The persecution of Christians in Rome was invented. Temple of the Library Trinity on Sparrow Mountains. Crying Christians in Nerone

The Roman Empire

The whole history of the Church of Christians pursued, the so-called took place. "persecution." If there was no persecution in some country, they were somewhere else. The persecution could wear the most different character, could despire, to excite the people against Christians, to accept the laws making Christians with citizens of the third grade, complicate the liturgical life, kill and torture Christians themselves. A strong character, with massive state executions, persecuted when trying to build materialistic societies in the 20th century and at the very beginning of the history of the Church, in the Roman Empire. And if the recent persecution is a consequence of the weapted atheism considering only themselves the correct form of belief, and all the other convictions are harmful to people, why any forms of religion were pursued, then it is not quite clear from the side why there was a persecution in Rome, distinguished by high reliefness.

Empire - Universum. Church too

The state, according to the ancient people, was the most important part of the human life. Philosophers Plato and Aristotle developed the concepts of the ideal state. People tied their lives and happiness with the life and happiness of the state. What to say, even the term "universe" (Okuman) meant first of all inhabited world, and not just inhabited by some people, but known and, in the case of Rome, included or potentially properly included in the empire.

"Empire, starting with Persia, are guided by the idea of" common good "and perform the function of the universal arbitrator. Therefore, the versatility of the empires is justified. The hint of Ap.Pasla on the" holding "since the times of Zlatoust is considered that even the pagan empire has the function of the arbitrator before the faith of God and holds The world evil .... Rome felt an universal versatility, "says Prof. Vakhnach V.L., which looks like the truth, even the Bog Country USSR, apparently, to some extent kept evil as a weakened empire of the current Russia.

Accordingly, all interests and hypics were supposed to be associated with the state. Including religion was supposed to be a publicly useful and approved, loyal to the state of state over the subjects.

The church, similarly, said that faith, the beliefs of people treats her, should believe in the way Christ taught, and in no way differently. That all the other forms of creed of the essence of delusion, and the gods of other religions are at best of the misconception of people, and even demons. That is, the church, as well as the state, brought to power over people, albeit only in his field.

"When the universality of the empire and the church occurs, natural competition happens." The result of such a conflict - Christianity and the state of the Roman Empire, and it was that the latter used their strength and administrative resources to protect various methods. But "I need to dismiss the idea that Christians pursued some villainous emperors, in fact, the best of the emperors were, they performed their duty to the universality of the empire, protected the only versatility without understanding Christianity." For example, Mark Ulsie Traian, called the best, about which there is a western legend, that his dad crumple Gregory is great from Hell, even though he was an obvious persecutor of Christians. And only St. The Great was able to reconcile these two versatility - incense the empire. However, such interpenetration has both positive and negative sides for the development of Christianity, but this is no longer the subject of this work. Consider in more detail the reasons for the persecution.

Dissatisfaction with Christians from various circles of society.

Christianity came to the Roman Empire in an interesting time in terms of religiosity. The educated circles of the empire have practically did not believe in the usual traditional religion, many have separated the views of any of the philosophical schools with their ideas about the Divine and a person in the world. The popular school of skeptics generally said that there is no objective truth, so it is impossible to be confident in the correctness of some kind of creed. Against this background, all sorts of teachings of conquered peoples came to the empire, for example, the Greek cult of Zeus merges with the cult of Roman Jupiter. But, with how always and everywhere, the simple people were the keeper of the usual faith of ancestors. After all, even subsequently, Christianity first became the religion of cities, and farmers were still pagans. Therefore, different layers of the people had several different reasons for dislike for Christians.

For the pagan people, Christians were some incomprehensible people who refused to correct the cult of local gods, they themselves were from the local population, and at the same time they lived with pagans in one city. And if the Deity is pregnant on Christians, it is clear, the whole city or people will suffer. Accordingly, with any epidemic, a bore, a baudewoman, etc. People's discontent could collapse and wrapped on "not", first of all for Christians. In addition, vague rumors about Christian liturgy caused disgust and hatred in the pagans. So, Prof. Bolotov writes: "The accusation of the so-called" t and e s t o v s to k and x e c e x "; the expression it has a connection with the famous legend of Tiest Tiesta, who wants to experience omniscience Jupiter, offered him to beat his own son. This is a popular idea of \u200b\u200bthe sacrament of the Eucharist. Transferred that Christians eat some kind of blood, therefore they clap babies. If they talk about some kind of bread, that means just that they Mukoi babies sprinkle to kill them more safely. The third is the most vigilant charge - in "E D and P O C C I S M EN N I X".. The term is based on the famous legend about Edipe And his shameful marriage with his mother. The basis for the accusation of Christians in this crime was the evening of love. ". Given the closed character of worship, believe in the bloody feasts of the unknown, rejecting revered deities of the sectors, it was easy, knowing the habit of bloody human victims in neighboring peoples, yes, and at the Romans, although in indirect form, for example, gladiatura: "So gladiators - The victims of the dead men, that is, the real dead. ... if briefly: gladiators already "there", on the "Tom" Light. We emphasize: not sentenced to death, and those that have already died. Gladiator "there" in an hour or Ten years later, it is not so important, he is already "their" their ", so to speak, with the seal of death on the chel. As Christian Christian wrote, what sacrificed the dead was considered to be a dead sentence.". " As and believe that the evening of love is just a depraved orgy, the more it was the usual form of some cults. Well, what love if there is no orgy, if you say directly, in a simple understanding of the severity. But at that shock, I was involved in the "Supper of Love" not just some damnitz, and worthy family women, which the morality of Rome, who appreciated the family did not perceive. Atheists (do not honor the gods of Rome), bring children sacrificing, wander ... understand the dislike of Romans is easy.

As we see, there were quite weighty, albeit based on incorrect information. What did educated people think? For them, brought up at the heights of the philosophical thought, studied Plato with its crystal clear ideas about the Divine and a negative attitude towards the material world, Christianity seemed a step back, with something perverting the construction of platonists and other philosophers. "Educated people, or the so-called philosophers, read, in their scholarship, supersay the holy faith in the Lord, according to the unfriendly love of the victim for the human race on the cross. And seeing, with what the hardness of Christians carry their suffering, they said that it was blind and harmful. Fanatism. Even scientists such as Tacit and Plinles Jr., called Christianity Supervision: the first? Difficult, second -? Rough and immense. " And after all, and today, Christians are accused of the "mundane" of the ideal, in the reluctance to argue about the absolutes and spirits in the separation from reality. But this landiness is one of the signs of the truth of Christ the teachings and its very. Only a real god, and not the ideal ideal, could have embodied from love for people.

Sometimes the hate of the rest of the population was directly excited by Christians with their fanatical deeds. Sometimes fanatics destroyed the statues in the temples or other veneration items. "Many Christians did not stop hatred at many. She stretched to study music, painting and even to keep schools, as each of these classes could have to be relevant to the pagan religion, since the school teacher of the Will-Neil should have explained the names , genealogy, adventures of the pagan gods ... War, for example, they considered something inappropriate to the dignity of Christian love and shied away from the martial service. ". How could they react to the romans above all the values \u200b\u200bof civilian courage, including warrior, and their civilization, built on education and philosophy? Only the brutal condemnation of Christianity.

As a result, we see that Christians seemed to be alien and hated as common, and the elite of the Roman society for quite objective reasons. And he saved Christians from the National Samoy, first of all the law of Rome.

The government of the state applies to all in the lives of citizens, the conflict of religions has a conflict with the state.

Everyone in Rome sought to occur by law. Rome was generally an extremely legal state, not just the idea of \u200b\u200bthe right of modern civilization inherited from Rome. But the laws may be different ... And if the law defeated all the laws of the crowd, including Christians, then there were objective reasons why the same law pursued Christians. There were two directions. There were laws and government instructions of old times, which were simply made by Christians, and were other compiled specifically to organize the persecution of Christians ordered. However, sometimes the persecution was caused by the Samoram of Tirana-Emperor, such as persecution in Nerone.

In Rome, the affairs of religion, the cult was a state of state. And the law is not judging by personal beliefs, it was very strictly related to actions, including participation in public cult. Thus, if it was necessary to participate in a certain state cult, everyone who does not participate in it legally accused of counteracting the state. And Christians, of course, did not participate. But, you can ask a question, because there were many cults in Rome! Why did Christians suffered? There were really many cults, but there were restrictions on their existence in Rome itself. In addition, the cults were considered legitimate to recognize those that had an ancient history and some people having such a cult. Thus, for example, Judaism, with all his trouble for the Romans, was fully recognized, as it was an ancient and had a navel. And the cult in any case would have to allow the Senate of Rome with the appropriate act on the basis of this kind of reasoning. And Christianity was new, did not have its own people, but was replenished due to the mission. And, of course, the departure of an unresolved cult is disobedience to the authorities. Those. State crime is akin to treason. Thus, the conservative Rome recognized Christianity for one of the legitimate religions, and for the harmful new sect of Judaism. Which is useful to exterminate.

