The beginning of r.r. church

[Elizabeth]

The beginning of
THE  R OMAN UNIVERSAL  CHURCH
and who ruled it

313 AD
After almost three Centuries of brutal and bloody persecution, the Roman emperor Constantine issues an edict, granting all Christians full freedom to practice their religion.
321 AD
Constantine issues an edict forbidding work on Sunday, and making it the day of worship.
324 AD
Constantine establishes Christianity as the official religion of his empire. It will become known as the “ Roman universal church “.
325 AD
Constantine calls the first ecumenical Council at Nicaea. 318 Bishops attend to settle doctrinal disputes, one of which was the relationship of Jesus to the Father. The teaching of Arius, a priest, that Jesus was created was rejected and condemned. Another ruling of the council was that the commemorating of Christ’s death be no longer kept, enforced by death to those who would still do; instead; the resurrection be  celebrated on Sunday.
451 AD
The fourth ecumenical council was held in Chaldean, a city in Asia Minor. When Bishop Leo I of Rome ended his pronouncements, Bishop Augustine of Hippo North Africa offered his approval by saying, “ Rome has spoken, the cause is ended.“ While the rest of the bishops responded “ Peter has spoken by Leo, let him be anathema – that is accursed – who believes otherwise”.
452 AD
Attila the Hun threatens to invade Rome. The bishop of Rome, Leo I, meets with Attila; and the invasion is avoided. This increases the prestige and power of the  bishop  greatly.
455 AD
Bishop Leo I saves Rome again, by persuading the Vandal king Genseric, of north Africa, to take the people’s wealth, but not their lives.
533 AD
Justinian, Eastern Roman emperor, declares that the bishop of Rome be the head of all bishops, and be the only one to be called “Pope”.
553 AD
Justinian calls a general church council in Constantinople, to settle disputes between Catholics who believe in the two natures of Christ – divine and human – and the Monotheists, who believe in the one nature of Christ – divine.
565 AD
Justinian dies; his death leaves the western empire and Rome without real protection. The eastern emperors consider themselves still rulers of the west, but more and more matters are left up to the Pope of Rome, who eagerly assumed charge, including military matters. Now he was also able to take on the title “ Pontifex Maximus“, pontiff for short. To become the pope of Rome, to become Pontifex Maximus – chief religious ruler – was the desire and ambition of many bishops and none clergies as well. It was bought; it was sold and occasionally obtained by murder. Also, the use of icons and images, and the veneration of the Virgin Mary and Saints, had become increasingly more popular. The true Christians, however, inheriting from Judaism repugnance toward idolatry, disapproved of these practices. In the Eastern Empire, many battles were fought over icons:
726 AD
Emperor Leo III has icons removed from churches and destroyed.
780 AD
Empress Irene permits the use of icons in church service again.
800 AD
Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne holy Roman emperor of the west. The pope makes two statements here; one, he declares his independence from the eastern empire; two, he shows the world that the pope rules over kings; not always with success, however.
813 AD
Emperor Leo V of the east removes all icons again.
843 AD
Empress Theodora elects the once persecuted iconoclast, Monk Methodius, to the patriarchal throne, from which he declared the final restoration of icons.
896 AD
Newly elected pope Stephen VI has the body of former pope, Formosa's, exhumed. The corpse is dressed in papal regalia and put on trial, charged with treason, assaulted with questions and accusations, and after the trial dragged through the streets of Rome. The next year, pope Stephen VI is himself overthrown, imprisoned, and strangled.
904 AD
Sergius III becomes pope after ordering the murder of his predecessor. He lives openly with a prostitute, Mrozia. He fathers a number of sons by her. One of the sons will be the future Pope John XI. His reign begins the period known as, “the rule of the harlots.“
955 AD
Pope John XII turns the Lateran (popes) palace, into a literal brothel.
962 AD
Pope John XII crowns Otto the Great, of Germany, “holy Roman emperor”. The pope, however, refuses to give an oath of obedience to the King; so Otto deposes of Pope John XII, and makes his own candidate pope, Leo VIII.
1059 AD
Pope Nicholas II convenes the Lateran Council, which decrees that a College of cardinals will elect future popes. This action takes away the emperor’s influence in papal elections.
1073 AD
Pope Gregory VII declares, “The pope is master of emperors.” The pope insist the pope is above all nations and rulers, and only responsible to God.  King Henry IV of Germany disagrees. The disputes escalate to were the king attempts to depose the pope. The pope instead excommunicates the king. This action by the pope absolves all of Henry’s subjects from their oath of allegiance to the king and triggers a revolt in Germany. Henry gives in to the pope; in December of 1077, he meets the pope at Canoes, Northern Italy. The pope makes Henry stand barefoot in the snow, for three days and three nights, before he grants him absolution. The power struggle between church and state, however, continues.
1215 AD
