The Catholic Church Timeline

  • 33

    Pentecost

    Pentecost
    The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples; preaching of St. Peter in Jerusalem; conversion, baptism and aggregation of some 3,000 people
  • 34

    Conversion of Saul

    Conversion of Saul
    St. Paul, formerly Saul the persecutor of Christians, was converted and baptized
  • 64

    Persecution in Rome

    Persecution broke out in Rome after the emperor said to have accused Christians of starting the fire which destroyed half of Rome.
  • 107

    St. Ignatius of Antioch in Rome

    St. Ignatius of Antioch was martyred at Rome. He was the first writer to use the expression, “The Catholic Church.”
  • 112

    Emperor Trajan

    Emperor Trajan
    Emperor Trajan, in a rescript to Pliny the Younger, governor of Bithynia, instructed him not to search out Christians but to punish them if they were publicly denounced and refused to do homage to the Roman gods
  • 215

    Clement of Alexandria

    The Death of Clement of Alexandria, teacher of Origen and a founding father of the School of Alexandria
  • 260

    St. Lucian's Studies

    St. Lucian founded the School of Antioch, a center of influence on biblical studies.
  • 260

    St Paul

    St Paul
    St. Paul of Thebes became a hermit (Also formally known as Saul)
  • 306

    Rules for Leaders

    The first local legislation on clerical celibacy was enacted by a council held at Elvira, Spain; bishops, priests, deacons and other ministers were forbidden to have wives.
  • 326

    Christ's Cross

    Christ's Cross
    With the support of St. Helena, the True Cross on which Christ was crucified was discovered.
  • 432

    St. Patrick in Ireland

    St. Patrick in Ireland
    St. Patrick arrived in Ireland. By the time of his death in 461 most of the country had been converted, monasteries founded and a hierarchy established.
  • 1055

    Eucharistic Doctrine

    Condemnation of the Eucharistic doctrine of Berengarius.
  • 1079

    Eucharistic Errors!

    The Council of Rome condemned Eucharistic errors (denial of the Real Presence of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine) of Berengarius, who retracted.
  • 1226

    St. Francis

    St. Francis
    Death of St. Francis of Assisi
  • 1231

    Papal Inquisition

    Papal Inquisition
    Pope Gregory IX authorized establishment of the Papal Inquisition for dealing with heretics. New conflict arose soon after
  • 1431

    St. Joan of Arc

    St. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake
  • 1528

    A Counter Reformation

    The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin was approved as an autonomous division of the Franciscan Order; like the Jesuits, the Capuchins became leaders in the Counter-Reformation.
  • 1541

    St. Francis Xavier

    Start of the 11-year career of St. Francis Xavier as a missionary to the East Indies and Japan.
  • Remember Remember the 5th of November

    Remember Remember the 5th of November
    The Gunpowder Plot, an attempt by Catholic fanatics to blow up James I of England and the houses of Parliament, resulted in an anti-Catholic Oath of Allegiance.
  • Catholics Banned in Scandinavia

    Catholics were banned from Scandinavia.
  • Acta Sanctorum

    Start of publication of the Bollandist Acta Sanctorum, a critical work on lives of the saints.
  • Churches in England

    The Test Act in England barred from public office Catholics who would not deny the doctrine of transubstantiation and receive Communion in the Church of England.
  • Catholics in China

    Persecution began to erupt in China
  • Napoleon

    Napoleon
    Napoleon crowns himself Emperor of the French with Pope Pius in attendance.
  • Society of Jesus

    Society of Jesus
    The Society of Jesus, suppressed since 1773, was restored.
  • Mary in Lourdes

    The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette at Lourdes, France.
  • World War 1

    World War 1
    Start of World War I, which lasted until 1918. (This comes into play in next event)
  • Mary in Portugal

    Mary in Portugal
    The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three children at Fatima, Portugal.
  • Pontificate of Benedict XV

    Pontificate of Benedict XV. Much of his pontificate was devoted to seeking ways and means of minimizing the material and spiritual havoc of World War I.
  • World War 2

    World War 2
    World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945.
  • Canon Law for Eastern Churches

    The Code of Canon Law for Eastern Churches went into effect.
  • Anti-Semitism Ends

    Pope John Paul II issued an apology for any anti-Semitism by Catholics; a conference on anti-Semitism was also held in Rome and a number of Catholic leaders in Europe issued apologies for historical anti-Semitism.
  • A New Millennuim

    The Catholic Church celebrated the Holy Year 2000 and the Jubilee; commencement of the third Christian millennium. Pope John Paul II issued apology for the sinful actions of the Church’s members in the past. Pope John Paul II traveled to the Holy Land.
  • Appeal for Peace

    Appeal for Peace
    Pope John Paul II appealed for a peaceful resolution to the Iraq War. A coalition headed by the U.S. removed Saddam Hussein.
  • Pope Francis

    Pope Francis
    Pope Francis is elected in March of 2013
  • 2016...

    We all know what happened then
  • 2017

    The present