Apostolic Age (Early Church)

Apostolic Age (Early Church)

The first three centuries of Christianity were marked by persecution. The faith was illegal within the Roman Empire and subject to sporadic but often brutal crackdowns under various emperors. Thousands of Christians were martyred for refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods or renounce Christ, and their witness strengthened rather than weakened the Church. As Tertullian famously stated, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

During this period, Christian life unfolded primarily in house churches, catacombs, and small hidden communities. Believers gathered secretly to celebrate the Eucharist, support one another, and preserve the faith under constant threat. There was not yet a fully systematized theology, but Apostolic teaching was faithfully transmitted through oral tradition, the writings that would later form the New Testament, and established liturgical practices.

Core elements of Church life were already firmly in place: baptism, chrismation, the Eucharist, and the hierarchical structure of bishops, priests, and deacons. These were not later inventions but living realities inherited directly from the Apostles.

A dramatic shift occurred in 313 with the Edict of Milan, when Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity and eventually converted himself. The Church moved from an underground, persecuted minority to a legal and increasingly influential presence within the empire.

This new freedom brought fresh challenges. Large numbers of people entered the Church for social or political advantage rather than genuine faith, and doctrinal confusion spread as heresies gained traction. The need for clear, authoritative definitions of belief became urgent.

This period gave rise to the era of the Ecumenical Councils, beginning with the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Bishops from across the Christian world gathered to address the Arian heresy and articulate the Nicene Creed. Between 325 and 787, seven Ecumenical Councils were held, defining the Church’s core doctrines concerning the Trinity, the nature of Christ, and the veneration of icons.

These councils are regarded as infallible in Orthodoxy because they represent the whole Church speaking with one voice, guided by the Holy Spirit, preserving the Apostolic faith amid changing historical circumstances.