Such logic demonstrates an example: "No matter how little it was a Jew, for example, Celsius, but when compared with Christianity he gives Jews an advantage." Jews are a special nationality and, having established their local laws, and still hold them. They keep religion, which neither is, but still their domestic, and in this respect they come as all other people; Because all keeps his national customs. Yes, it should be: it is impossible to argue to everyone in his own way, as he came to mind, and it is necessary to comply with the laws established for a society. All countries in the light have long been subordinate to their rulers and should be guided by their establishments; It would be possible to destroy local antigenous institutions "(orig. cels, y, 25)). In Christianity, Celsius sees a batch that separated from his national root (Jews) and inherited inclination from him to the discords. If it were, Celsius thinks, all People wanted to become Christians, then Christians themselves would not want it. With such views, the Roman state could only support Jews in the struggle against Christians, seeing in the last renegox of Jews. "

In addition, in the process of the development of the Roman Empire, the cult of genius appeared (the spirit of the keeper, if so can be called) of the emperor. He was supposed to give him certain ritual signs of attention. And it was a matter of state loyalty, akin to a modern attitude to the flag and other symbolism. It was necessary in certain cases to bridge the image of the emperor incense, and if this does not do, the emperor displays comes out - an insult state. And for this relies the execution. Everything is again logical. And they were not needed not prayer for the emperor who were ready to take Christians, no, it was necessary to formally worship the emperor as a deity. Let in divinity and few people believed seriously. But if the form of the rite is not observed, the criminal will be punished precisely for non-compliance with the form, and not for what he thought.

To all this, you can add economic issues, so in places where there were many Christians, Intod manufacturers losses, idol, cumine, procurers of sacrificial animals. And all this is a serious part of the economy, and the authorities defending it, collapsed on Christians.

Why then, since Christianity was clearly unlawful regarding the right of Rome Religion, the persecution was not so terrible to destroy all Christians in the Empire? The fact is that after all the issue of Christians was not considered, as a rule, important. And a very familiar thing happened - there is a law, but to keep it or not the question of the situation and the will of the authorities. And, for the considerations of humanism, it is better not to especially observe. In addition, the accusation should have been personal from man per person. Those. It was necessary to find some such accusing Christian and proven guilt in court. Then justice worked.

Special decrees of emperors aimed already specifically against Christians did not seek the livestock destruction of people. There were decrees against converts, and the educated in Christianity since childhood was allowed to live on. There were against managers, the bishops and priests suffered, but not laity. There were against books, they suffered again by the commanding in communities and books. So, there was a moment when it was quite possible to gather for worship services: "So, some think that Gallian declared the Christian religion permitted: it didn't happen at all. With Gallian, they used the security of Loci Religiosi, the places where they were going for prayer meetings, and on Christian meetings watched as legitimate. It was not necessary to publish any laws regarding Christian meetings .... ". And Emperor Traian Veli execute Christians only for those Christians (for one name), ordered them in no way to search. Those. The accusation should have been from a private person and only then the authorities reacted. And they could take the accused Christian directly from the community, but not to touch anyone - after all, they didn't do any accusations.

As is known, at the dawn of its existence, the Christian church faced the most severe resistance from the Roman Empire. And in the opinion of many researchers of this period, based on objective historical prerequisites, Christianity was obviously doomed to the conflict with the paganism dominated at that time.

The founder of Christianity, Jesus from Nazareth, was killed by the most shameful penalty in the Roman Empire. By at least, eleven of the twelve of his nearest students took martyrdom, and during the next three hundred years, Christianity was a victim of cruel persecutions that, although they had sporadic character, but until the beginning IV. in. To declare himself a Christian meant to forget about the world and well-being forever, and in some cases such confession ordered a person to the right death.

Since ancient times, it is considered that during the first three centuries, ten most cruel periods of persecution can be distinguished, which occurred during the reign of the following emperors: Nero, Domitsiana, Trajan, Mark Auraliya, Septimia of the North, Maximin, Decia (Decia), Valerian, Averalian And Diocletian. This point of view occupies a strong place in Christian historiography, starting with Blaz. Augustine Averaliya, who has exactly ten major periods of persecution in its fundamental work "On the Grad God" (xVIII , 52). However, in fairness, it should be noted that not all fathers of the church shared this historic concept of Augustine. So, for example, lactations numbers six stages of persecution, and sulpia north - nine.

The most cruel of the persecution was the last persecution, which collapsed on Christians in 303 and with varying degrees of intensity continued until the legitimation of Christianity by Emperor Konstantin І Great. Regarding this, the most bloody period in the history of the ancient church, which is, in fact, the agony of paganism in the premonition of his ambulance, the outstanding Russian church historian V. V. Bolotov wrote that if the people rebelled against Christians, then the state came across Christians, and vice versa . With the full mass of enemies, the church never had a case, excluding the time of Diocletian, when paganism was last and in all the power opposed Christianity.

Without a doubt, dividing the entire period of persecution of ten stages conditionally and schematically, and does not fully objectively reflect the historical picture, which is much richer and diverse. Such an account was initially absorbed by the church as a kind of allusion for ten Egyptian executions or horns fighting against the Lamb in the Book of Revelation (see apoc. 17:12).

In fact, the general, ubiquitous and systematic persecution was less than ten, while private and local - much more than ten. The persecution did not have the same degree of intensity and cruelty by persecutors, and at different periods were shaken by the Roman Empire with a different power. Of course, it is the fact that the most vivid outbreaks of the persecution occurred precisely with those Roman emperors, whom, from the point of view of the degree of integrity of their state duties, could be called one of the best in the history of the Roman Empire. And Traian, and Mark Azeri, and Deci, and Diocletian chased Christians because the preservation of the traditional form of Roman statehood and the fundamental foundations of public life in the Empire played in principle importance.

But the most important thing is that these persecutions had an obvious pridential character. As a result, large-scale and multi-step three hundred years of passage ended not by anything other than the celebration of the Church and the approval of Christianity as legitimate, and later both the state religion of the Roman Empire. According to the famous Western historian Philip Shaff church, "This bloody baptism of the church led to the birth of the Christian world. It was a continuation of the crucifix, for which the resurrection followed " .

At the beginning, it should be noted that as long as Christianity was "Under the cover of Jews" (Tertullian), it shared with hatred and contempt with the Jews. However, Judaism was among the permissible religions in the Roman Empire, and God's fishe was pleased that by the time Christianity declared itself as an independent religion, it was already deeply rooted in the main cities of the Roman Empire. For example, as it is known, the Apostle Paul is under the cover of Roman citizenship, Donozov's preaching about Christ to the limits of the Roman state, and Roman Prosonsul in Corinth refused to interfere with the APOSTOL'S ACTIVITY OVER THE CASE that was the inner Jewish problem.

Here, it should be mentioned why Judaism used in the Roman Empire with legal protection. V. V. Bolotov explains this fact three main reasons:

1. It was ancient and national religion.
2. Jews were political support for Rome.
3. Jewish rites seemed to Romans strange and dirty (for example, circumcision). That is why they thought that Jews could hardly be in principle to have proles among other peoples.

As for the factors that led to the exacerbation of the relationship between the nascent Christian church and the Roman state, many church historians identify a whole complex of such reasons. There is no uniform opinion on this account in church-historical science. Most often, historians talk about the principal incompatibility of the Christian worldview and the Roman state device. However, this theory is not very convincing due to the fact that after the era of Constantine the Great History showed that Christianity may well be inscribed in Roman social reality.

A very interesting point of view leads a person, whose writings we need to turn first. This is the father of church history, Eusevia Caesarian, according to whom the persecution is a heavy pedagogical lesson for the church for its priority, heat and a gradual decrease in moral discipline in it.

At the beginning of the eighth book of his fundamental work called " Church story"Eusevia writes the following words: "While the people behaved adequately, no hate concerned him, no evil demon was able to harm him or interfere with him, for the Divine and Heavenly Dlanu donated and guarded his people. When, having gained more freedom, we began to act indecisive and sluggish when we were to envy each other, to quarrel with each other and hit each other with words like weapons, when our shepherds began to attack other shepherds, and one pasture to another, The shameful hypocrisy has reached the highest degree of evil, then the divine justice, as it likes to do this, tried when the prayer meetings continued, to arise us with a light and moderate punishment, allowing the persecution of the brothers who served in the army " .

