How Greece was Christianized DOCUMENTARY
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the Christianization of Greece, beginning with Apostle Paul's missionary journeys and the formation of early Christian communities. It delves into the slow and complex process of conversion, influenced by the Edict of Milan and Emperor Constantine's conversion. Despite initial resistance, especially in Athens and rural areas, Christianity gradually supplanted paganism. The script also discusses the transformation of sacred sites, the adaptation of local deities, and the eventual decline of pagan practices, highlighting the last pagan community in Mani and the philosophical efforts of Georgius Gemistus Pletho.
Takeaways
- 😇 Christianity's introduction to the Roman Empire, including Greece, was a gradual process that significantly altered social, economic, and political aspects of society.
- 🌟 The Apostle Paul's missionary journeys to Greece in 49 AD marked the beginning of Christianity there, establishing the first Christian communities in Europe.
- 🏛 The conversion of Dionysius, a member of the Athenian Areopagus, to Christianity and his subsequent role as the first bishop of Athens highlights the early spread of the faith.
- 🕊 Despite the Edict of Milan in 313 and Constantine's conversion, Christianity did not immediately replace paganism; the process took centuries and faced resistance.
- 🏙️ Urban centers were more receptive to Christianity than rural areas, where pagan practices persisted into the Middle Ages in some regions.
- 🛕 Factors like Greece's economic status, strong philosophical schools, and lack of monasteries until the 8th century hindered the rapid spread of Christianity.
- 🧙♂️ Monastic efforts played a crucial role in converting rural populations, as seen in the rapid Christianization of western Asia Minor.
- 🎭 The Neoplatonic Academy of Athens, a significant intellectual center promoting pagan beliefs, was shut down, indicating the decline of paganism.
- 🏛️ The Parthenon's conversion into a Christian church and the reuse of pagan materials with Christian symbols exemplify the physical transformation of sacred sites.
- 🗝️ The Maniots, or Maniates, were among the last pagan communities in Greece, with some accounts suggesting they clung to their old beliefs into the Middle Ages.
- 📜 Georgius Gemistus Pletho, a late Byzantine philosopher, advocated for a return to the worship of classical Hellenic Gods, reflecting a nostalgia for the past.
Q & A
How did Christianity first appear in the Roman Empire and its impact?
-Christianity first appeared in the Roman Empire as a result of the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys around 49 AD to places like Philippi, Thessaloniki, and Veria, where he preached the Gospel of Christ and formed the first small Christian communities in Europe. This led to a significant upheaval in the social, economic, and political life of the empire, changing it forever.
What was the role of the Edict of Milan in the spread of Christianity?
-The Edict of Milan in 313 granted religious freedom, which was a monumental event that boosted Christianity's popularity and led to many mass conversions. It facilitated the spread of Christianity by removing legal barriers to its practice.
Why was the Christianization of Greece a slow process?
-The Christianization of Greece was a slow process due to various factors such as Greece's economic and political secondary position in the empire, the strong presence of academies and philosophical schools that cultivated pagan beliefs, and the lack of monasteries until the 8th century.
Who was Dionysius and how did he contribute to the spread of Christianity in Athens?
-Dionysius was a member of the Athenian Areopagus, the judicial council, who converted to Christianity according to church tradition. After his conversion, he became the first bishop of Athens, playing a key role in the establishment of the Christian community there.
What was the significance of the Neoplatonic Academy of Athens in the context of paganism?
-The Neoplatonic Academy of Athens was an important intellectual center that propagated pagan beliefs through its teachings. Its closure was a significant event in the decline of paganism and the rise of Christianity in the region.
How did the Eleusinian mysteries contribute to the persistence of paganism in Greece?
-The Eleusinian mysteries were a set of religious rites that attracted visitors from all over Greece and were so popular that they persisted even after the rise of Christianity. The rites included famous individuals and Neoplatonic philosophers, indicating the continued influence of pagan practices.
What measures were taken by Christian authorities to suppress pagan practices?
-Christian authorities took several measures to suppress pagan practices, including the banning of public sacrifices by Constantine the Great and Theodosius I, the closure of pagan temples, and the destruction or repurposement of pagan sites and artifacts.
