The devil had failed in the first two hundred years to destroy the Church Christ founded; so naturally, this century gave birth to more heresies, which are really attacks on the Church, including the very dangerous Avestic Gnostic heresy, of Manichaeism, which came out of the Mazdean faith. St. Augustine, the Doctor of Grace, was once a Manichaen heretic.

201
The first Church building at Edessa, Syria was erected.

202-211
The Fifth Roman Persecution, under Septimus Severus. This persecution raged primarily in Egypt and other parts of Africa. This persecution claimed the lives of 19,000 souls, including Saints Perpetua and Felicity in Carthage.

203
Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicity and their companions. After surviving a brutal encounter with a savage cow, in which they were both tossed around and wounded, they were put to death with the swords of gladiators. St. Perpetua guided the fatal blow to her throat from her nervous executioner.

Martyrdom of St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons. He was buried in a crypt under a Church called, St. John. It was later renamed St. Irenaeus. The Calvinists destroyed his tomb and Shrine in 1562; all traces of his relies seems to have perished.

206-212
Tertullian experiences a semi-Montanist period.

213
Tertullian becomes a Montanist heretic.

217
Martyrdom of Pope St. Zephyrinus. He was buried in a separate sepulchral chamber over the cemetery of Callistus on the Via Appia (Appian Way). During his reign as Pontiff, two decrees have been attributed to him; one on the ordination of the clergy and the other on the Eucharistic Liturgy in the title churches of Rome.

St. Calixtus becomes Pope. As a youth he was the slave of a Christian Freedman, Carpophonrs, who set him up in a bank. He was the Principal Deacon and advisor to Pope St. Zephyrinus. Pope Calixtus I decreed a fast from corn, wine, and oil three times a year. These fasts together with the lenten fast made up the fasts for the four seasons which the Ember Days prescribed before Vatican II.

St. Hippolytus becomes the first anti-Pope and the only one to be Canonized a Saint. He was a man of Greek philosophical culture. He came into conflict with Pope St. Zephyrinus; then Pope St. Callistus I by taking an extremely vigorous view in the question of the reconciliation and re-admission of sinners when the Pontiff was taking an attitude that may have shown an unaccustomed lenience. This schism continued until his death in the year 235.

220
The Council of Carthage I. This African Synod was called together by Agrippinus, who brought together seventy Bishops from Proconsular Africa and Numidia.

222
St. Urban I becomes Pope. He was a Roman by birth and died a Martyr's death.

230
St. Pontianus becomes Pope. He was a Roman. he suffered martyrdom with the one time anti-Pope St. Hippolytus in the minds of Sardinia. The two share their Feast day on November 19.

235-238
The Sixth Roman persecution, under Maximinus Thrax. The bloody persecution was aimed at the Bishops and priests. This persecution took the lives of Pope St. Pontianus and anti-Pope St. Hippolytus. They were exiled to Sardinia by Emperor Maximinus Thrax. Pope St. Pontianus resigned his Holy See in September of 235 so a successor could be chosen. Shortly afterwards, both he and St. Hippolytus were Martyred for the Faith.

Martyrdom of St. Cecilia.

235
Maximinus Thrax becomes Emperor of Rome. He was the son of a Goth and an Alanic mother. When the Emperor Septimus Severus was returning through Thrace in the year 202, Maximinus, a shepherd of enormous stature and strength, distinguished himself in a contest with soldiers by such Herculean strength and bravery that the Emperor enrolled him in the Roman Body-Guard. Refusing to serve under the worthless Emperors, Macrinus and Heliogabalus, Maximinus Thrax withdrew from the army, but under the righteous Alexander Severus he was entrusted with the command of the newly raised Pannonian troops.

St. Anterus becomes Pope. He was of Greek extraction. He ruled the Church a mere forty days; he was probably martyred. He ordained a Bishop for Fundi in Campania. Historians owe a great deal of gratitude to this Pontiff, he it was who ordered that the acts of the martyrs be taken from the notaries and kept in the Church. He was the first Pope to be buried in the Papal crypt in the cemetery of St. Callistus. A stone with the inscription, "Anterus Epi[scopus]" written in Greek letters has been found in this cemetery.

236
St. Fabian becomes Pope. He was a Roman. Most of his reign enjoyed peace. He was responsible for numerous building works in cemeteries.