Despite the fact that Esvesting Caesarian in this passage writes about the beginning of the diocletian persecution, formulated by them seems to be intellectually honest, universal and very symptomatic. The persecution is the action of the finger of God for a compromise with the world of the sim who went to the church.

Summarizing his analysis of the reasons for persecution of Christians, the outstanding Orthodox Church Historian Professor A. P. Lebedev comes to the conclusion about the inevitability and inevitability of the collision between the Roman Empire and Christianity: "Taking into account the incompatibility of Christianity with state ideas, with the relations of pagan Rome to his own and ingenic religions and, finally, with public requirements in the empire, - we must say that the persecution of Christians could not only be, but should be; And there is nothing surprising if they were really, on the contrary, it would be an unspeakable divom, whenever the persecutions were not at all " .

First, it should be noted that all Roman emperors starting from August, at the same time were both supreme high priests (pontifex Maximus. ). This suggests that in the Roman Empire, religion did not have the slightest independence. She was under the strict control of state power, and the idea of \u200b\u200bseparating the religious sphere of life from secular, today, considered almost the only possible norm, was absolutely alien to the NEMBO, the Roman society. This explains the fact that the religious structure was part of the state system, and religious law - Sacrum Jus. - It was just one of the sub-clauses of common law - Publicum Jus. . That is why V. V. Bolotov comes to the following conclusion: "The Christian Church challenged to paganism, but took this challenge the state, since the pagan church did not exist, and the pagan religion was state" .

Therefore, prof. Bolotov, making interim output in its research, conditionally allocates three main reasons that can be explained by the emergency milituality of paganism in relation to Christianity:

1. The state nature of the pagan religion.
2. Conservatism (Christianity is a new religion) and formalism of a Roman character.
3. Roman religious superference.

That is why the conflict between the church and the Roman Empire was practically predetermined when Christians were in public to publicly voiced the idea of \u200b\u200bthe identity of the civilian life of life in which they were ready to comply with the full obedience to Roman laws, and the spheres of religious, in which representatives of the new religion demanded full freedom Conscience.

An outstanding apologist ІІ in. Tertullian addresses the Roman government the following words: "Everyone can have it, just as a person acts exactly and in religion." . TERTULLYAN Makes a special emphasis on the fact that "The right natural, the right universal requires that everyone was granted to worship who he wants. The religion of one cannot be neither harmful or useful for another " . In his opinion, "To force free people to bring sacrifices - it means to render blatant injustice, do unheard of violence" .

Such views on religious freedom were also expressed by Justine Martyr (apology І ), and at the end of the period of persecutions - Lactancy, who wrote: "Do not resort to violence and injustice, as religion cannot be subjected to coercion. It is necessary to solve with words rather than the scourge, so that there was a place of goodwill. ... quite far from friend torture and piety; Does not want a truth to connect with violence or justice with cruelty " (V .19.11.17).

Of course, such a protest from Christianity against the centuries-old religious rules of the Roman society could not be tolerated and calmly listen to the Roman emperors, which is, in fact, one of the most important reasons those persecutions that were erected to the church at the dawn of Christianity.

This regard is also important to affect the question of how sincerely and deeply pagans of the Roman Empire professed their religious views. Apparently, the essence and content of their faith, as well as its depth and sincerity, did not interest anyone. In order for a person to be considered a trustworthy citizen of the Empire, he was enough to make an external ritual rite before the statue of the pagan deity. Even purely mechanical and absolutely formal committing this external act convinced those surrounding in the political loyalty and civil detention of man.

V. V. Bolotov eloquently testifies that in the Roman Empire "Sincere faith was a sign of undevelopment" . According to this authoritative church historian, "The pagans in their gods believed less than the Christians themselves who fought with them. For Christians, these gods were at least demons, whereas the intelligent pagan was inclined to consider them just for fiction. ... With an easy attitude towards his faith, Rome state people could not understand the severity of the donations whom they from Christians wanted to assume that they demand from them minimum » . And its reasoning on this topic, Vasily Vasilyevich summarizes as follows: "Martyrs with their personal example of high dedication showed the world around the world that religion is so important that sometimes it is better to sacrifice the lifestyle itself than to deal with it" .

As you know, at the beginning IV. in. Under the emperor Konstantin, Christianity gained the status of a permitted religion among many diverse pagan cultures (parity), and at the end IV. in. With the Emperor of Feodosia, it became the only state religion (priority). There is no unambiguous assessment of this historical metamorphosis. Famous church historian, patrol and mobility prot. John Meyendorf writes the following words for this: "The empire referred to the Church as an institution. As a result of this relationship, the entire population was able to adopt Christianity; But at the same time, the Union concluded between the Church and the State, some compromises and known priority shifts from the Church, often - to the detriment of persuasiveness of her evangelism " .

In church-historical science IV. the age is really considered to be a turning point, for it was during this period that there were indigenous changes in the identity and self-consuming of the Christian church. Decently undergoing persecution, which, albeit with breaks, they lasted whole three hundred years, the Church of God established himself, strengthened and took the dominant position in Roman society. And this fact could not impose a comfacing and the attitude of the Church to those religious communities, which were from the status of a minority from the status. This aspect is not as often reflected in church-historical studies dedicated to the first centuries of Christianity, but without the coverage of this important point, any study of persecutions for Christians of the first centuries would be incomplete and intellectually dishonest.

In one of his laws adopted after the Milan Edicta, Emperor Konstantin writes the following words literally: "The privileges admitted to religion should only be used by the counseurs of the Cafe Capital Law. Heretics and schismists we command, not only alien these privileges, but also oblige of different kind Weights and carry them " .

As for the pagans, Konstantin did not want to act on the pagans with rude measures of punishments and constraints. He understood well that such measures would not lead to the desired goal. It is, that is, bringing the pagans to Christianity, he wanted to achieve another way: he raised Christianity to the state of the state religion so that it would be with his glitter and greatness as if involuntarily attracted supporters of pagan cults.

However, after a few decades after the legitimation of Christianity under Constantine, the first cases of the manifestation of intolerance from Christians in relation to the pagans appear. Even an outstanding Orthodox church historian A. P. Lebedev exhibits amazing intellectual honesty in this issue and notes the following fact: "You need to confess - writes prof. Lebedev, - that Konstantin's great thought that the church should attract pagans with their brilliance to attach to it, and not using any measures of violence and rigor - this great thought was not learned by his successors at the Constantinople throne. Forgot or did not understand what Konstantin wanted, and therefore the repression against heretics was very soon came to repression against the pagans " .

And in conclusion, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe modern researcher of this period of church history, which writes: "Fathers of the Church of the Epoch of Means to the Church (Cyprian, Origen, Terertullian, Lactation, etc.) opposed the violent suppression of dissenters Christians. Of course, church wrestlers with heresy have long excluded the main demand of love in matters of faith, began to scold and displacing distemper and innocuous. But sowing hate sooner or late blood. The dominant church soon refused tolerance about which her prayers persecuted.

... Starting with Theodosius of the Great (+395), the heresy was considered a state crime: the enemy of the church is also the enemy of the empire and is subject to appropriate punishment. In 385, the Spanish theologian Prisciyan and his six counterparts were executed in Trier for heresy. Martin Tours and others declared a protest. Amvrosiy, Pope and the Christian world, in general, condemned this first killing of some Christians by others due to differences in faith. But gradually accustomed to this. Already Leo Great with satisfaction was expressed about such an image of actions. In contrast to his past opinion, the Great Augustine, being already in the years and failed in a dispute with Donatists, justified the use of violence against heretics, referring to the Gospel of Luke 14:23. However, he rejected the death penalty, which was used since the beginning V. century in isolated cases - to maniames and donatistam " .

Therefore, the main conclusion from the situation under consideration by us, in which the Universal Church turned out to be IV. c., Must be a firm conviction that, firstly, any persecution of the church is often inconspicuous, but, with a thorough study and detailed consideration, deeply practicing pedagogical admission and the certificate of the Creator for the deviation from the Gospel, and , secondly, even a decent transfer of the next wave of persecutions, which in the history of the church was countless, does not give Christians themselves the right to a response in the same spirit, for the armed coercion and violence never can and should not be an instrument of establishing truth God and the way of reporting truth.

