Christian Art:
From Catacombs to Cathedrals
Christianity
spread among the ruins of Roman Empire, even if it did not cause it to
collapse. To be a Christian before Emperor Constantine’s proclamation of
religious tolerance, one had to endure persecution. Under the emperors Nero,
Trajan, Domitian, and Diocletian, Christians were slain for their beliefs. The
Romans saw them as mad cult members and barbaric subversives who refuse to
acknowledge the emperor as a god, or any Roman gods for that matter.
Early Christian
art can be divided into two phases:
• THE PERIOD OF PERSECUTION:
During this period, Christians worship
in secret, using private homes as well as chapels in catacombs.
• THE PERIOD OF RECOGNITION:
After
Constantine’s edict, persecution of Christianity was officially forbidden and
its followers were no longer forced to worship in secret. They poured their
energy into constructing houses of worship, many of which erected on the land
on top of the catacombs. In terms of design, it is not surprising that
Christians turned to what they already knew – Roman architecture.
Through the passage of time, Christian art continue to flourish as of now. Even in the age of modernization, Christian art is still being used in architecture and art. It just show how amazing and innovative the Later Romans and Early Christians in producing their art and making it improved.
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