238
Emperor Maximinus Thrax arrived in upper Italy. He could not cross the Isonzo River because of the floods and his attacks on the stronghold of Aquileia were repulsed. Under the foolish impression that his officers were the cause of his misfortunes, he had several of them executed, thereby arousing discontent among the soldiers, especially in the Second Parthian Legion whose wives and children were in the power of the Roman Senate at Albano. A mutiny suddenly occurred, Emperor Maximinus Thrax and his son were murdered.

Gordian I and Gordian II become co-Emperors of Rome. The were Afiican Rulers that were raised to the rank of Caesar. They died later this year and was succeeded by Pupienus. He also died this same year. After his death, Balbinus became Emperor. The Romans were dissatisfied with this arrangement, for they expected great advantages fiom the Rule of African Emperors, and the twelve year old grandson of Gordian I, Gordian III became the Roman Emperor.

242
The Manichaen Heresy was introduced by Mani of Persia. It purported to be the true synthesis of all the religious systems then known, and actually consisted of Zoroastrian Dualism, Babylonian folklore, Buddhist ethics, and some small and superficial addition of Christian elements. The key to Mani's system is his cosmogony. Once this is known, there is little else to learn. In this sense Mani was a true Gnostic, as he offered salvation by knowledge. Pockets of this corrupt heresy either held out or reappeared in the Twelfth century under the name of the Albigensians, where they polluted France.

245
Pope Fabian sent newly consecrated Bishop of Toulouse, St. Saturninus, from Rome to Gaul to preach the word of God. St. Saturninus gained many converts through his preaching and God accomplished many miracles through him.

248
St. Cyprian of Carthage is consecrated Bishop of the great African City. Origen, a workhorse with the pen, writes his "Apology Against Celsus."

249-251
Seventh Roman Persecution, under Decius. This was a systematic campaign to destroy the Catholic Church. It was more widespread and better organized than the previous persecutions. This persecution was one of the most severe and deadly in its effects. At this time the Catholic Church had converted about one third of the population.

250
As a result of the persecution, the Ten Martyrs of Crete met glorious deaths for the Catholic Faith.

Martyrdom of St. Chaeremon and other Martyrs.

251
St. Cornelius becomes Pope. His election was deliberately postponed for about sixty days because of the persecution and was strongly contested by the intellectually gifted Novatian. Novatian becomes the Church's second anti-Pope.

Martyrdom of St. Moses. He was a priest in Rome and a leader of a group of clergy who were the first confessors in the Decian persecution.

253
Aemilians becomes Roman Emperor. After his death, Valerian and Gallienus became co-Emperors of Rome. Valerian was a member of a distinguished family. He had held several offices before the army proclaimed him Emperor at Rhaetia. He was weak and irresolute, his abilities were unequal to the difficulties of the times; his son and co-Regent, Gallienus, was also lacking in force. Christian tradition regards him as the originator of the persecution under Decius. Though kindly disposed towards the Christians as Emperor, he was driven to severe measures as the hostile party, whose leader, the General Macrianus, aimed only to gain advantages for himself through the difficulties internal disturbances would cause the Emperor. After the Emperor Valarian's death, Gallienus, who became sole ruler, annulled at once his father's laws hostile to Christendom.

St. Lucius I becomes Pope. He was a Roman by birth. Almost immediately after being elected Pontiff, he was banished from Rome by the persecuting Emperor, Gallus. His place of exile is unknown. He soon made his way back with numerous other Christians who were exiled with him shortly after Valerian became Emperor. Upon his return he received an enthusiastic letter from St. Cyprian of Carthage, congratulating him on his willingness to suffer for the Faith and suggested that perhaps the Lord had recalled him so that he might undergo actual Martyrdom in the midst of His flock. Pope St. Lucius I never made any concessions to the intellectual anti-Pope, Novatian. Pope St. Lucius I received a letter from Bishop Dionysius of Alexandria, on the validity of Baptism by heretics. This issue had been much debated during the reign of Pope St. Lucius I's successor.

Death of Origen. He was born in 185 and was barely seventeen years old when he witnessed the bloody Alexandrian persecution. He was the most modest of the writers, he hardly ever alluded to himselfin his own works. St. Eusebius has devoted almost the entire sixth book of Ecclesiastical History to him. He was without a doubt, a tireless Apologetic writer.

St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, wrote a letter to the people of Thibar. Here is a quote: "Oh, what a day that will be, and how great when it comes, dearest brethren! When the Lord begins to suvey His people and to recognize by examining with Divine knowledge the merits of each individual! To cast to hell evildoers, and to condemn our persecutors to the eternal fire and punishing flame! And indeed, to present to us the reward of Faith and devotion! What will be that glory, and how great the joy of being admitted to the sight of God! To be so honored as to receive the joy of eternal light and salvation in the presence of Christ the Lord, your God! To greet Abraham and Issac, and Jacob, and all the Patriarchs, Apostles, Prophets, and Martyrs!..."

