1 No, the Catholic Church was not founded by Emperor Constantine, but rather by Jesus Christ, who appointed the apostles as His successors and Peter as the “rock” on which He would build His Church (Matthew 16:18-19). The claim that Constantine created the Catholic Church is a common historical error.
The Church existed before Constantine
From the first century onward, Christ’s Church was already established. We can see this both in Scripture and in the writings of the early Christians. In the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline letters show the organization of the early Church, including the celebration of the Eucharist, the ordination of bishops and priests, and apostolic succession.
Moreover, Christian writers of the early centuries were already referring to the Church as “Catholic.” St. Ignatius of Antioch, a bishop and martyr of the 2nd century, used the term Catholic Church in his Letter to the Smyrnaeans.
Irenaeus of Lyons, one of the early Church Fathers (2nd century), highlighted the importance of apostolic succession to preserve true doctrine. He stated that the Church of Rome held a special position because it was founded by the apostles Peter and Paul. To him, anyone seeking the authentic faith should look to Rome, where the apostles’ tradition remained intact.
In addition, Irenaeus did something fundamental: he compiled a list of the bishops of Rome, from Peter up to his own time, demonstrating the continuity of apostolic succession.
This proves that the term “Catholic Church” was already in use long before Constantine’s reign, demonstrating its continuity from the apostles.
What did Constantine really do?
Constantine, who ruled the Roman Empire from 306 to 337, did not found the Church, but played an important role in the history of Christianity. Before him, Christians were harshly persecuted by the Roman Empire. In 313, Constantine and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, which granted religious freedom to everyone, including Christians.
This allowed Christianity to be practiced openly, without fear of persecution. With that freedom, the Church was able to expand more quickly and construct places of worship without the risk of them being destroyed by the state.
The Council of Nicaea and the True Faith
Another point that causes confusion is the Council of Nicaea, held in 325 and convened by Constantine. Some claim that this council was where the Catholic Church was created or its doctrine was invented. This is untrue.
The Council of Nicaea was called to address the Arian heresy, which denied Christ’s divinity. The bishops gathered reaffirmed what had already been believed since the time of the apostles: that Jesus is truly God and of the same substance as the Father. The Nicene Creed, which we still profess today at Mass, arose from this definition.
Therefore, the council did not “create” the Church or invent doctrines, but simply clarified and reaffirmed what had been taught since apostolic times.
The Catholic Church is Apostolic
The Catholic Church has an unbroken apostolic succession dating back to the time of Christ. The Pope, bishop of Rome, is the direct successor of St. Peter, to whom Jesus entrusted the leadership of the Church (John 21:15-17). This continuity shows that the Church did not begin with Constantine, but with Christ.
The earliest Christians were already living the Catholic faith, celebrating the Eucharist, baptizing, ordaining priests, and safeguarding Apostolic Tradition.