How were pagan temples and sites repurposed during the Christianization process?
-Pagan temples and sites were often converted into Christian churches or basilicas. For example, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church, with the temple being reoriented, remodeled, and inscribed with Christian symbols to 'purify' it.
What was the role of monks in the Christianization of rural areas in Greece?
-Monks played a significant role as the 'frontline soldiers of Christ,' traveling to villages, bearing many dangers to preach the Gospel, and convert the local population. Their zealous efforts contributed to the spread of Christianity, especially in areas like western Asia Minor.
How did the Maniots, a community in the Mani peninsula, resist Christianization?
-The Maniots, or Maniates, were one of the last pagan communities in Greece. They resisted full Christianization until the reign of Emperor Basil, and even then, accounts from a century later suggest that they did not fully embrace the new religion, as evidenced by the activities of monks like Nikon the Metanoeite.
Who was Georgius Gemistus Pletho, and what was his stance on the religious transition from paganism to Christianity?
-Georgius Gemistus Pletho, also known as Plethon, was a prominent philosopher of the late Byzantine era. In his work 'Nomoi,' he rejected Christianity and advocated for a return to the worship of the classical Hellenic Gods, reflecting a desire to preserve the old religious traditions.
Outlines
🌟 Christianization of Greece and the Role of Apostle Paul
The first paragraph introduces the transformative impact of Christianity on the Roman Empire, particularly in Greece, starting with Apostle Paul's missionary journeys around 49 AD. It discusses the gradual growth of Christianity, the significance of the Edict of Milan in 313, and the challenges faced by the new faith in a region with strong pagan traditions. The paragraph also highlights the role of monasteries and monks in spreading Christianity, despite economic and political factors that initially limited its reach.
🏛 Paganism's Persistence and the Christian Transformation of Athens
This paragraph delves into the persistence of paganism in Athens during the 4th century, with major religious festivals like the Panathenaia and the Eleusinian mysteries. It describes the influence of Neoplatonic philosophers and the gradual shift towards Christianity, despite the ban on animal sacrifices by Constantine the Great and Theodosius I. The paragraph also details the eventual Christianization of sacred sites, including the conversion of the Parthenon into a church and the reorientation of religious practices.
⛪️ The Conversion and Repurposing of Pagan Temples in Greece
The third paragraph focuses on the physical transformation of pagan temples into Christian churches throughout Greece. It describes the architectural changes made to these structures, such as reorientation and the addition of Christian elements like altars and iconostases. The paragraph also touches on the fate of pagan sculptures and the strategies used to 'purify' them for Christian use. It discusses the broader context of temple destruction and the rise of Christian basilicas and crosses as symbols of the new faith's dominance.
🔥 The Last Pagan Community and the End of Paganism in Greece
The final paragraph discusses the last pagan community in Greece, the Maniots, and their eventual Christianization. It mentions the efforts of monks like Nikon the Metanoeite and George the Hagiorite in converting the local population. The paragraph also highlights the figure of Georgius Gemistus Pletho, who advocated for a return to the worship of classical Hellenic Gods, reflecting a bygone era. The summary concludes with an invitation for viewers to stay updated with future content on the channel.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Christianity
💡Roman Empire
💡Greece
💡Apostle Paul
💡Edict of Milan
💡Pagan
💡Neoplatonic Academy of Athens
💡Eleusinian Mysteries
💡Parthenon
💡Maniots
💡Georgius Gemistus Pletho
Highlights
Christianity's introduction to the Roman Empire caused a significant upheaval in social, economic, and political life.
Greece's Christianization began with Apostle Paul's missionary journeys, forming the first Christian communities in Europe around 49 AD.
The Edict of Milan in 313 and Constantine’s conversion were pivotal in boosting Christianity's popularity and leading to mass conversions.
Christianity faced resistance in Greece due to economic, philosophical, and lack of missionary presence.
Monks played a crucial role as the frontline soldiers of Christ, converting local populations despite dangers.
Pagan practices in some areas of Greece persisted into the Middle Ages, showing the tenacity of the Old Religion.
The Neoplatonic Academy of Athens, an intellectual center propagating pagan beliefs, was shut down.
