Catholic Heroes… St. Hilary, Doctor Of The Church
By CAROLE BRESLIN During the earliest years of Christianity, the Church survived even though she was persecuted endlessly from the outside. In fact, “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church” became the calling card of the growth of the Church as it converted so many people. First the Jewish leaders persecuted the followers of Christ, the most notable being St. Paul. Not long afterward the Roman emperors from Nero to Diocletian sought to destroy the Church. When Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 311 proclaiming religious liberty, the attacks on Christianity from outside decreased but the persecutions from inside the Church multiplied. The Arians, who denied the divinity of Christ, grew in power and influence throughout…Continue Reading