The most developed state of the ancient world was Roman civilization. At the peak of his power, the Roman Empire covered all the coastal territories of the Mediterranean Sea, and all the time expanded its borders in the mainland Europe. The conquered territories became Roman provinces, but this did not mean that the provinces should abandon their life, religion, culture, in favor of Roman culture. At the head of the Roman Empire, the emperor stood, the deliberative body with him was the Senate, and the order in the country was supported by the uncompresenting legions. The country was huge and for connections with the provinces were built roads, the main in the provinces were governors, they performed the will of the emperor. Rome Terepimo treated the religions of the conquered peoples and legalized most religions preached on its territory. In Rome itself, Multi-Leta, there were many eastern deities. Religion in Rome was considered a lot of state, and, accordingly, the holidays dedicated to the gods were public, massive and accompanied by folk walking and depravity. The Roman Empire was under the influence of Greek culture. For a long time, official languages \u200b\u200bin Rome had Greek and Latin.
The Roman state was considered the most legal in the ancient world and with the help of laws respected the will of conquered peoples. The Rentals of the Romans shared the religions of the provinces on the permissible and not allowed, the latter was Christianity. The reasons for the appearance of Christianity in the Roman Empire were partly related to the huge communities of the Jews of Her inhabited. The main preachers of Christ in Rome were the apostles Peter and Paul. The congregation of Christians were secret, passed in the caves, in the catacomb, away from prying eye And for a long time, Romans considered their Jews. Over time, the supporters of Christ became more, people have become encouraged by the imperial authorities, the imperial approach began to emerge. In ancient Rome, the emperor is equal to God, he was brought to his victims, they were defeated, he was afraid. Religion in Rome was a state of state, and not the right of one person. The gatherings of Christians taught that God is one and has no flesh that people are equal to each other before each other undermined the political entry of the imperial power and could cause folk unrest. The first massive persecution of Christians was under the Emperor of Nyrone 65-68 AD. Mad Emperor Neuror arson half of Rome and to take suspicion from herself accused of all Christians. The Romans considered Christians cannibals, mansionate, and easily believed in the arsontal of Rome Christians. Mass persecution and cruel killings of Christians began, they were crucified on the crosses, and then poured oil and set fire to the gardens of the neuron, climbed wild animals. These inconsistencies stopped, only with the death of the emperor. The second stage of the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire was the reign of the emperor of Domitsian (81-96). The emperor proclaimed himself with God and everyone must read him who refused to be collected, those considered to be traitors.
During the reign of Trojan (98-117), an edict was issued, officially recognizing the unlawful preachers of Christ, this was considered a legal basis for killing Christians. The Edict had mandatory legal force throughout the Roman Empire, which made it possible to deal with Christians outside the eternal city. The wise emperor Mark Aurelius simply hated Christians, he saw a threat to the entire estate of the country.
Since the death of Mark Aureliya, the persecution of Christians decreased, they are accustomed to them and almost ceased to pay attention to them.
In the meantime, the Great Empire came into decline, tribes and states began to occur at its borders, putting the power of the power of the empire, Gallic tribes in the north, Persians in the East. The only opportunity to keep Rome's dominance was a refund to tradition, including respect for respect and fear of the Roman gods. To achieve results, all means were good. Any innovants were terrible torture and persecution. Christians became more and more Romans, they did not pray to the Roman gods and even shied away from the service in the army. Such a state of affairs applied a huge damage to the state whose power was kept mainly on military force.
The most terrible persecution of Christians under the Emperor Decity (249-251), he sought to keep power at any cost and murder of Inoverts were his main policy. So the persecution of Christians continued until the section of the Roman Empire on the Eastern and Western.

Why did the Roman Empire pursue (until a certain point) Christians?

Responsible by Jeromona Job (Gmer):

St. Apostle Paul says: everyone who wants to live pious in Christ Jesus will be gone. Evil people and deceivers will succeed in evil, misleading and mistaken (2ndim.3: 12-13). Such a lot of all, for whom the Gospel is leadership for life. We are named persecution here not only the persecution by the Anti-Christian authorities, but also temptations, grief and sadness, who are subjected to people of pious. Turning to his disciples Savior said: If you were from the world, the world would love their own; And how are you not from the world, but I chose you from the world, therefore hates you the world (In.15: 19).

The persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ began from the first days of Christianity. The beginning of the blind leaders of the Jewish people put the blind leaders, but later all the power of the Roman state fell on the primary church. Researchers indicate the main reasons for the persecution by Rome: state, religious and moral.

A language idea of \u200b\u200bthe state assumed all the fullness of the right to manage the public life of citizens, including also religious life. Religion was part of the state system. All Roman emperors starting from August had Pontifex Maximus title (Supreme Priest). Christianity recognized the rights of the state in all spheres of life, except the field of faith. This with a aphoristic conciseness Jesus Christ said in tempting him: give Cesarean Cesar, and God's God (MF.22: 21). In the consciousness of the Romans, the state was the highest value. Christianity proclaimed the highest blessing the kingdom of heaven. The Roman authorities considered the existence of Christians incompatible with the principles of universal domination of the state start in all spheres of life.

2. The religious policy of Roman power was distinguished by tolerance. Conquering all new peoples, Rome kept their cults and even defended them legislatively. It was not difficult for paganism. But even the official religion of Israel used the patronage. Such a policy of Rome was aimed at achieving the stability and strength of the extensive empire. According to Roman law, all the cults and beliefs of the conquered peoples were Religiones Licitae (pervolored religions). Only Christianity had no place in this religious and legal system. It turned out to be outlined. The situation was aggravated by the struggle of Judaism with the New Testament religion. The Roman authorities, pursuing the "illegal" religion, as if they protect the right to the religion of the Jews legalized by him.

The Roman state pursued Christians not only by virtue of the above reasons. The character of Christianity with the preaching of the worship of God in the spirit and truth (Ying 4: 23) was deeply alien to Roman's religion. Christians had neither sacrifice nor traditional forms of cult. All this seemed to the Roman power incomprehensible, unnatural and dangerous. This ratio was increasing as the amazing success of Christianity in the whole Mediterranean. Christians were even at the imperial courtyard. St. The Apostle finishes the Message: All saints welcome you, but the Napa from Cesarean at home (Phil.4: 22). The prominent representatives of the pagan world in the face of Christianity could not help but feel a deadly danger, threatening paganism, who lost vitality by this time.

3. Nov Tweightness Religion in all its moral cleanliness and hill was represented by the reproach and the chief of the Roman society, which was in a state of moral decline. Honor, debt, valor, personal dignity, courage remained traditional concepts on which the Roman was brought up. But the desire of pleasure, selflessness, relaxation, licentiousness, the moral organism has long been excreted from the inside. Sophisticated infidelity, frequent divorces, fornication were distributed in society: from members of the imperial family to a simple Roman, who lived on Aventantic Hill. In this era, people often resorted to suicide. Opened veins or took poison. For all sick societies, the spread of love and fornication is characteristic. Corestatrol is mastered by consciousness regardless of the state. A rich or poor, high-level or subordinate, noble or obsessive - everyone was infected with this ailment. Not so lived Christians. The word of God was moral law for them: So, imitate God as Chad Beloved, and live in love, as Christ loved us and betrayed themselves for our offer and sacrifice to God, pleasant in fragrance. And fornage and every uncleanness and love should not even be called with you, as decently holy (Ef.5: 1-3).

The persecution was waveled. Researchers are ten periods: 64 g. (Nero), 95-96. (Domitian), 98-117. (Traian), 177 (Mark Aurelius), 202 -211. (Septimia North), 250-252. (Decium and Gall), 257-259. (Valerian), 270-275 (AVRELIAN), 303-311. (Diocletian), 311-313. (Maximian). Milan Edict (313g.) Sv. Equal to the Apostles Konstantin of the Great gave Christians the world and marked victory.

christianity Religion Racing

Introduction

.Causes of the persecution of Christians in I-IV centuries

.Crying Christians in Examples

.Myths about Christian persecutions

Conclusion

List of sources and literature

Introduction

The history of the Christian religion has already for more than two thousand years, Christianity itself has the greatest number of supporters in the world and is now hardly the most common world religion dominant in Europe and America, which has significant positions in Africa and Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand), as well as in some regions of Asia.

However, humanity before to give preference to this world religion, has done a large historical path, and religious performances and beliefs have been formed and polished.

The history of religious representations and beliefs, since their occurrence in the conditions of the primitive-free system, its decomposition and transition to the slave-ownership society, indicates that early religious ideas had a tendency to descend to the fantasticity of mythological images and more and more people acquired a human, anthropomorphic form. Of great concreteness and sufficient degree of expressiveness, the anthropomorphism of the deities reaches on the polytetic stage of the development of religious and mythological representations, the classical images of which gives the mythology of the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The highest stage of the development of religious representations and beliefs in the society of those distant times occurs when one of the numerous pantheon of deities on the foreground is put forward alone. At the same time, part of the essential properties and qualities of various gods is transferred to one thing, the main deity. Gradually, the cult and worship of one God displaces beliefs in other gods.

