After
the death and resurrection of Jesus, leaders of his disciples also known as the
Apostles, started their mission entrusted by Christ. It is nothing but to
spread his GOOD NEWS of Love in the form of love your neighbour, love your
enemy, and similar other doctrines. In accordance with the Acts of Apostles,
initially they started their mission by giving sermons in or near the temples/synagogues
of the Jews to which
they also belonged and baptised those who joined them. In those days, the
Apostles along with their disciples as a group were known as the Church and not
the buildings. Hence during that period a building had never called as a Church.
They used to break the bread as taught by Jesus during the Last Supper and had
the meals together among their houses in turn. They also distributed their
possessions and belongings among them according their need. In short there was
no priest or a building called Church. There was also no Holy Mass in the
present form, but only the breaking the bread in the leadership of Elders in
the homes as above.
It
is also believed that the above position continued even when the Christians
were persecuted during the persecution period of Roman Emperors Nero (64 A.D.) to
Diocletian (305 A.D.). However, when the Constantine (306 A.D. to) became the Emperor
of the whole of the Roman Empire and also, was converted to Christianity, built
a Church as a building in the present form, believed as the first one. Then
came the Canon Law and other establishments.
But
after the arrival of the COVID 19, the situation is reversed to its original
stage where there was no church buildings and no church going. Now, though there
are church buildings, there is no church going anywhere, even during this Maundy
Thursday to Easter period.
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