"Learning Rome" through the early Christians.The web "Early Christians"is a portal dedicated exclusively to the way of life, the faith, and the data we currently know about the first centuries of Christianity. "Our main objective," say those currently responsible for the website, "is to make known and disseminate the example of the life of the first followers of Christ, the fidelity with which they lived their faith, despite the difficulties and persecutions they suffered. We believe that in the 21st century the early Christians are more relevant than ever and can be a source of inspiration for the new evangelization".
Regarding the design of the page, they indicate that the portal "is intended to be like a family album for Catholics. Therefore, the page is designed in an attractive way, with informative rather than academic content, so that anyone interested can learn and teach the history of the first Christians".
Early Christians as a reference
The idea was born "in the summer of 2006 and was launched in October of that year. Those who started the project shared two fundamental ideas: an understanding that the life of the early Christians was fascinating and yet they were hardly known. Over the years, several generations of university students have taken over the project with the same convictions and the hope that more and more people will discover this treasure.
It was an innovative project because, at the time, "there was no website that addressed the subject from a Catholic perspective. So we decided to fill this gap. We considered it important to bring the model of life of the first Christians as a reference for the world of the 21st century. This is because, according to the founders, they want to "bring the idea of imitating and living like the first Christians who, with the example and strength of their ordinary life, managed to change the world in which they lived, closer to the people of today. Moreover, we are living in a very propitious moment for this. I believe that it is good for all of us to know the life of the first Christians and learn from them how to conduct ourselves in these times in which there are new persecutions".
In addition, those responsible for the project consider that "we owe a great debt of gratitude to our brothers of the first centuries; in some way they were heroes, they had a lot of merit, they deserve our veneration and gratitude: if we are Christians today, we owe it to them".
There are many things that strike them about the first communities: "Their life was a gamble in which the destiny of the Church and of mankind was at stake. And they were faithful. They converted an empire. The first Christians are so interesting because of their paradoxical character: first of all, they are people who lived thousands of years ago, in a world apparently very different from ours; and yet, on learning about their lives and listening to their words, we feel that they challenge us with great force, that they manage to get to the heart of the concerns and struggles of Christians of the 21st century. Their witness has a unique freshness, because of their closeness to the origins of our faith. The early Christians have an extraordinary cultural relevance. In a special way, when it comes to understanding the world in which we live and the interaction between Christianity and the contemporary world. European culture is shaped by Christianity, and therefore by the efforts of the first Christians. They are the famous 'Christian roots' of Europe. It is important to emphasize this, because Christianity spread throughout the world precisely from Europe".
To know the first centuries
In addition, the website contains information on a wide variety of topics related to the life of the early Christians. Jaime tells us that topics such as "who they were, how they lived, the persecutions, the expansion of Christianity, the Acts of the martyrs, the Fathers of the Church, the catacombs, etc." are covered.
In addition, "the page hosts some documents and videos (on our Youtube channel). It also offers lists of books and films related to the world of early Christianity, as well as archives of the acts of the martyrs or the situation of Christianity in the first four centuries. We also have sections such as 'Treasures of Romeor 'Places of the Holy Land', which arouse a lot of interest. Another of our great themes is that of the persecuted Christians who continue to give today a testimony very similar to that of the first Christians".
User feedback
Time has shown that, far from being a secondary topic, the life of the early Christians is of interest to a great many people. "There are already thousands of people subscribed to the site," Jaime Alonso de Velasco, one of those currently responsible for the site, told Omnes, "who are eager to receive the free weekly newsletter with news about the life of the early Christians.
Some not only subscribe to the newsletter, but also decide to send a message: "Over the years we have received hundreds of messages of support and thanks from all over the world. It is very gratifying to see that you are encouraging people in difficult circumstances to live their faith. In those moments, the example of the life of the first Christians has sustained them and helped them a lot. From a catechist in the Amazon jungle who thanks us for what our web site has helped her; a priest from Ghana, a mother of a large family in Brazil, a lawyer from Washington D. C., a Scottish university student, and many people from difficult countries for Christians such as Cuba, Russia or Indonesia. In this regard, the English version of our website, which has spread all over the world".
