A History of the Popes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

A History of the Popes - Essay Example After the death of Jesus, Christianity spread in many places including Rome. Peter and Paul went there to indoctrinate the Jews but they were persecuted and Peter was soon crucified. More Christians, bishops and deacons were to die afterward until the time of Constantine who gave leniency to religions. During the reign of Pope Leo, Rome was threatened by conquerors and so was Christianity. However the pope claimed he was the heir of Peter and thus established himself as a respectable figure who made the church stronger. Between Two Empires is the second part of the video which continues the history of the popes. It shows how the popes at different times tried to save the power of the church. Along with the papacy, there was another leadership that was equally strong or even stronger than that of the pope’s. It was the emperor. For want of glory and power, the two fought for many centuries to preserve their respective authorities. For example, when Christianity was threatened by the invaders ruled by the Lumbards, Pope Gregory the Great showered the leader’s wife with expensive gifts, gaining her confidence in the pope. On the other hand, Emperor Leo III showed how an imperial leader could break a pope’s backbone when he confiscated papal lands and had given them to