Frederick II is crowned holy Roman emperor; he is engaged in a fierce struggle with pope Gregory IX. Each calls the other Antichrist. The pope claims that the Roman church has never erred; to resist it is to resist God.
1302 AD
Pope Boniface VIII in a bull (official document) asserts that to obtain salvation, every man must be subject to Rome, and that the pope is supreme over all kings, and that under penalty of excommunication, kings are not allowed to tax the clergy. His bull is received with violent apposition from all rulers. The French king writes the pope a letter and addresses him “Your Supreme Foolishness“.
1305 AD
Pope Clement V takes up resident in the city Avignon, France, because of political unrest in Rome. Popes remain there till 1377 and become the tool of the French court. This stay is also referred to as “the Babylonian captivity”.
1378 AD
Urban VI, an Italian, is elected pope. French cardinals disagree and elect a Frenchman as pope, Clement VII. There are now two popes, and each excommunicates the other and each calls the other Antichrist. In 1409, cardinals from both sides meet in the council of Pisa, to depose both popes and elect a new pope, Alexander V. The other two popes refuse to resign; now there are three popes. Finally in 1417, the Council of Constance deposes of all three popes and unanimously elects Pope Martin V.
1492 AD
The church is loosing its grip on people because of the corrupt lives popes live, such as Pope Alexander VI, formerly Rodrigo Borgia, who neglects church affairs in pursuits of personal pleasures. He also has a son, Cesare Borgia.
1511 AD
German monk, Martin Luther, makes a pilgrimage to Rome. He is appalled at the corruption and vice he finds so openly practiced there. He has often heard the popular proverb, “If there is a hell, Rome is build over it“; now he believes it. Luther is further disturbed by the selling of papal indulgences or pardons for sins. The selling of indulgences had become big business.
1517 AD
Martin Luther nails a document to the door of the Castle Church, Wittenberg – Germany. On it are his 95 theses, disagreements, in criticism of the churches’ doctrine and the selling of indulgences.
1520 AD
In June, Pope Leo X issues a bull, criticizing Luther’s teaching. In December, the same year, Luther publicly burns the papal bull. An ecclesiastical revolution to be known as the “Protestant Reformation“ is now in full swing.
1521 AD
Luther is excommunicated. Emperor Charles V summonsed Luther for a hearing before the assemb
ly of Worms – Germany. Luther refuses to recant, and nothing is settled. Charles declares war on protesters; in spite of great persecution, Protestants gain in followers.
1545 AD
The Roman universal church organizes the “Counter Reformation“. The Council of Trent decrees a thorough reform of the church, and clarifies church doctrine. These efforts eliminate many of the abuses that had triggered the Protestant Reformation.
1555 AD
Both religion, Catholic and Lutheran, are officially recognized within the empire.
1618 AD
Political rivalries among the many petty princes of Europe are sharpened by religious differences among them. Peace collapses, and the most terrible of all religious wars brakes out. Catholics and Protestants fight each other for thirty years. The German countryside lies in ruins.
1789 AD
The French Revolution has begun. King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette are guillotined; and thousands of Catholics, priests and nobles, are massacred; the revolution lasts for thirteen years.
1798 AD
In a disagreement with Pope Pius VI, the French General Napoleon sends his troops to Rome, and takes the pope prisoner. He is brought back to France and jailed. He dies there the next year.
1804 AD
Pope Pius VII publishes an address, in which he declared it to be the doctrine of the gospel that all should obey established governments, including himself.  Napoleon summons the pope to Paris to witness the self-crowning of the first French emperor.
1809 AD
Napoleon decrees the Papal States annexed as part of the French Empire. Pope Pius VII replies with a bull of excommunication. Napoleon replies with a laugh. “ In these enlightened days, none but children and nursemaids are afraid of curses.” The pope becomes Napoleons prisoner and is taken to the City Fontainebleau, near Paris.
1813 AD
Pope Pius VII finally signs the Concordat. In it, he places all authority in Napoleons hands to nominate bishops and metropolitan, without any power of the pope to veto such appointments. The pope is permitted to return to Rome the next year. The pope’s power to rule has been broken; the indignation has been accomplished (Dan. 11:36).
1834 AD
The Vatican abolishes torture.
1870 AD
Pope Pius IX declares the infallibility of the Pope. This dogma holds that when a pope speaks officially to the Catholic church, on a doctrine of faith or morals, he cannot err.
These historical facts should really make us think what foundation the Catholic church has been build on. It is obvious, in this twenty-first century that the pope no longer has the power he once had, but his influence remains strong.              
When all of this happened the Church had already believed in the trinity doctrine. It was in 155 when Tertullian was born and the doctrine of the trinity was His achievement to Christianity. It is a man made doctrine and not of God.
Math. 15:9 tells us that in vain they do worship me teaching the doctrine and commandment of men.

Take heed.
Peace and Love Irene

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