early Christians
Initial church members
The early Christians were followers of Jesus in the first few centuries after his death, before Christianity became an established institution.
The term usually covers the period from the apostles through roughly the fourth century, when Constantine made Christianity the Roman Empire's favored religion.
The early Christians met in secret to avoid persecution.
Early Christian art, writings, and practices often differed markedly from later traditions.
- monotheismBelief in one god
- Last SupperFarewell Passover gathering
- JerusalemTriply sacred ancient capital
- baptismRitual water purification ceremony
- sign of the crossChristian devotional gesture
Paul the Apostle · fish symbol · Aramaic · Roman Empire · persecution · Mary Magdalene · catacombs · resurrection · Holy Spirit · Antioch · Eucharist · Council of Nicaea · Gospels · New Testament · Acts of the Apostles · communal living · breaking bread · martyrdom
- Communescommunes, communal living, kibbutz, hippie commune, utopian communities
- early churchapostles, Church Fathers, apostolic fathers, Acts of the Apostles, Council of Nicaea
- Gaelic HistoryGaels, Celtic tribes, Brehon laws, clans, chieftains
- MartyrsSaint Stephen, Saint Peter, Saint Sebastian, Saint Paul, Saint Lawrence
- ancient sectsEssenes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Gnostics, Nazarenes
- Ancient RomeRome, Julius Caesar, Caesar, gladiator, gladiators
early Christianspagans
Non-Abrahamic faith practitioners
polytheists · Jews · idolaters · Pharisees · Sadducees
early Christiansestablished church
Officially recognized national religion
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