254
St. Stephen I becomes Pope. He was a Roman by birth. He answered the Re-Baptism question. Pope St. Stephen, representing the tradition of Rome, Alexandria, and Palestine, was adamant that heretical Baptism was valid: to be reconciled, heretics and schismatics needed, not to be Baptized afresh (which he regarded as illegitimate), but only to receive absolution by the laying on of hands.

257
St. Sixtus II becomes Pope.

Martyrdom of St. Saturninus. He was lynched by the pagan priests of the city and ordered to renounce his faith or face death. Saturnius held firm to his faith and his refusal encouraged the priests to execute him cruelly. The priests tied Saturninus to a wild bull by his feet and then let the bull run free through the city. Saturnius was dragged to death, his body was found by some of the Faithful and reverently cared for. During the fourth century, a church was built in honor of the martyr and his relics were translated there.

257-260
Eighth Roman Persecution, under Valerian. The Emperor Valerian issued a prescript, in kindly language, taking away Christians the right to hold assemblies or to enter the subterranean places of burial, and sending the clergy into exile. This persecution claimed the lives of St. Cyprian and Pope St. Sixtus II, whom was beheaded while saying Mass in the Catacombs of Callistus on the Sixth of August, six Deacons shared his fate; and St. Laurence another Deacon who witnessed the slayings, was detained for three days by the Romans who had hoped to obtain money that was supposedly in his care. St. Laurence petitioned the Romans to raise the riches, he brought himself before the Romans with the poor, the crippled, and the homeless for whom the Church cared for. Unmoved and cold hearted by this beautiful act, the Romans condemned St. Lawrence to death by slowly burning him on a gridiron. St. Laurence has been one of the most venerated Saints since the Fourth Century. He is mentioned in the Canon of Eucharistic Prayer #1.

258
By a new and absolutely merciless edict, Bishops, priests, and Deacons were executed immediately. Men of Senatorial equestrian rank were punished with degradation and confiscation of goods, to be followed by death if they refused to offer heathen sacrifice, women were threatened with confiscation of their property and exile, and Christians in the Imperial House were sent in chains to perform forced labor on the Imperial domains. In this cruel persecution the Catholic Church lost her leaders in Rome and Carthage, as stated above. St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, suffered Martyrdom on September 14th of this year, a little more than a month after the Pope.

Martyrdom of St. Romanus. He was a doorkeeper in the Roman Church. He suffered with St. Laurence.

St. Laurence took the Holy Grail to the place of his birth, Huesca to keep it safe from the persecutions. It remained there until 713. At his martyrdom when he was being grilled he said, "Turn me over, I'm done on this side."

259
St. Dionysius becomes Pope, He was elected after the death of Valerian because of the severity of the persecution.

268
Nestorian Adoptionism was condemned by the Council of Bishops in Asia Minor.

The Monarchian heresy begins. The Monachians, who are distinguished as the Dynamists Adoptionists, Monarchias, from the Medalist Monchians or Patripassians. The Patripassians denied the Holy Trinity. They were not Christians, (all Christians hold their unity of God as a fundamental doctrine). The Patripassians were called Monarchians. But the Adoptionists, or Dynamists, have no claim to title, for they did not start from the monarchy of God, and their error is strictly Christological.Their ancient and accurate name was Theodotians. The founder of the sect was a leather-seller of Byzantium named Theodtus. He came to Rome during the reign of Pope St. Victor I or earlier. He taught that Jesus was a man born of a virgin according to the counsel of the Father, that He lived like other men, and was most pious; that at His Baptism in the Jordan River the Christ came down upon Him in the likeness of a dove, and therefore, wonders were not wrought in Him until the Spirit (which Theodotus called Christ) came down and was manifested in Him. They did not admit that this made Him, God; but some of them said He was God after His resurrection. The Monarchians have traces of the errors of Cerinthius in their teaching; and like the other Gnostics, claimed to possess "secret information" given to them by means of private revelation. They too, adhered to the "salvation by knowledge," doctrine, which is what makes them Gnostic. Theodotus was seized with others as a Christian; he denied Our Blessed Lord, whereas his companions were Martyred. He meanwhile, fled to Rome and invented this heresy in order to excuse his fall, saying that it was but a man and not God that he denied. Pope St. Victor I excommunicated him as a heretic. Theodotus, then gathered together a sect in which we are told much secular study was carried on. The Modernists, which the Monarchians are properly called, exaggerated the Oneness of the Father and Son so as to make them One person; thus the distinctions in the Holy Trinity are energies or modes, not Persons: God the Father appears on earth as Son; hence, it seemed to their opponents that Monarchians made the Father suffer and die. In the West they were called Patripassians, whereas in the East they are called Subellians. The first to visit Rome was probably Praxeas, who went on to Carthage sometime before the year 206; but was apparently not in reality a heresiarch, and the arguments refuted by Tertuilian somewhat later in this book, "Adversus Praxean" are doubtless those of the Roman Monarchians.

