Third Century
Persecution, Monasticism
Persecutions continued under the Roman emperors Septimus Severus, Decius, Valerian and Diocletian. Decius promulgated an edict requiring sacrifice to the gods, and required that everyone possess a certificate proving he had sacrificed to the gods. In the 8th Persecution of the Church, under Valerian (253-259) edicts were published demanding outward conformity with paganism. Christians were forbidden to hold worship services under penalty of death.
Monasticism began when St. Paul the Hermit became the first hermit, living alone in a cave, seeking union with God. St. Anthony (251-356) began the first monastic community made up of hermits but living in community.
Callistus (217-222) became bishop of Rome, and Hippolytus the “anti-pope", yet both became Saints. Callistus emphasized the importance of the church of Rome quoting Matthew 16:18-19, and where Peter and Paul were martyred.
St. Dionysius, a former pupil of Origen, became bishop of Alexandria (247-64). North Africa developed into a key Christian center. Egypt alone had a million Christians by the end of 3rd century. Carthage and Alexandria were leading centers of Christian theological development with such figures as Origen, Tertullian, and Clement of Alexandria.
The third century gives us (1) the Alexandrian writers of the catechetical school such as St. Clement, (2) the writers of Asia Minor, St. Dionysius and St. Gregory (3) Palestine (St. Alexander), and the first Western writers, St. Victor, (4) at Rome Hippolytus (in Greek), and Novatian, (5) the great African writers (Arnobius, Tertullian, Cyprian), and a few others.
Saint Anthony of Egypt:
founded first monastic community
St. Lawrence: martyred on a grill, from Huesca, Aragon, Spain,
Deacon of Rome
St. Denis:
beheaded in 258 at Montmarte (= mount of martyrs); his
corpse was thrown in the Seine
St. Clement of Alexandria: teacher at the
Catechetical School in Alexandria, Egypt
Martyrs under Diocletian: last and most terrible persecution by a Roman
Emperor
Saint Felicity, Martyr: a slave woman whose throat was slit by a
gladiator
Saint Perpetua, Martyr:
mother who recently gave birth killed by a gladiator with Felicity.
St. Julius the Veteran:
Roman soldier betrayed by fellow soldiers, beheaded on the Danube.
Saint Sebastian, Martyr: captain in the Praetorian Guard, shot with
arrows, recovered, then beat to death.
St. Tarsicius, Martyr:
young man who died while defending the Eucharist.
St. Maurice: soldier martyred along with an entire legion, massacred by
other soldiers when his legion refused to participate in pagan sacrifices before
battle.
Heresies
Tertullianists: Followers of Tertullian, a great Christian writer and priest who fell into the errors of Monanism which believed that all in the Church must be perfect and that the Church could not absolve adulterers. His over-severe views and austerity caused him to break from the Church.
Origenists: Followers of Origen, born at Alexandria in 185, another great Christian and writer who entered into heresy. He taught that by a second crucifixion of Christ, all, even the damned in hell would be pure spirits; and believed that the blessed in heaven could be expelled from that abode for faults committed there. Origen was one of the most learned and spirited men of his time.
Manicheans, Manes born in 216, proclaimed himself as the "promised Paraclete", "Messenger of the True God", the title was later applied to Mohammed. The Manicheans believed in a plurality of gods; rejected the Old Testament absolutely, and of the New they retained only what had been revised and redacted by Manes; they held that Christ had no real body; denied free-will; recognized no baptism or marriage; believed in the transmigration of souls, and held that each man had two souls.
Millenarians: Believe in the return of Christ to establish a kingdom on earth for 1000 years. Nipos (Nepos), Bishop, in defending the doctrines of this sect nearly brought about a schism in the Church, but unity was preserved by Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria. The fundamental idea of millenarianism may be set forth as follows. At the end of time Christ will return in all His splendor to gather together the just, to annihilate hostile powers, and to found a glorious kingdom on earth for the enjoyment of the highest spiritual and material blessings. He Himself will reign as its King, and all the just, including the Saints recalled to life, will participate in it. At the close of this kingdom the Saints will enter heaven with Christ, while the wicked, who have also been resuscitated, will be condemned to eternal damnation. The duration of this glorious reign of Christ with His Saints on earth is frequently given as 1000 years. Hence the name Millenarianism of Revelation 20.
Novatians: The Novatians held that idolatry was an unpardonable sin, that confirmation was no sacrament, that mortal sins committed after baptism could not be forgiven; condemned second marriages, and refused Communion to those who had contracted them, even at the time of death. This schismatic sect took its name from Novatus (Novatian), a Roman priest, who made himself anti-pope. He was a learned and eloquent man but of a melancholy temperament, and, according to St. Cyprian, was turbulent, seditious and avaricious. St. Cornelius states that Novatus was possessed by Satan for a season, apparently while a catechumen. He was baptized by aspersion as he lay on a bed of sickness, but apparently was never confirmed. How he became a priest is not clear. He was accused by Cornelius of cowardice during the persecution of Decius. At the beginning of 251 the persecution relaxed and St. Cornelius was elected Pope. Some days later Novatus set himself up as a rival pope and had himself consecrated bishop. A council of sixty bishops was assembled under Pope Cornelius before the end of 251 in which Novatus was excommunicated.