Despite the growth of Christianity, Athens remained largely pagan due to religious festivals and the influence of Neoplatonic philosophers.
The Eleusinian mysteries were a popular pagan festival that attracted widespread participation, including famous individuals and philosophers.
Pagan renaissance under Emperor Julian was short-lived, and his reign was marked by a grim prophecy of paganism's decline.
The destruction of Eleusis by Alaric and his Goths in 396 marked a significant defeat for the Old Gods.
Ancient sites were repurposed for Christian use, with practices like inscribing crosses to purify materials of pagan spirits.
The Parthenon's conversion to a Christian basilica involved significant architectural changes to conform to Christian standards.
The Christian population's growth and pagans' dwindling numbers led to the conversion of numerous temples throughout Greece.
Pagan sacred sites faced destruction or transformation, with some temples repurposed as Christian churches.
Local pagan deities and rites underwent Christianization, with the replacement of gods by saints and the adoption of Christian terminology.
A small pagan community, the Maniots, survived into the Middle Ages, maintaining some pagan traditions.
Georgius Gemistus Pletho, a late Byzantine philosopher, advocated for a return to the worship of classical Hellenic Gods.
Transcripts
As with every major religion, the appearance of Christianity in the
Roman Empire led to an upheaval of an enormous proportion and changed the social, economic,
and political life of the empire forever. However, this change started out slowly and started growing
only after a certain number of Greeks converted from their ancient beliefs to the new religion.
But how was Greece Christianized? Our video will try to answer this question.
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The history of Christianity in Greece begins with Apostle Paul who around 49 AD
traveled to Philippi, Thessaloniki, and Veria, preached the Gospel of Christ,
and formed the first small Christian communities in Europe. On his second journey he preached at
Athens, where according to church tradition he converted a member of the Athenian Areopagus,
the judicial council, named Dionysius, who after his conversion became the first bishop of Athens.
The formation of these early Christian communities however didn’t mean that the entire population
became Christian overnight. Christianization would be a long process that would last centuries and
oftentimes it took more than preaching to convince the followers of the Old Gods to abandon them.
The Edict of Milan in 313 that granted religious freedom and Constantine’s conversion were
monumental events that boosted Christianity’s popularity and led to many mass conversions,
though the new religion was already popular in the previous centuries, mainly at urban centers
and had remarkable growth rates even at times of persecutions. But contrary to what some Christian
sources claim their victory wasn’t complete in the 4th century and paganism, especially in the
area of Greece, showed some tenacity and signs of life during the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries.
In some extreme cases, pagan practices remained in some areas well into the Middle Ages.
Christianity’s progress in Greece was inhibited by a number of factors.
Greece was an economic backwater and held a secondary position to the Empire’s economic
and political life compared to the Eastern provinces. There was thus less incentive
from central authorities to dispatch numerous missionaries to convert the local populace.
The many and strong academies and philosophical schools were also a prohibiting factor as they
cultivated pagan beliefs and finally the lack of monasteries until the 8th century with the notable
exception the area around Thessaloniki, which not coincidentally had a larger Christian following.
The monks might not have been able to convert the people with a simple wololo, but they were pious
and exceptionally zealous and thus constituted the perfect frontline soldiers of Christ,
traveling to villages and bearing many dangers to preach the Gospel and convert the local population
and their effectiveness could be seen in the way and speed with which they converted western Asia
Minor though it should be noted that rural pagan populations existed there even at the time of
Justinian I. It seems that paganism still exerted some influence in his time if we are to believe
the magnitude and harshness by which contemporary sources like John Malalas and John of Ephesus
describe Justinian’s pagan persecutions. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of
salt as they tend to exaggerate events either for personal gain or to depict Justinian in a
darker tone; for example John of Ephesus claims that he converted around 70 to 80 thousand pagans
in Asia Minor alone. Most notable act especially concerning our focus on the region of Greece was
the shutting of the Neoplatonic Academy of Athens, an important intellectual center of the time that
through its teaching propagated pagan beliefs. Athens might have been one of the first cities
with a Christian community but by the 4th century it remained pagan to a large degree
thanks to the great religious festivals like the Panathenaia and the Eleusinian mysteries and
because it was the beating heart of Ancient Greek paideia housing many Neoplatonic philosophers.
