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Timeline
before
Christ
0-100 AD
100-200
200-300
300-400
400-500
500-600
600-700
700-800
800-900
900-1000
1000-1100
1100-1200
1200-1300
1300-1400
1400-1500
1500-1600
1600-1700
1700-1800
1800-1900
1900-1950
1950-2000
2000-2050
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During this
century, the persecution of Christians flared up again a number of times. The
recurring outbreak of the plague was usually blamed on Christians. Emperor
Decius decreed in 250 that Christians who did not sacrifice to Roman gods
should be tortured or put to death.
The ambivalent
attitude towards women by Church leaders at the time can be gauged in the
actions of Dionysius, the Bishop of Alexandria (247-265).
In a letter
addressed to Fabius, Bishop of Antioch, he describes the martyrdom of Apollonia
whom he calls: 'elder virgin' [Greek: parthénos presbûtis;
Latin: virgo
presbytera]. Though this term reminds us of
'presbuteros=priest', historians say it probably meant she served her community
as a 'deacon'. She was, in fact, remembered in the liturgical calendar as a
deacon.
But in laying down local
rules for his diocese, Dionysius forbade
women who had their
periods to approach the altar, receive holy communion or even enter a
church. "Let them
pray elsewhere".
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from rood screen in Barton Turf
Church |