This trend or stage in the development of religious beliefs and ideas is called monotheism. The emergence of monotheistic representations among believers was one of the prerequisites for the appearance of Christianity. However, this phenomenon in the life of humanity is not enough to understand, at least in general terms, the essence and features of Christianity as a global religion.

Christianity emerged in the first century in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. During this period, the Roman Empire was a classic slave-ownership state, including dozens of Mediterranean countries. However, by the first century, the power of the global state was undermined, and it was in the stage of decline and decay. It has established enough difficult religious relations between carriers of different beliefs.

This was caused by a number of factors: first, there was a process of decomposition of national religions, which began in the Hellenistic and ended in the Roman era; Secondly, the process of spontaneous interaction of various national and tribal beliefs and customs was syncretism. Religious syncretism was then reduced primarily to the penetration of Middle Eastern ideas and images having a thousand-year history, the consciousness and religious life of an ancient society.

Christianity on the path of its formation and the transition to the status of a state religion was a difficult path. There were moments when the reverse process was going when the "paganism" again pushed the Christianity, for example, the retreat of Juliana.

Only a thorough consideration of the formation of Christianity and persecution of Christians allows you to look at the problems existing in our opinion on religious grounds. For the correct assessment, it is proposed to consider the persecution of Christians in the I-IV centuries from different positions, detecting thus hidden truth.

Documents containing specific descriptions of collisions between residents of the Roman Empire and members of the first Christian communities are quite small. From 50-60s. II century AD, the epoch of the highest flourishing of the Antoninov regime, has survived three detailed descriptions: polycarp martyrdom, martyrdom of Ptolemy and Lucia, as well as acts of Justin and comrades. The most significant monument of agiographic literature II c. AD is the history of the martyrdom of polycarp, an outstanding figure of the church of that era.

1. Causes of the persecution of Christians in I-IV centuries

Alexey Petrovich Lebedev in his book "The era of persecution of Christians and the approval of Christianity in the Greco-Roman world" allocates three main reasons for the persecution of Christians. It highlights the reasons: state, religious, public.

Revealing the reasons for state Lebedev A.P. It writes that Christianity has been in context for its requirements with the fact that it was the essence of the ideas about the state of state. The pagan idea of \u200b\u200bthe state, on the contrary, concluded the right of the full disposition of the entire population of the life of citizens.

With the advent of Christianity from under the auspices of this power, a whole area of \u200b\u200bhuman activity was rejected - the area of \u200b\u200bhuman religious life. All the emperors of Rome, since August, were at the same time by the Supreme High Priests. In a word, religion in the Roman Empire did not have the slightest independence, it was under strict control of state power. Christians openly stated that a person subordinate to state power in other respects is free from the subordination of this power in the sphere of religious. They wanted to live in this regard without state control, but this did not recognize the state power and did not want to recognize.

A wonderful fact, the systematic persecutives of Christianity were those state trucks Roman, who differed the greatest prudence, the greatest understanding of the state of state-owned, what: Traian, Mark Azeri, Devi, Diocletian; Meanwhile, both the evil and vicious sovereigns, but few of the states of state, like Nero, Karakalla and Commod, or did not pursue Christians at all, or, if they pursued, did not see any state task.

More insightful sovereigns understood the greatness of the requirements that Christianity were presented to the Government of Roman, understood that Christianity demanded, no little as a complete fundamental change in the ideas of the worldy empire.

As the main reason, you can still highlight the reasons for religious. The state of Roman has delivered its task to protect his domestic religion. It seen his sacred duty in this. This desire can be found in all Roman emperors. Emperor Augustus was very careful about maintaining Roman religion. He tried to act on the surrounding and guarantees, and his own example, rebuilt the temples, honored the priests and watched the strict execution of the ceremonies. The successors followed his example. Tiberius knew the ancient customs perfectly and did not allow to do in them the slightest abolition. The emperor Claudius was diverged. Even with the most bad states, deliberately neglecting the legends of August, the Roman religion never remained in complete disregard, for example, in Nerone. As for the best sovereigns of the subsequent time, they provided full respect for the national religion. So Vespasian and emperors from the name of Antonins and the later Roman sovereigns were also received.

After that, it is clear whether Christians have to be mercy with the Roman government, Christians who used all the measures to reject Roman citizens from their ancient religion. The deposit of Roman citizens from the domestic religion was considered as an accumulation of the state itself, as the desire of a revolutionary, anti-state. In this regard, the words of the patron, with whom he addresses by August: "read the gods himself certainly on domestic laws and forcing others to read in the same way. The same who leads something alien, pursue and punish not only for the fact that they are despised by the gods, but for the fact that they despise them, despise and all the other, for introducing new deities, are seduced by Adoption of new laws. From here, then conspiracies and secret unions occur, by no means tolerant in monarchies. "

Therefore, if Christianity appeared between Roman citizens, it should have been considered from the authorities as soon as a religious crime, but also as a political crime.

True, apparently, the Roman power is no longer a strictly blurred for the purity of his religion, as we indicated. It is known that the cult of the Roman of that time often in his sphere took the deity from the cults of ingenic. We see that Zeus Eldlands becomes close to Jupiter Rome, and Gera is close to Junon. Is it possible to bring out the conclusion from here, what could Christianity find itself the same access on the Wednesday of Roman citizens?

But such an opportunity did not have a place in relation to the Christian God. And this for many reasons. Firstly, such an assumption of non-rental deities for reverence by their citizens was not otherwise done, as with the permission of the Roman Senate. And such per capita, Christians were waiting in vain at first. Secondly, the cult of this deity if it was allowed in the medium of citizens, then not otherwise, as with such or other modifications, which, of course, could not tolerate Christianity.

Moreover, with such an assumption, a prerequisite was supplied to, together with rites, which were prescribed by a new cult, its followers were strictly preserved and the rites of the Roman worship were observed.

Wonderful, in the persecution of Emperor Valerian, the Roman government offered Christians to take advantage of this kind of tolerance of Roman, i.e. It wanted to allow them to read Christ, but under the condition, together with this, the usual religious rites of Roman were observed.

Speaking about the reasons of the public it should be noted that the Romans were very tolerant of religions alien, they did not disturb the religious conscience of the Inomes. Ino Semechan, not a Roman citizen, could worship God, which wanted. Various alien cults, Greek, low-depth, Egyptian and the most Judean, sent freely everywhere. These alien only were obliged to keep themselves respectful to the Roman state cult and send their rites in a particular way, modestly, without imposing them on others, but not particularly showing them at the public areas of the city; These cults were allowed to stay on the outskirts of Rome. Not allowed for such cults proselyticism between Roman citizens.

Along with the specified pagan cults and the Jews, it was allowed to be the unemployed fulfillment of their religious rites. It is strange that it seems that there were less points of contact between Roman paganism and Jews than between Roman and other pagan cults; That is the most early, that the Jews, due to proud attractions on exceptional holiness, steel for the Romans with a hated tribe. The Romans extremely did not like in the Jews that they even tried to hold on in ordinary everyday relationships as possible from other fellow citizens, did not buy bread from the pagans, oils and other household items, did not speak their languages, did not take them in witnesses, etc. d.

The main foundation on which the roman's violepability was approved relatively alien to the cults was that these were cults of certain nationalities, domestic cults of famous peoples. Romans, as Polytechists, were not fanatical about other people's gods. They declared the inviolable gigs of each of the peoples conquered by them, hoping through the part of the position of the defeated peoples, part of the patrons of the gods of these peoples themselves.

For its part, the admirers of ingenic cults did not give the Romans to be angry with them. Sustainable cults are beware of the contempt and proud and proud of the tone to Roman religion. So respectfully belonged to the Roman cult Other pagan peoples. Did not make a sharp difference in this case and the Jews. The most Jews tried to get along with proud Romans. True, Judea was firmly held by their religion, but by various services of their lords - the Romans managed to acquire a tolend religious position. They are at least a few, but still tried to escalate to the laws of the dominious people, for this the Romans condescended to their businesses and customs. When the Emperor Caligule was reported to the Jews, that they insufficiently express honor to the sacred person of the emperor, they sent a deputation to him: "We bring victims, these deputies of Caligule said, for you, and not ordinary victims, and hecaters (hundreds). We have already done it three times - on the occasion of your entry into the throne, on the occasion of your illness for your recovery and for your victory. " Of course, such statements were to be molded by the Roman government with Jews.