For the festivities dedicated to the patron goddess of the city, Athena, the Panathenaia,
we know they took place well into the 4th century, from the orator Himerius who in 362
served as personal secretary to Emperor Julian the Apostate. Himerius declares how nice it was
to see the festival and to talk about it with the Hellenes and also gives a description of
the procession but he isn’t the only source. An inscription from the late 4th or early 5th century
informs us that a sophist, possibly Plutarch of Athens, a Neoplatonic philosopher who was the
leader of the Platonic Academy, paid three times for the sacred ship of the goddess.
A major difference between the ancient Panathenaia and those held in the 4th century would have been
the lack of animal sacrifice as it was banned by Constantine the Great first and later Theodosius
I reiterated this law. The ban on public sacrifices at least in the time of Theodosius
aimed more to suppress public ceremonial. Private sacrifices seemed to be above the law
and continued to take place especially in cities like Athens that had a large pagan following,
though eventually, legislation became stricter. More popular than the Panathenaia seemed to be the
Eleusinian mysteries that attracted visitors not only from Athens but from all of Greece. In fact,
they were so popular that the Christian Bishop Asterius of Amasea in his Encomium
on All the Martyrs complains that the entirety of Athens and Greece gathers to celebrate them.
Among the big crowd were famous individuals and especially Neoplatonic philosophers who supported
mystic cults. Even Emperor Julian had become an initiate of the mysteries and had performed secret
rites with the Eleusinian Hierophant. The pagan renaissance under Julian’s reign wouldn’t last
long however, and this fact seems to have been known to people with religious authority.
We are informed from the works of the philosopher and historian Eunapius that he himself had asked
the Hierophant about the future of Eleusis and paganism in general to which the man replied
with a grim prophecy. He stated that he was the last legitimate Hierophant, his successor would
not be an Athenian of the family of Eumolpidae but a Thespian who was a priest of Mithras and had no
right to touch the high priest’s throne. He also foretold that during this fake Hierophant's time
the temples would be raised to the ground and religious tradition would no longer be observed.
If such a prophecy truly occurred it is probable that the Eumolpidaed Hierophant
who likely was Nestorius, one of Julian’s councilors, had in mind that it would be
the local Christians that would bring the downfall of the temples and the Old Religion.
In fact, it would be Alaric and his Goths that would destroy Eleusis in 396.
But where the Old Gods died the New God would come into place.
The Christians completely demolished the ancient site and reused stones and sculptures for the
construction of new buildings including a small church dedicated to St. Zachariah. A standard
practice that was followed when repurposing pagan materials was the inscription of crosses, Chi-Ros,
and other Christian symbols so as to purify them out of the demonic pagan spirits that once lived
in them. Naturally, this practice couldn’t be exempt from the Christian site at Eleusis.
A more well-known repurposement of an ancient temple to a Christian basilica
was that of the temple of Athena, the Parthenon. We are not sure for the exact date the temple was
converted to a church but surviving pieces of the early basilica are dated to the 5th and early 6th
centuries. We know however that it was still in use in 432 by the writings of Marinus who recorded
that his teacher Proclus, after arriving in Athens from Alexandria he immediately went to the temple
only to find the doorkeeper closing it. Three years later Emperor Theodosius II ordered the
closure of the temple for good when he decreed that all pagan temples on the Eastern part of the
Empire should be closed. It is very likely however that the closure of the Parthenon was postponed
and not put into practice until much later, with possible dates being the years 481 to 484
during the reign of Emperor Zeno who too ordered the closure of the remaining temples.
When the Parthenon passed into Christian hands it had of course to conform to Christian architecture
and was remodeled accordingly. Like all Christian churches it had to face the
east so it was reorientated and the entrance was placed on the building’s west side. The Christian
altar and iconostasis were put next to an apse where the earlier pronaos was once located.
Walls were erected between the columns of the opisthodomos and the peristyle. The treasury of
the Parthenon became the narthex of the church and a gynaikonitis was created with a wooden floor.
