How Much Do You Know About the History of Catholicism?

Saint Peter is believed to be Rome's first bishop, making him also the first Pope. He consecrated Linus as the next bishop.

Sadly, William Tyndale was executed by the Roman Catholic Church for translating the Bible into English. Roughly 83% of the New Testament in the King James Bible is Tyndale’s translation.

Whenever there is a major break in the church, it's called a schism. There have been many throughout history, with the first one in 144 AD.

Brazil is the country that has the most Catholics in the world. Just think about Christ the Redeemer!

Catholics make up roughly 16% of the population. This has remained steady for about a century.

The Crusades were sanctioned by the Latin Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. More specifically, it was the High and Late Middle Ages.

It was actually the Jews that began the tradition of honoring saints. Their tradition was to honor prophets and holy people with shrines.

The fish, or ICHTHUS, was the symbol used by early Christians to identify themselves. This was important, as they were in a time of persecution.

Sadly, the fate of Saint Peter, the first Catholic pope, was crucifixion. He was crucified upside down so that he would not die the same way that Jesus did.

The first Council of Nicea took place in 325 AD. This was the first post-apostolic ecumenical council of the Christian community.

It's false that the exact date is known by scholars. The beginning of the church is indeterminable.

The Council of Constantinople was the first to amend and ratify the Nicene Creed. This resulted in the version used by Christian churches around the world.

Pope Leo I was the first to claim universal jurisdiction over the worldwide Church. He presided over the church from 440 to 461 AD.

The Council of Chalcedon was when the first real break in the church took place. This was in 451 AD.

The venerable John Paul II was elected to the papacy in 1978 and died in 2004. During his time, 17 million people came to his weekly audiences in Rome.

The Great Schism took place in 1054 AD. The separation of the Eastern and Western branches of the church became official.

The term "Roman Catholic" was first used during the Protestant Reformation. Many significant changes took place during this period.

The Council of Trent greatly centralized the church and enhanced the power of Rome. It took place between 1545 and 1563.

The deuterocanoncial books are those found in the Christian Old Testament. Several deuterocanoncial books are rejected by Protestants.

Proclaiming Peter as the head of the Church was stated in Matthew 16:18. "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

The Papal States were formed in 590 by Pope Gregory I. He consolidated the lands controlled by authority of the pope.

The early structure for the Christian Church was provided by the apostles. The initial stages of the Christian Church and Roman Catholic Church are almost impossible to separate.

Simon Peter was one of Jesus' 12 apostles, and he was influential in the Jewish Christian movement. Later, James would take over the leadership.

Paul, once a persecutor of the Christians, because an ardent Christian. His ministry would become known as Pauline Christianity.

In 70 AD, the fall of Jerusalem took place. This scattered the Jewish Christian movement. Pauline and Gnostic Christianity were left as the dominant groups in its wake.

Pauline Christianity became legally recognized in Rome in 313 AD. Roman Catholicism would become the official religion in 380 AD.

The earliest Catholics were the only people recognized as Christians. This went on for 1000 years after Roman Catholicism becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire.

It's false that there was a reunification between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. They remain separate to this day.

The Protestant Reformation took place in the 16th century. This was considered one of the most impactful divisions within the church.

The Protestant Reformation came down to a question of doctrine. The Catholics held that it was important for church leaders to regulate this doctrine.

There are roughly 1 billion Catholics in the world, on all five continents. They are bound together by their religious beliefs and obedience to the papacy.

It's false that women can become Roman Catholic priests. Perhaps one day that might change.

It's false that modern Catholics (by and large) follow the Church's teachings on contraception and sex. You naughty, naughty Catholics.

The Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the Western world. Its history goes back more than 2,000 years.

The Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in Christianity. Not only that, but it's also the oldest.