The pagan Roman government has not seen in Christians that it would be possible to equalize Christianity with other cults. Christians had no ancient domestic cult. Christians in the view of the Roman government were something strange, unnatural, gear between people, nor the Jews neither by pagans, no one ...

Christianity with his sermon of gigs, not attached to any place, to any state from a religious point of view of antiquity was like something nasty of the nature of things as a fragmentation of any definite order.

Christians did not have anything that they found in every religious cult, nothing of all that even the cult of Jewish was in common with paganism. They did not find - you can imagine - neither altars, nor images, no temples, nor victims, that so amazes the pagans. "What is this religion?" - Could ask themselves the question of pagans.

And however, it seemed that it seemed completely impossible that Christianity, finding themselves a considerable followers between all the estates, not excluding the Roman citizens themselves, threatened by the removal of state religion, and with her and the state itself, since it was closely connected with religion. At the sight of this, nothing remained to do the pagan Rome, as in the sense of self-preservation, the inner strength of Christianity to oppose at least the external force - from here the persecution, the investigation is natural.

2. Processing Christians in Examples

In 1996, Past And Present magazine published the artist of California Harold Drake "from the Lions in Lions", dedicated to the problem of tolerance in antique Christianity. The thesis firmly established in anti-school about the confrontation of Christian religious exclusivity and the ancient versoity was not so impeccable with a slight, at first glance, a change in the angle of view. Indeed, it is difficult to argue with the obvious fact that Christianity did not recognize the variability of religious beliefs that it approved not his own superiority over other (in principle, having the right to exist) religious systems, but proclaimed the absence of any alternative to the teachings of Jesus Christ due to the mistakes and falsity of all other exercises. It is difficult to argue with the fact that in the ancient world, the deities of tens of peoples organically coexisted, and religious syncretism became one of the most effective tools to ensure the ideological unity of the Roman Empire.

The following details are drawn to the following details: First of all, the execution of Christians preceded by the appearance of polycarp on the arena, it seems to be in full compliance with Roman law. Until the Christians, until the last moment, try to incline to renunciation, when this fails to achieve with the help of persuasion nor torture, they betray them. The crowd of viewers does not accept direct participation in events. The only mention of the behavior of the intrinsic inventory with the execution looks rather a literary insert, rather than a reflection of the real course of events: the torments of Christians are so great that at the sight of the naked flesh they force "and to compare and cry." Obviously, the replica does not apply to those present Christians, but the further course of events refutes its plausibility and in relation to the pagans. Visor will bring specific examples of execution.

The death of Germany leads the crowd into the state of extreme excitement. "I was surprised by the nobility of the pious and awakening kind of Christian", the audiences demand to end with sanctifiers and find polycarp. From this point on, the course of events is largely determined by the crowd.

Obviously, the appeal of the population was quite persistent, if not threatening. From what is required precisely polycarp, it follows that his role in the Christian community was widely known. However, up to this point in charge, which would almost inevitably cause the death of an outstanding church person, was not presented. Now, despite the lack of a particular prosecutor (and, as you know, the presence of such was the obligatory requirement of the Roman judicial procedure) officials are forced to take the wanted of polycarp. Direct performers participating in the wanted list are operatively and, according to Eusevia, quite vigorously. However, such a hasty, firstly, does not prevent them from allowing polycarp to pay for as much as two hours of prayer, and secondly, it does not necessarily reflect their own willingness to betray the elder of death. For at the first opportunity, putting the old man in his own wagon, Herod and his father are doing everything possible in order to convince the polycarp to persist and commit a sacrifice. It seems to us quite likely that the behavior of officials reflects their conviction that it is more important to calm the crowd than to punish the head of the Christian community.

Upon arrival in the amphitheater, it becomes obvious that the excitement of people did not easier. The crowd burst into cries and expresses complete readiness to deal with the polycarp. Circumstances associated with sentencing are also fairly indicative. The crowd of pagans and Jews Smirns in a state of "indomitable anger" requires throwing polycarp lions. However, due to the fact that the time allocated by law for such spectacles passed, Consul Philip refuses the crowd to satisfy thirst for blood. It is sentenced, more relevant circumstances, although not less cruel. The verdict is shrid in the crowd in a single impulse. The unanimity of the crowd is emphasized by Esvestia, and in the text of the passion, the active participation of viewers, a mixed crowd of pagans and Jews, in the preparation of the execution of execution, is emphasized. Thus, there is a gradual change in the role of the crowd: first there are relatively passive viewers, then initiators of anti-Christian actions and finally active participants. The intensity of action is gradually increasing, as if emphasizing the growing conflict between the imperial world and Christians. At the same time, officials are sufficiently passive, their actions are subordinated to the flow of events. As a result, it is possible to achieve a certain compromise: not enough compliance with the legality in this process is reached by the fact that the initiation of viewers does not splash on the streets, remaining at certain frames.

Approximately the same decade, which accounts for the death of polycarp, there are two more evidence of processes over Christians. This is the story of Ptolemy and Lucia, which preserved in the statement of Justin in its second apology, and the martyrdom of the Yus-Tina itself with comrades. In the first case, the prelude in the investigation about the belonging of Ptolemy to the Christian religion becomes the family conflict, apparently quite long, between the Roman, whose name is not called, and his wife. A spouse, who after some time after appeal to Christianity, leaves the hope of turning her husband from unrighteous acts and demands a divorce, not wanting to participate in it, as Justin formulas, unfair and wicked life. The husband does not just refuse to recognize her decision, but tries to blame his wife in the fact that she professes Christianity. However, thanks to the petition aimed at the emperor himself, for some time the spouse turns out to be invulnerable to the actions of the Romanna, and then the wrath of the husband turns against her mentor, Ptolemy, who addressed the Roman to Christianity. And here Justin informs quite interesting details. Not being confident that this attempt would not be vain, the spouse does not just blame Ptolemy, but it agrees with Centurion, who is entrusted with his arrest, immediately ask whether Christian is taken into custody. Probably, the Roman is afraid that without such an agreement guilty of the collapse of his family will be able to avoid punishment with the help of any evasive response. Thus, everything that remains the prefect, to which Ptolemy appears, it is to repeat the same direct question - whether the defendant is a Christian. An attempt is to challenge the legality of the decision being present when sentencing a sentence leads to one execution. Of course, it is possible to ask the question of the degree of literary processing of history, as P. Kerstes does, however, the formal compliance with the Romans of the legality in this process, no matter how Christians relate to the accusations on the basis of the "name".

The process of Justin and his comrades, which took place, is equally legal from the point of view of formalities, if you trust the Chronicon Paschale data, in 165 R.M.Grant suggests that the reason allowed Conduct to initiate a process against a long-standing opponent, an epidemic was 165 g . in Rome. With all the probability of such a move of events (it is known how serious the influence on anti-Christian actions was provided with various disasters) It is unlikely to be unambiguously judged about the reliability of such an assumption.

It is believed that the investigation materials were connounced if not a modern Justine, then after a very minor time. It is logical to assume that the situations of personal revenge under the cover of Roman legislation were not so exclusive. Use the name of Christians to achieve your own goals was quite easy. Knowledge about the belonging of a person to the Christian community could become a strong weapon against him and help in the information of accounts or even in the assignment of property. The existence of this practice is reported in the apology of Meliton, addressed to the brand Aurelius: "Shameless diameters and those who crave to master someone else's property, use the decree, openly creating at day and night, abypical those who are neither guilty ... if it is happening By your command, let it be so. For a fair ruler will not accept unfair measures ... But if, on the other hand, this decision and a new decree, which is too severe, even against the enemies of the barbarians, does not come from you, especially since we do not leave us so unplanned crowd robbery " From this clearly, it follows that in addition to religious disagreements, the events influenced the banal desire to benefit from the anti-Christian sentiment.

Over the past two decades, the positions of historians in the assessment of the affected events have shifted significantly. Analysis of documents related to anti-Christian repressions of the middle of the II century AD, shows that the unambiguous assessment of behavior of both parties is impossible. On the one hand, the actions of Christians, sometimes provoking enough, really can not serve as a model of tolerant behavior. On the other hand, Roman society, even taking into account the normal political need to protect their own values, does not always comply with the norms of relationships falling under the definition of tolerance. The new reading of the historians of the organization of anti-Christian processes as a political ritual does not remove the main issue: what are the criteria for assessing the position of society as a society tolerant and where is the border between an act providing social peace and intolerance to dissent? From this point of view, it would seem that the closed question about the ratio of the ideological attitudes of the Roman society and the Christian commune requires a new reading, and the thesis on the romans is the myth.

