Rome -- A History in Images: Episode 04 скачать в хорошем качестве

Rome -- A History in Images: Episode 04

The Roman Empire is no more. Only old ruins remain. But those who believe in Jesus Christ carry on. The followers of Jesus, empowered by the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, begin to spread the Word during the middle of the First Century. The first deacon, St. Stephen, becomes the first martyr when he is stoned to death, and a man named Saul approves this slaying. A Jewish tent-maker, the zealous Saul is on his way to Damascus when he hears the voice of Jesus Christ. Experiencing a dramatic conversion, Saul becomes Paul and embarks on some amazing and often dangerous Missionary Journeys. Paul is placed under house arrest in Rome, living there for two years. He is executed, by orders from Emperor Nero, not long after the Great Fire of Rome of 64 A.D. Simon Peter, meanwhile, had been chosen by Jesus himself as the “Rock” of the Church. It becomes clear to Christians of the time that Peter is in a leadership position. Eventually his office would become known by the word “bishop,” taken from the Greek for “overseer”. Peter would be regarded as the first bishop of Antioch, and the first bishop of Rome – the first pope. Peter meets the same fate as Paul. He is also martyred, probably in the year 67 AD. He is sentenced to be crucified, but upside down, because he does not feel worthy to die in same position as Jesus. The crucifixion occurs at the Circus of Nero. Smaller than the Circus Maximus, the Circus of Nero nevertheless features chariot races, and is located just a tiny bit south of a small hill west of the Tiber River, called Vatican Hill. During the ten years after Simon Peter’s death and his burial on Vatican Hill, others are buried near him. A small shrine is erected. Sometime around 325 AD, this shrine to St. Peter is given “star” treatment when Emperor Constantine (a Christian – though baptized only on his deathbed) has a basilica built so that the altar would be right above the little shrine, and thus right above the grave of St. Peter. This is the first St. Peter’s Basilica, and it stands here, right on the grave of St. Peter, for over one thousand years. In 590, a horrible plague ravages the city. Pope Gregory I famously sees a vision on top of Hadrian’s tomb, of an angel sheathing his sword. The pope interprets this to mean that the plague will soon come to an end. It does. Hadrian’s tomb is now called Castel Sant’Angelo, and from that time until this very day, a statue of an angel sheathing his sword can be seen at the top. On December 25, 800 AD, Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne as the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Now Rome can stand on its own. The pope, somewhat problematically, is now the ruler of the Papal States. And the Holy Roman Empire rivals the power of the Byzantine Empire in the East. Here is the list of various places I visited in this episode. Visit these places if and when you get a chance to visit Rome! Vatican Museums Catacombs of St. Callixtus (the field above) Chiesa San Callisto Church of St. Sebastian above ruins of Temple of Elagalabus Santa Costanza Santa Sabina San Clemente San Crisogono St. Cecilia in Trastevere San Bartolomeo all’Isola Castel Sant’Angelo, angel sheathing the sword (statue at top) St. Peter’s Basilica (to show stone where Charlemagne was crowned)