Rise of Rome

St. Peter’s Basilica

Christ (Sol Invictus)• From the excavations in the 1940s

Clement of Rome

• Letter to Corinthians (~96)• Did he know Peter and Paul?• Peter – Linus – Clement

Eusebius (d. 340): "After the martyrdom of Paul and of Peter, Linus was the first to obtain the episcopate of the church at Rome. Paul mentions him, when writing to Timothy from Rome, in the salutation at the end of the epistle".

"Through countryside and city [the apostles] preached, and they appointed their earliest converts, testing them by the Spirit, to be the bishops and deacons of future believers. Nor was this a novelty, for bishops and deacons had been written about a long time earlier. . . . Our apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife for the office of bishop. For this reason, therefore, having received perfect foreknowledge, they appointed those who have already been mentioned and afterwards added the further provision that, if they should die, other approved men should succeed to their ministry" - 1st Letter to the Corinthians

Nicea

• Rome – delegation (against Arians)• Who can become a bishop?– Decision of bishops in region– Veto retained by bishop of largest metropolis in

the region – empowered Rome

Pope; Vatican

Pope• Greek pappas• Latin – papa• Today, the coptic Bishop of Alexandri Is

called “pappas”• Leo the Great (first “pope”) – yet still

not widely used• Process: by early middle ages, acquires

stature

Leo (the Great)

• Bishop of Rome, 440-461• Defended city against Attila the Hun• Pastor, teacher• First bishop of Rome to leave behind sizable body of

writings (letters and sermons)• Leo displays an almost mystical identification with

Peter (a new thing)• Language of “rock”; universal authority• “Rome has become a priestly and royal city, the head

of the world through the holy see of Peter.”

Raphael (1514)