| The persecution of the Christians wasn't constant. When the Roman Empire prospered, the church was reluctantly tolerated. But in the mid third century, the empire tottered on the edge of catastrophe. Rome faced 50 years of disaster. Civil wars, invasions, and a bewildering succession of emperors. The cracks in the imperial edifice seemed terminal. Some emperors believed that Rome was being punished for turning a blind eye to the Christians. The unity of city and empire was at stake. Something had to be done. In 303, the Emperor Diocletian launched the bloodiest persecution to date. Churches were destroyed, bishops decapitated. The streets were awash with the blood of the faithful. But the killings failed. The persecutions merely served to promote and advertise the faith of the martyrs. The flame of Christianity could not be extinguished. |
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