269
St. Felix I becomes Pope. He was a Roman by birth. He is buried in the cemetery of Pope St. Callistus on the Appian Way.

270
Aurelian becomes Emperor of Rome. At the age of twenty he entered military service,in which, because of exceptional ability and remarkable bodily strength, his advancement was rapid. He was proclaimed Emperor upon the death of Claudius. During the early years of his reign, Aurelian exhibited remarkable justice and tolerance towards the Catholic Church.

272
Aurelian gained possession of Antioch. The Christians of Antioch appealed to him to decide whether the "Church Building" in the city belonged to the orthodox Bishop Dommnus, or to the party represented by the favorite of Zenobia, Paul of Samosata, who had been deposed for heresy by a Synod held earlier. His decision was probably based on the "Edict of Galliennus," was that the property belonged to those who were in union with the Bishops of Italy and the City of Rome. This act was a political move, it was not done for the friendliness of the Christians. What is interesting about this decision, is that it makes reference to the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church; just as it has always been!

274-275
Ninth Roman Persecution, under Aurelian. After admirable dealing with the Church two years previous, Emperor Aurelian sought to rescind the Edict of Gallienus. This was an effort to please the Roman Senate and mob. The persecution ended with the slaying of Emperor Aurelian; but not before the Martyrdom of Pope St. Felix I and St. Dionysius, Bishop of Paris.

275
St. Euttychian becomes Pope. He was a native of Tuscany. He was the last Pope to be interred in the Papal crypt in the cemetery of Pope St. Callistus. Emperor Aurelian is assassinated. He is succeeded by Tacitus.

283
St. Caius becomes Pope.

284
Diocletian becomes Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. It is he that is credited with the inexorable persecution of the Church. Diocletian, slew with his own hand the murderer of Numerianus, Aper, on September 17. His reign marked an era both in Military and political history of the Roman Empire.

286
Soon after Diocletian's accession into power, he realized that the Roman Empire was too unwieldy and direly exposed to attack to be safely ruled by a single head. He associated himself with Maximian, a bold but rude soldier, whom Diocletian raised to the rank of Caesar, thus he became Emperor of the West. Later this year he was elevated to the rank of Augustus.

290
Martyrdom of St. Lucian of Beavais. He preached the Gospel in Gaul.

292
Diocletian further distributed his power by granting the inferior title of Caesar to two of his generals, Galerius and Constantius. The supreme control of the Empire remained in Diocletian's hands. He reserved for his own portion: Thrace, Egypt, and Asia. Maximian's provinces included Italy, and Africa; while Galerius was stationed on the Danube River, and Constantius had charge of Gaul, Spain, and Britain. None of the rulers resided in Rome, and thus the way was prepared for the conversion to the Catholic Faith. Moreover, Diocletian undermined the authority of the Senate, assumed the diadem, and introduced the servile ceremonial of the Persian Court.

293
The newly proclaimed "Caesar," Constantius was forced to marry the step-mother of Mamimianus, Theodora, after the exile of his mother, St. Helen. Maximianus took charge of administration of Italy, Africa, and Spain.

296
St. Marcellinus I becomes Pope.

297
Maximianus went to Africa and successfully made war upon the rebellious tribes.

300
Council of Elvira. It was this local Council that Published the oldest positive law concerning clerical celibacy. This law imposed celibacy upon the three higher orders of the clergy, Bishops, priests, and Deacons. If they continued to live with their wives and had children, after Ordination, they were deposed. This was the beginning of the divergence of this matter between the East and West. The Council also stated the Catholic rule concerning the indissolubility of marriage. The Council also enacted eighty-one disciplinary Canons; defined the office and authority of Bishops and empowered the Bishop to direct the duties and works of priests and deacons, to be sole minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation.