The Roman Catholic Church is the largest denomination of Christianity, with around 1.3 billion adherents.
Understand
[edit]- See also: Christianity, Crusades
The Catholic Church defines its faith through the Nicene Creed. It claims that it is the one, holy, catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission, that the Pope is the successor of Saint Peter, and that its bishops are successors of Christ's apostles.
Christianity spread within the late Roman Empire, and became the Empire's official religion, and as the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century AD, the Church remained as a unifying factor for Latin-speaking Europe, in some degree up to the 21st century.
The Great Schism of the 11th century separated Catholicism from Orthodox Christianity.
The Protestant Reformation that started in the 15th century led to several Protestant denominations breaking with the Pope.
The Roman Catholic Church has mainly spread overseas through colonization; in particular the Spanish Empire, the Portuguese Empire and the French Colonial Empire contained territories which by the 21st century are traditionally Catholic.
The Catholic Church has seven sacraments: that is, sacred liturgical acts held to be instituted by Jesus Christ. Holy communion is the foremost of these; they also include baptism, confirmation, absolution, matrimony, holy orders, and the anointing of the sick.
Destinations
[edit]
- See also: Christianity#Destinations
- 1 Vatican City. A city-state whithin Rome which is St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.
- 2 Palais des Papes, Place du Palais des Papes, Avignon, [email protected]. A series of Popes ruled in Avignon from the Papal Palace during the 14th century.
- 3 Lourdes, France. The world's best-known center of Marian pilgrimage. Its springs are thought to have healing powers.
- 6 Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy.
- 7 Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, Rome, Italy.
- 10 Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico.
Pilgrimage
[edit]Since ancient times, pilgrimage is a well-known Catholic rite. The Via Maria and Camino de Santiago are famous routes.
See also
[edit]- Carnival, originally a Catholic festival before Lent
- Grand Tour, an educational journey of Early Modern Europe in which Rome was an important destination