Africa’s lost popes: How continent once led the Catholic church

• North Africa was erstwhile a thriving Christian heartland, producing popes who shaped Catholic traditions inactive observed today
• From establishing Easter Sunday to founding St Valentine’s Day, Africa’s popes near a lasting people connected Church history
• As Catholicism expands crossed sub-Saharan Africa, hopes emergence for the continent to spot its archetypal pope successful implicit 1,500 years

Now predominantly Muslim, North Africa was erstwhile a thriving Christian heartland, producing Catholic popes who near a lasting interaction connected the Church.

These papacies existed during the Roman Empire, spanning modern-day Tunisia, north-east Algeria, and occidental Libya.

Past Popes from Africa Introduced New Changes to Christianity, Invented Valentine's Day. Photo credit: Vatican Pool/GettyImages
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Historian Prof Christopher Bellitto described the portion arsenic “the Bible Belt of past Christianity”, depicting its pivotal relation successful shaping aboriginal Church doctrines.

According to a study by BBC, galore Catholics successful Africa present anticipation the papacy volition instrumentality to the continent for the archetypal clip successful implicit 1,500 years, arsenic discussions connected Pope Francis’ successor intensify.

Victor I, Pope who fixed Easter connected a Sunday

Believed to beryllium of Berber origin, Pope Victor I led the Church astatine a clip erstwhile Christians faced persecution for refusing to worship Roman gods.

His top bequest was ensuring that Easter Sunday became the cosmopolitan time of celebrating Christ’s resurrection, ending the signifier of pursuing Jewish Passover dates.

Victor I convened the archetypal Roman Synod, wherever helium forced alignment connected Easter’s date, threatening excommunication for bishops who opposed his decision.

He besides introduced Latin arsenic the communal connection of the Catholic Church, replacing Ancient Greek, which had been wide used.

Miltiades, Pope who received the archetypal papal residence

African-born Pope Miltiades led during a transformative epoch erstwhile Christianity gained authoritative acceptance successful the Roman Empire.

His papacy coincided with Emperor Constantine’s displacement towards tolerating Christianity, culminating successful its designation arsenic Rome’s authoritative religion.

Miltiades became the archetypal pope to beryllium granted an authoritative residence, arsenic Constantine talented him a palace, marking a turning constituent for Catholic leadership.

Under his tenure, helium oversaw the operation of the Lateran Basilica, regarded contiguous arsenic the parent of each churches successful Catholicism.

Gelasius I, Pope who established St Valentine’s Day

Pope Gelasius I, though of North African descent, was believed to beryllium calved successful Rome, making his African roots historically debated.

His contributions to Church doctrine stay significant, arsenic helium became the archetypal pope to beryllium called “Vicar of Christ”, defining the papacy’s relation arsenic Christ’s typical connected Earth.

Gelasius I developed the Doctrine of the Two Swords, asserting the Church’s supremacy implicit the state, an ideology that influenced medieval politics.

His effect to the Acacian Schism further solidified Rome’s authorization implicit Christianity, reinforcing the powerfulness of the papacy implicit the Eastern Church.

In AD 496, helium established St Valentine’s Day, officially commemorating the Christian martyr St Valentine, portion transforming the pagan Roman festival of Lupercalia into a Christian tradition.

Past Popes from Africa Introduced New Changes to Christianity, Invented Valentine's Day. Photo credit: Franco Origlia/GettyImages
Source: Getty Images

Will Africa spot different Pope?

Since Gelasius I’s reign successful the 5th century, nary pope has hailed from Africa, contempt the continent’s increasing Catholic population.

Catholicism has expanded rapidly successful sub-Saharan Africa, with 281 cardinal Catholics recorded successful 2023, representing 20% of the planetary Church.

Three African candidates—Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (DR Congo), Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson (Ghana), and Robert Sarah (Guinea)—are among the contenders to win Pope Francis.

However, experts judge the Church’s powerfulness remains concentrated successful the North, delaying prospects of an African pope.

Prof Mwaura suggested that “Christianity is beardown successful Africa, but resources and power are inactive successful the North”, meaning an African pope whitethorn inactive beryllium a distant possibility.

Food Cardinals devour earlier choosing caller pope

Legit.ng earlier reported that for much than 750 years, strict rules person governed the nutrient served to cardinals during a papal conclave to forestall immoderate anticipation of hidden messages influencing the election.

During the concealed predetermination for a caller pope—scheduled to statesman connected 7 May—135 cardinals volition beryllium secluded wrong the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel with nary outer connection allowed but for the accepted fume signals indicating voting results.

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Source: Legit.ng