One of the
most intriguing thoughts I read in a fiction book was written by a Portuguese
ex-Priest. In explaining some plot
point, he basically said that the Vatican is just the Ancient Roman Empire.
.
I found it
fascinating because not too long ago (but before I read this) I was reading
about the “Fall of the Roman Empire”. It
is a misnomer. I mean part of the Roman
empire moved to Byzantium / Constantinople and ran the Eastern Roman Empire for
another 1000 years. Even the Western bit
didn’t truly collapse like we think. It
was gradually taken over by invading troops, but still center a powerful state
in Rome (much like ancient China).
.
But assume
that the Roman Emperors were smart (or seriously lucky). In the mid 393 AD, they define the contents
of the Bible – keeping some books, tossing others as heresy. They define Christianity (of which
Catholicism was the only acceptable practice) AND then become Pope – ruler of
the church. So they trade their physical
Empire for a Cultural Imperialistic Empire – but they continue to get tribute
to the power, only this time in terms of donations to the Catholic Church, not
tributes to Rome. The Pope defines law,
approves rulers, allows, disallows or accepts marriages of the great houses of
Europe. Was the Catholic Church – for
the first 1400 hundred years, just a way for the Romans to maintain an Empire? An empire still richer than anyone can really
comprehend.
.
It makes the
actions of Middle Ages’ Popes more understandable. The infighting, the armies, the very actions
that appear to us hypocritical (like Popes having a family or murdering
others), it makes them understandable in this context.
.
I don’t know, I thought it was interesting.