"A Humble Servant's Catholic Blog"

I had been asked about possible quotes regarding the use of relics and icons in the early Church, and found Brian Showalter's blog site by chance.   He has spent thousands of hours researching tens of thousands of pages of the writings of the Early Church Fathers on a variety of topics.  In his research he has continued to find that the Church has always been Catholic.    Brian graciously gave me permission to post his work here for reference.  His original, along with many other topics, can be found at his blog, Practical Apologetics .    Here are many of the early Church writings regarding relics and icons: Marytrdom of St Ignatius of Antioch ch 6 (50-117 ad) For only the harder portions of his holy remains were left, which were conveyed to Antioch and wrapped in linen, as an inestimable treasure left to the holy Church by the grace which was in the martyr Polycarp Martyrdom of Polycarp Ch 18 (69-155 ad) Accordingly, we afterwards took up hi...

Scripture shows that the Jewish Sabbath is no longer binding on us and that we should worship on the Lord’s Day, Sunday (Acts 20:7, 1Cor 16:2, Col 2:16-17, Rev 1:10). The earliest Christian writings give testament to this: The Didache " But every Lord’s day . . . gather yourselves together and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned " (Didache 14 [A.D. 70]). The Letter of Barnabas " We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead " (Letter of Barnabas 15:6–8 [A.D. 74]). Ignatius of Antioch "[T] hose who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e. Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s day, ...

The Doctrine of Indulgences in the Early Church Fathers ~57 A.D. - St. Paul - “For such a one this punishment by the majority is enough...you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him...I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. … What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:5-10) ~197 A.D. - Tertullian - “Some, not able to find this peace in the Church, have been used to seek it from the imprisoned martyrs. And so you [imprisoned Christians] ought to have it dwelling with you, and to cherish it, and to guard it, that you may be able perhaps to bestow it upon others.” (Ad Martyras Chapter 1) 222 A.D. - Tertullian - “[N]ow you are ascribing this power [of granting indulgences] even to your dear martyrs. As soon as someone of his own accord has taken on the fetters...at once the adulterers are swarming about…[and] prayers are humming in the air... Men and women crowd [them]...beg for [their] blessing...and ...

The following are quotes from some of the earliest Christians ( from the 1st - 6th centuries, and this list is not even close to being a comprehensive list from that time period ) regarding the necessity of Baptism. A special thanks is in order to Catholics Answers for putting these all in one location for easy reference. At the bottom I will provide the link to the article that these are in, as well as quotes from even two of the "fathers of the Reformation". Hermas "‘I have heard, sir,’ said I [to the Shepherd], ‘from some teacher, that there is no other repentance except that which took place when we went down into the water and obtained the remission of our former sins.’ He said to me, ‘You have heard rightly, for so it is’" (The Shepherd 4:3:1–2 [A.D. 80]). Justin Martyr "As many as are persuaded and believe that what we [Christians] teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly . . . are brought by us where there is water...

What did the earliest Christians believe about Peter's Primacy and whether his "See" was in Rome?  Why not let them speak for themselves?  Here is just a tidbit for starters: "The blessed Peter, the chosen, the preeminent, the first of the disciples, for whom alone and himself the Savior paid tribute [Mt 17:27], quickly seized and comprehended the saying...” (Clement of Alexandria, Who is the rich man that shall be saved? 21, AD 200) Quoting Mt 16:18-19, Tertulian rebukes , “What kind of man are you, subverting and changing what was the clear intent of the Lord when he himself conferred this upon Peter? Upon YOU, he says, I will build my Church; and I will give to YOU the keys.” ( emphasis in original , Tertullian, Modesty 21, AD 220) Cyprian of Carthage explains likewise as Tertullian and Clement, and emphasizes , “Indeed, the others were also what Peter was [apostles], but a primacy is given to Peter, by which it is made clear that there is one Church a...

What did the Early Christians Believe? Baptism by Blood (Martyrdom) [On the forms of forgiveness from sins] “First, that is that by which we are baptized unto the forgiveness of sins. A second forgiveness is found in the suffering of martyrdom.” (Origen, Homilies on Leviticus , 2,4 [A.D. 244] ) “If anyone does not receive Baptism, he does not have salvation. The only exception is the martyrs, who, even without water, will receive the kingdom. ...For the Savior calls martyrdom a Baptism, saying, “Can you drink the cup which I drink, and be baptized with the Baptism with which I am to be baptized [Mk 10:38]?” Indeed, the martyrs too confess, by being made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men [1Cor 4:9]. Soon you too will confess: - but it is not yet time for you to hear of these things.” (Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures , 3,10 [A.D. 350] )

What did the Early Christians Believe? Authority of the Bishop/Presbyters “ Now, therefore, it has been my privilege to see you in the person of your God-inspired bishop, Damas; and in the persons of your worthy presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius; and my fellow-servant, the deacon Zotion. What a delight is his company! For he is subject to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the law of Jesus.” (Ignatius of Antioch, 110 AD, Letter to the Magnesians, [2] ) “It becomes you not to presume on the youth of the bishop, but to show him all reverence in consideration of the authority of God the Father: just as even the holy presbyters, so I have heard, do not take advantage of his outwardly youthful appearance, but yield to him in their godly prudence: yet not to him, but to the Father of Jesus Christ, the Bishop of all.” (ibid. [3,1] ) “Take care to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God and with the presby...

[65] “After we have thus washed the one who has believed and has assented, we lead him to where those who are called brethren are gathered, offering prayers in common and heartily for ourselves and for the one who has been illuminated, and for all others everywhere, so that we may be accounted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, to be found keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an eternal salvation. Having concluded the prayers, we greet one another with a kiss. Then there is brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of water and of watered wine; and taking them, he gives praise and glory to the Father of all, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and he himself gives thanks at some length in order that these things may be deemed worthy. When the prayers and the thanksgiving are completed, all the people present call out their assent, saying: “Amen!” Amen in the Hebrew language signifies so be it . After the president ...