3. Myths about Christian persecutions

As historians inevitably appeal to the original sources, in an attempt to find the original truth, but cannot be denyed to the fact that this attempt can lead to the care of the truth. The words of witnesses or retellors, recorded in the deep past, are sistering by their views on the vision of what happened, their personal position, surviving. These are subjective and in many ways an inaccurate source, but for the absence of others, it is necessary to learn to silence fiction from the truth. In this chapter we will do exactly up to the opposite.

As a source, the consideration is subject to excerpts from the psalter, which in turn included from the early manuscript Vi to R.Kh. Persecution. "So Stefan died a terrible death. Sawl, still embraced by indignation in relation to this "blasphemy", whose expressive biblical arguments he could in no way disprove, "approved his killing." The shape of the Greek verb used here can even hint on a more firm manifestation of its position and the solution in the face of attempts to further cut it in a different way.

Indeed, if such attempts had a place, the only effect they brought, - strengthened the heat of his indignation against these "Nazarethyan". That day put the beginning of persecution against Jerusalem ecclesia. Soon it will turn into a roaring flame, inflated and supported by Pharisee Savle. However, Luke, resisting the temptation to write a long, a verbose prose excerpt about the misfortunes of his brothers, adds only that:

"And Sawl tormented the church, entering the houses, and, wasting men and women, gave to the dungeon."

The painting of the Apostle Jacob written by soft paints is depicting this tragedy like this: "Does not be rich to oppress you, and aren't they entailing you in courts? Are you wondering the good name you are called? (Isn't they hulad good name of Christ, which was given to you? "- Modern translation of biblical texts, Moscow, 1998).

If the words: "entering the houses" (in English translation: "Entering each house"; in modern Russian translation: "moving from home to home"), - to take in their direct sense, then the question arises: "How Sawl comes from In which houses he could find those who live in them believers? " Maybe here it is understood here a well-prepared work of the "secret police", held before the start of strong unrest, which arose about Stephen? Or the words "every house" can mean synagogues here (at home of the law), where, as you know, the believers were going?

In the eyes of Saul, these disciples of the Lord were "false witnesses about God, because they testified to God that he was resurrected to Christ, whom (Sawl was confident) he did not resurrect."

Having disassembled these myths, I would like to note that the mention of Sawl, in the further apostle Paul, is found in many sources, thus deny the existence of Pavel himself or Sawla does not make sense. But the myth of the resurrection of Christ is questioned, especially the participation of Sawa in this. The same quotes are not constructed with the execution of Christians who were caught from houses. In this case, it can be assumed that Christians could merge in separate quarters. Or were quarters with a significant predominance of people of Christian religion.

So he devastated them. The word Luke describes the wild beast, torping the dead body (compare with PS.79: 14). The time of verb implies that, having started this terrible work, he persistently performed it.

Psalm 79 is, indeed, wonderful as Psalm about Stefan and his martyr comrades.

Additional few details available at the disposal and relating to these persecution reached us randomly from the history of his early years told by the Pavel himself, when he was the enemy of Faith: "I even to death challenged followers of this teaching (" Ways of the Lord "- a modern Russian translation) By tying and betraying in the dungeon and men and women. "

Paul continues: "And in all the synagogues, I repeatedly tormented them and forced them to blame Jesus (" refuse from faith "- a modern translation)." The campaign depicted by the last ominous phrase was supposed to be a consciousness of Paul for a long time after his appeal. During his first return to Jerusalem, he probably spent a lot of hours, seeking to correct, what he had committed to those whom he had intimidated, so that they retreated from faith.

Gallius was the country where the field was settled for the events described; The churches of these two cities, famous and glorious, sent a record of martyrs to the churches in Asia and Frigia. They say that they have happened (I give their own words):

"The slaves of Christ, living in Wienna and Lugdun, in Gaul, brothers in Asia and Frigia, who have the same faith with us and hope for redemption, is the world, joy and glory from God Father and Christ Jesus, our Lord." Then, after some preface, they are so starting their story:

"What the oppression was here, what a frantic indignation of pagans on the saints that the blessed martyrs have undergone, we are not able to tell us exactly, and we cannot describe. With all the power, the enemy collapsed on us, preparing his inevitable coming in the future. He went into the move: I raised on us and teared to escape to the slaves of God. We were not only not allowed at home, baths and to the market; We were generally forbidden to be shown to be shown anywhere; But the grace of God fell on them: she was attacked by the weak, it is opposed to the stronghold strong, who assumed the whole onslaught of the Ovukavoy; These people went to meet the enemy, withstood all sorts of finishing and torture; Considering a lot small, they hurried to Christ, truly showing that "the current temporary suffering is not worth anything in comparison with the glory that opens in us."

Here, among the rest, the difference was discovered: some were ready for martyrdom and the confession of faith was pronounced with all hunt. It turned out, however, not ready, without experience, still weak, not able to withstand this intense great contest. There were ten people who disappeared. They gave us a great grief and immeasurable sorrow and doubted the courageous determination from those who have not yet been captured and who, albeit with a great fear, but helped the martyrs and did not leave them. Here we were all amazed by horror, because there was a dummy the outcome of their confession; We were not afraid of torture, but seeing the upcoming end, they were afraid, no matter how anyone would disappear.

Every day they had enough those who were worthy to fill the number of martyrs; Of the two mentioned churches, the people of the most active in which churches essentially kept were held. Captured some of our pagan slaves; Leva named the authorities ordered everyone to search for us. They, frighteners of torture, who were terte in their eyes, and succumbed to the defenders of warriors, got out and gave the Satanian testimony from the goat: We have Fiesta Firass, Certificate Communication and In general, what we can not talk about, but also to think ; It is impossible to believe that this happens ever in humans. When these rumors spread, everything was brought; Even those who used to go to us rather due to friendly connections, in a rage on us grilled teeth. The word of our Lord was coming true: "The time will come when anyone who kills you will think that he serves God." Now the holy martyrs suffered torture, which cannot be described. Satan tried in every way so that the blasphemy word was uttered.

All the fleshy anger and the crowds, and Leah, and the soldier fell on Sancta, Diacon from Wienna; on the turret, recently trapped, but good fighter; On the Attal, Pergamc is a family, always formerly supported by the support of local Christians, and on Blandin: Christ showed that it was insignificant, imperceptible and contempt for people from God to be glorified for her love for him, not appeared, but in action. They were afraid for carrying everything: and we, and her earthly mistress, the most among the confessors themselves, believed that the Blandines, in her bodily weakness, would not have enough strength to bold confession. She was also fulfilled such a force that the executioners, who, replacing each other, were tormented in every morning from morning to evening, tired and left the se. They recognized that they were defeated, and did not know what else to do; They were surprised how Blandina still lives, although her body is exterminated and is a solid gaping wound. According to them, the torture of one species is enough for the person to leave the spirit, it is not so so such. But the blissful, as a true wrestler, drew new forces in confession: she restored them, rested, did not feel pain, repeating: "I am a Christian, we have nothing wrong with us."

And St. Muscarly tolerated the suffering, which were over all of the human strength and whom his people docked. The lawlessness was hoping to hear the short word from him, exhausted by continuous serious torture, but he was so hard he was in his reward that he didn't even give any name or nationality, nor native city, did not say, the slave he or free; He answered all questions in Latin: "I am a Christian." Instead of the name, instead of the city, instead of its origin, instead, after all, he repeated his confession once again: Paulas did not hear another word from him. And Legate, and the executioners were extremely annoyed and, not knowing what to do, began to finally apply hot copper plates to the most sensitive places on the body. And the flesh burned, but St. remained unshakable firmly in his confession; Water is a living, emanating from the womb of Christ, irrigated him and gave him strength. The body testified to it: everything in scars and wounds, crissed, lost human appearance; But Christ, in him, the suffering, and glorified him, exhausting the enemy and in this example showing the rest that nothing is scary, where the love of his father, nothing hurts, where the glory of Christ.

A few days later, the flaws began to pushe the martyr again, hoping that if they were swollen and inflamed members of the same torment, they could not even endorse him, and he could not even touch his hands - or he would die under the torture and death of him scatters the rest. Nothing similar to him, however, did not happen: in subsequent torture, he, contrary to universal expectations, stripping, straightened, acquired the former appearance and the ability to use his members: the secondary torture became not in punishment, but, by the grace of Christ, in healing ...

The book of Eusevia of the Kaesarian Pestrite Descriptions of the torment of Christians and torture and the quotes of the tormented themselves. You can trace the author's attempt to emphasize the persistence of believers who suffered torment, and in a day - two wounds were tightened. Divinely interference ... It must be said that such torthats were actually conducted, but we can assume that not so massively. And of course, people most often died, survive after this is not assumed possible.

