' body when he was crucified.

Some stories say that she had the nails put into the armor of her son Constantine so that he would be protected in battle.
There are other people that say that wasn't true, but it's hard to say for sure since that was over a thousand years ago!
Many churches also have special displays with nails or parts of nails that they say were the actual Holy Nails.


(from: wikipedia - holy nail)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Epnetus - Bishop of Carthage

Sunday, June 16, 2019

True Cross


We just learned about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Helena said she found the true cross.

The True Cross is said to be the actual wooden cross that Jesus was crucified on.

In her travels, Saint Helen went to Jerusalem and looked for it.
She had buildings torn down and had people dig around to try and find the cross, and they found three different crosses that they thought might be the right one.

The legends of Saint Helen say that she had a woman who was very sick come to see the crosses.
She touched the first two crosses and nothing happened, and then she touched the third one and was healed.

Today there are many churches that say they have a piece of the True Cross.


(from: wikipedia - helena (empress))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Crescens - Bishop of Carchedon in Gaul

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Church of the Holy Sepulchre


We just learned about Saint Catherine's Monastery, the church built where Moses saw the burning bush.

Another ancient church is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built in 335 AD in Jerusalem.

This is another church that was founded by Saint Helen while she traveled to find important places from the life of Jesus.

Inside this church is the tomb that Jesus was buried in, and also the rock where the cross was standing when he was crucified.



(from: wikipedia - church of the holy sepulchre)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Silvanus - Bishop of Thessalonica

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Saint Catherine's Monastery


We just learned about the Church of the Pater Noster where Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer to his apostles.

Another famous church that Saint Helen helped to set up is Saint Catherine's Monastery.

This is on Mount Sinai, and is believed to be the place where Moses saw the burning bush that was God speaking to him.

There is even an actual live bush growing there, that people say is still the same bush that was on fire when God spoke to Moses.

This church is also a monastery where monks live and study the Bible.
It has a library in it that has been around longer than any other library in the world, going all the way back to around the year 550 AD.



(from: wikipedia - saint catherine's monastery)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past:Silas - Bishop of Corinth

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Church of the Pater Noster


We just learned about the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem where Jesus was born.

Another part of early Christian history is the Church of the Pater Noster in Jerusalem.

In the Bible there was a place called the Mount of Olives, where Jesus appeared to the disciples and then ascended into heaven.

When the emperor Constantine sent his mother Helena out to find some of the important places in Christianity, she came to this place and made a church where the Mount of Olives was.

It's called Church of the Pater Noster because "pater" means father and "noster" means our.
In a cave below the Mount of Olives is where people believe Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's Prayer, which starts with the words "Our Father".



(from: wikipedia - church of the pater noster)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Luke the Evangelist

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Church of the Nativity


We just learned about Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine.

Another part of early Christianity is the Church of the Nativity.

After the emperor Constantine became a Christian, he sent his mother Helena out on a trip called a pilgrimage to go and find some of the holy places from the history of the Bible.

She went to Bethlehem and found the place where Jesus was born.
After she found it, she set up a church there, and it has been there for over 1,600 years, since 327 AD.

In the church there is a spot on the ground where people believe Mary was when Jesus was born.
There is a 14 pointed star on the ground, with a circle hole in the middle.
The points on the star are for the history of Jesus' family from Abraham to David, David to when the Hebrews were captured in Babylon, and then from that time to Jesus.
Where the hole is in the middle is a stone that you can touch, that people believe is the actual stone from when Jesus was born.




(from: wikipedia - church of the nativity)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mark the Evangelist