"You say, the times are troublesome, the times are burdensome, the times are miserable. Live rightly and you will change the times. The times have never hurt anyone. Those who are hurt are human beings; those by whom they are hurt are also human beings. So, change human beings and the times will be changed."—St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 311, 8Growing up on the northernmost edge of the African continent, young Augustine had never known a l...

THE old or official religions of Greece and of Rome had lost most of their power long before Constantine first declared that Christianity was henceforth to be recognized as a religio licita and then proceeded to bestow the Imperial favor on the faith which his predecessors had persecuted. Hellenism had destroyed their influence over the cultivated classes, and other religions, coming from the East, had captivated the masses of the people. If temples, dedicated to the gods of Olympus, were ...

Learn about the lives and works of over eighty saints in this collection, featuring ninety-two colorfully illustrated holy cards.How does Saint Christopher keep us safe when we travel? Why is Saint Patrick always depicted with a nest of snakes? How did Cecilia come to be the patron saint of music? These wonders and more are explained in this treasure of a book. The perfect book for the devout or any religious occasion, this captivating collection recounts the extra-...

From his influence on economics and governance to his pivotal role in popularising Christianity, this is a compelling exploration of the transformative reign of Constantine the Great, Roman Emperor from 306 to 337 AD.Constantine the Great (c. 272–337) was a pivotal figure in the history of both the Roman Empire and Christianity. The first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, he eradicated Christian persecution and was influential in the religion’s spread throu...

Even by modern standards, the Empress Theodora (?-548) had a remarkable rise to power. Born into the lowest class of Byzantine society, she worked as an actress in burlesque theater. Yet she attracted the love of the future emperor Justinian, who, to the astonishment of proper society, made her not only his wife but also his partner in government. Justinian's respect for and trust in Theodora gave her power in her own right unmatched by almost any other Roman or Byzantine empress.In this book...

From the beginning to 1940. Written for both students and adults. The author intersperses the history with many brief, interesting biographies of famous people, and at the end of each chapter he quotes briefly from a famous writing of the era, blending a medley of elements into a comprehensive historical composition that is at once brilliant and fascinating. A story of the Church unparalleled in its scope, depth, variety and impact, and a book all Catholics should read.

Constantine the Great is a fascinating and in depth historical examination of the reorganisation of the Empire after its catastrophic fall, and the subsequent triumph of the Christian Church.Firth, in a grounded approach to the period, questions whether Constantine really did deserve his epithet ‘the Great’ in real life, leaving it to his readers to make up their own minds.What he does assert, though, is that under Constantine’s auspices, one of the most momentous ...

On February 11, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI shocked Catholics and the world by announcing that he would resign from the papacy. It was the first papal resignation in 600 years, and it has caused Catholics the world over to scramble for answers. Now, in Popes Who Resigned, Thomas J. Craughwell answers those burning questions, including: - Why did Benedict XVI resign… and why didn’t John Paul II? - What does the Catholic Church teach about papal resignation? - Who were the other popes that resig...

It is 312 AD outside ancient Rome as Emperor Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus stands above the Tiber River and watches his enemy, Maxentius, and over one hundred thousand soldiers cross Milvian Bridge and take position on the battlefield. Unfortunately, forty-year-old Constantine no longer feels like the invincible god his enemies and some friends believe he is. But as he stands in the midst of a civil war, Constantine knows now is not the time for doubts. As he capitalizes ...

We want to share a little of what was going on in the world of the 5th Century. The world was in a turmoil! This was the beginning of the end of the Western emperors. The collapse of the Roman empire begins with Italy being taken over by one barbarian army placing Italy under the thumb of the Eastern emperors of Constantinople, only to be invaded and ravaged by another barbarian, the Ostrogoth

According to Wikipedia: "Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a place of worship. The word church is usually, but not exclusively, associated with Christianity. The term means something quite different for each religious institution that sees itself as belonging to the Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches each claim to be the one Church established by Jesus Christ, specially guided by...

Skyros Publishing is dedicated to reproducing the finest books ever written and letting readers of all ages experience a classic for the first time or revisit a past favorite.George Hodges was an American theologian and popular Christian writer. One of Hodges' best known works is his history on the history of the Church from its emergence until the fall of Rome.