Icons were painted on the walls and Christian inscriptions were carved on the temple’s columns.
It doesn’t take a lot to imagine that some of the sculptures were damaged since they depicted
pagan scenes, but surprisingly some survived and were maintained as part of the new church.
Those included the east and west pediments that depicted the famous contest between Athena and
Poseidon over the city and the goddess’ birth as well as a large portion of the Panathenaic frieze.
The same fate had numerous temples throughout Athens and generally Greece as the number of the
Christian population kept on rising and that of the pagans kept on dwindling. Erechtheion which
is also on the rock of the Acropolis was also converted to a three-aisled basilica sometime in
the late 6th or 7th century though it had probably been abandoned much more earlier than that.
Other examples include the Temple of Hephaestus also known as Theseion, the Asklepieion,
and the Heraion of Samos. Conversion of their sacred sites
certainly wasn’t a pleasant view for the remaining pagans of the time. The alternative though was a
far more cruel fate, the total destruction of the temples. Whether it was barbarian invasions,
natural causes such as fires and earthquakes or Christian mobs, by the end of the 5th century many
of the great pagan centers like Delphi, Olympia, Dodone, Nemea, and Epidaurus had been destroyed.
Plenty of statues had the same end. Some of them were left in place after their destruction
but a great number of them were thrown in rivers, wells, and drains or placed faced down to ridicule
them and the “demons” they represented. Some of the “luckiest” statues were repurposed to be used
in churches after of course the spirits that once lived in them were exorcized with the inscriptions
of crosses on them. And where temples were and statues were demolished basilicas and crosses
would be erected to mark Christian victory. Usually, the church was near the pagan site as
the site itself was still considered unclean but there are examples of basilicas built directly on
top of the ruins or of temples remaining intact and repurposed as Christian churches. It wasn’t
just the sacred sites that were transformed. Local Gods and rites underwent Christianization.
Chthonic deities and guardian spirits were replaced by saints, angels, and martyrs. The
continuation of cults albeit under Christian terminology and the usage of familiar titles
was a tactic that eased the transfer of religious allegiance as it presented a familiar image to the
convert. Additionally, and though not all emperors were so keen to persecute the pagans the generally
increasingly harsher policy of the Eastern Empire towards them as well as the social pressure the
Christian population exerted as it constituted the majority forced many pagans to abandon the
old traditions and adopt the Christian God. Incredibly enough a small community of pagans
survived well until the Middle Ages. These were the Maniots or Maniates, the inhabitants of the
Mani peninsula in western Laconia and eastern Messenia. From De administrando Imperio of the
Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus we read: “Be it known that the inhabitants of Castle Maina
are not from the race of aforesaid Slavs (Melingoi and Ezeritai dwelling on the Taygetus)
but from the older Romaioi, who up to the present time are termed Hellenes by the local inhabitants
on account of their being in olden times idolaters and worshippers of idols like the
ancient Greeks, and who were baptized and became Christians in the reign of the glorious Basil.”
It seems though that the Maniots didn’t fully embrace the new religion at that time
as a century after Basil’s reign we have the account of a Byzantine monk
named Nikon the Metanoeite. From his hagiographic life, we learn that he toured the Peloponnese,
visiting many villages, building a plethora of churches, and leading multitudes to conversion.
Another account is that of a Georgian monk in Mount Athos called George the Hagiorite
who lived in the 11th century. According to his Athonite biography, one day he passed
through the remote village of Livadia that was within the perimeter of the Holy Mountain.
There he found that the inhabitants who were Bulgars worshiped an old effigy made out of
marble and depicting a woman. The statue was quite probably from Late Antiquity and the Bulgars who
had escaped the Christianization efforts of the Empire had found and appropriated its usage but
that didn’t stop the monk from smashing it and putting an end to the pagan cult there.
The Maniots were the last pagan community in the region of Greece however the title of the last
Hellene belongs to Georgius Gemistus Pletho one of the most prominent philosophers of the late
Byzantine era. In his work Nomoi he rejects Christianity and supports a return to the
worship of the classical Hellenic Gods. This was however nothing more than the wishful thinking of
an old man as by that time the Old Gods were but a distant memory even for the Maniates.
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