Conclusion

The reasons and motives of three-axis persecution of Christians on the part of the Roman Empire are complex and diverse. From the point of view of the Roman state, Christians were insults of Majesty (Majestatis Rei), apostates from state deities ( ?????, sacrilegi), followers forbidden by law magic (Magi, Malefici), confessors of the unauthorized law of religion (Religio Nova, Peregrina et. illicita). Christians were accused of insulting Majesty as because they were going secret for their worship and at night, making up unauthorized meetings (participation in Collegium Illicitum or COETUS Nocturni was equated to the rebellion), and because they refused to honor the imperial images by the climbing and smoking. The apostasy from state deities (Sacrilegium) was also considered one of the forms of insulting Majesty.

As for Religiones Peregrinae, they have been banned by the laws of XII tables: according to the laws of the empire for belonging to an alien religion, the highest class people have been expulsioned, and the lowest death penalty. Christianity was one of the total denial of the entire pagan system: religions, states, life, morals, social and family life. Christian for the heathen was "enemy" in the broadest sense of the word: Hostis Publicus Deorum, Imperatorum, Legum, Morum, Naturae Totius Inimicus etc. The emperors, rulers and legislators saw in Christians of conspirators and rebels, fluctuating all the basics of the life of state and public. The priests and other ministers of the pagan religion were naturally to be enjoyed against Christians and initiate enmity to them. People educated, not believers in the ancient gods, but honoring science, art, all Greek-Roman culture, saw in the spread of Christianity - this, from their point of view, wild eastern superstition - a great danger to civilization. Officon blacks, blindly tied to idols, pagan holidays and rites, with fanaticism pursued "bootiers". With such a mood of a pagan society about Christians, the most ridiculous rumors could spread, find faith and initiate a new hostility to Christians. All pagan society with a special diligence helped the fulfillment of the challenge of the law on those who considered the enemies of society and even accused of hatred to the whole human race.

It is customary since ancient times to count ten persecutions for Christians, it is from the emperors: Nero, Domitsiana, Trajana, M. Aurelia, S. North, Maximin, Decius, Vale P Ian, Aurelian and Diocletian. Such an account is artificial, based on the number of executions of Egyptian or horns, fighting against the Lamb in the Apocalypse. It does not correspond to the facts and poorly explains the events. General, ubiquitous systematic persecution was less than ten, and private, local and random - incomparably more. The persecution did not have the same ferocity always in all places. The most crimes that are involved in Christians, such as Sacrilegium, could be punishable or softer, at the discretion of the judge. The best emperors, like Trani, M. Aurelii, Deci and Diocletian, chased Christians, because for them it was important to cool the foundations of state and public life.

"Unworthy" emperors, as a commodity, Karakalla and Helichabal, were condescending to Christians, of course, no sympathy, but according to the perfect neractant about the affairs of state. Often, the society itself began to persecute against Christians and encouraged the rulers to this. This was especially manifested during public disasters. In North Africa, a proverb was as follows: "There is no rain, therefore, Christians are guilty." As soon as the flood, drought or epidemic happened, the fanatical crowd screamed: "Shristianos ad leones"! In persecutions whose initiative belonged to the emperors, sometimes in the foreground there were political motives - non-intention to the emperors and anti-state desires, sometimes the motives are purely religious - denial of gods and belonging to unauthorized religion. However, politics and religion could never be separated, because religion was considered in Rome as a state case.

The Roman government first did not know Christians: it considered them a Jewish selection. In this quality, Christians used tolerance and at the same time were also despised as Jews. The first persecution is considered to be underestimated by Nonon (64); But it was not the persecution of faith and, it seems, did not apply beyond the limits of Rome. Tyrant wanted for the Fire of Rome, in which the public opinion accused him of the very, punish those who were capable of a shameful thing in the eyes of the people. As a result, there was a well-known inhuman extermination of Christians in Rome. Since then, Christians felt a complete disgust to the Roman state, which can be seen from the apocalyptic description of the Great Babylon, his wife, intoxicated by blood of martyrs. Nero in the eyes of Christians was an antichrist that once again will appear to fight against the people of God, and the Roman Empire - the kingdom of demons, which will soon be destroyed at all with the coming of Christ and the foundation of the gracious kingdom of the Messiah. In Nerone in Rome, they were injured, along the tree of the village, the apostles Paul and Peter. Second persevement belong to imper. Domitian (81-96); But it was not systematic and widespread. There were several executions in Rome, at little-known reasons; From Palestine, the relatives of Christ were represented in Rome, the descendants of David, in the innocence of which, however, was convinced by the emperor himself and allowed them to return to their homeland.

For the first time, the Roman state began to act against Christians as against a certain society, Suspicious political relation, with the Emperor Traian (98-117), which, at the request of Plinia, the younger, the ruler of Viphini, indicated how the authorities should do with Christians. According to Plinia, no political crimes were noticed for Christians, except for the superstition of coarse and perseverance invincible (they did not want to make relief and smoking to the imperial images). In view of this, the emperor determined not to search for Christians and not to take against them anonymous denunciations; But, if they are accused of a legitimate way and in the investigation, they will turn out to be persistent in their superstition, to expose their death penalty.

In the short reign of Maximin (235-238) and the inconsistency of the emperor, and fanaticism of mobiles excited against Christians with different disasters was the cause of cruel persecution in many provinces. In the successors of the maximin and especially with Philip Arabyanin (244-249), Christians enjoyed such a condesception that the latter was even considered the Christian himself. With the entry into the throne (249-251), it broke out over Christians such a persecution, which was superior to the systematic and cruelty, even the persecution of M. Aureliya. The emperor, taking care of the old religion and on the preservation of all ancient state orders, he managed the persecution; Instructive instructions were given to the provincial chiefs. There was serious attention to the fact that none of the Christians fell from the search; The number of executed was extremely great. The church was decorated with many glorious martyrs; But there was a lot and disappeared, especially because preceding a long period of calm sucked in some heroism of martyrdom.

With Valerian (253-260), at the beginning of the Board indulgent to Christians, they had to again endure cruel persecution. To upset Christian society, the government has now paid special attention to Christians from privileged classes and primarily on the charters and leaders of the Christian society, bishops. Carthage suffered EP. Cyprian, in Rome Pope Sikst II and the deacon of his Lavrentin, hero between the martyrs. The son of Valerian Gallien (260-268) stopped the persecution, and the Christians have enjoyed religious freedom about 40 years old - to Edicta, published in 303 by Emperor Diocletian.

Diocletian (284-305) first did not take anything against Christians; Some Christians occupied even prominent places in the army and in the government. For a change in the mood of the emperor, some were attributed to the co-gentler with his gallery (see). Under the congress, they were published in Nikomide, in which Christian meetings were prescribed to ban, churches to destroy, the sacred books to take away and burn, Christians to deprive all posts and rights. The persecution began with the fact that they destroyed the magnificent temple of Nicomedian Christians. Soon after, there was a fire in the Imperial Palace. This was accused of Christians; The second Edict appeared, the persecution was dragged with a strong force in different areas of the empire, except Gaul, Britain and Spain, where he managed a favorable chlorine to Christians. In 305, when Diocletian abandoned the Board, Maximine became a citizen of Galeriy, an ardent enemy of Christians. The suffering of Christians and numerous examples of martyrdom found an eloquent descriptor in Eusevia, BIS. Caesarian. In 311, shortly before death, the gallery stopped the persecution and demanded a prayer from Christians for the empire and the emperor. Maximin, who managed the Asian East, and after the death of Galeray continued to pursue Christians.

Little little, however, a strong belief in the inability to achieve the destruction of Christianity. The first edict of the vermorpability published during the gallery followed in 312 and 313. The second and third edict is in the same spirit, published by Konstantin, along with lying. According to Milan Edicut, 313. Christians received complete freedom in confessing their faith; They were returned to their temples and all confiscated estates. Since Constantin, Christianity has enjoyed the rights and privileges of the dominant religion in the Roman Empire, with the exception of a short-term pagan reaction under the Emperor Juliana (361-363).

In the remaining written testimonies, the persecution is mentioned everywhere, but in the descriptions of those who have entered the sacred writing or abandoned Christians are the mythical people who have suffered long torture and strengthened faith. Perhaps it was so, but the possibilities of a person in them are greatly exaggerated. It can be assumed, this applies to the scale of persecution. In this paper, three points of view are given. Persecution as a need for the existing power without special cruelty, persecution as an extreme form of pagan fanaticism, a systematic look at the manifestation of persecution depending on the will of the emperor.

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