DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0095
76
PAGAN TEMPLES CONVERTED INTO CHURCHES.
and, as has been well remarked by Stroth,1 this prohibition had no reference to them
personally; only when they appeared as representatives of the emperor they were not to offer
sacrifices to idols.
The sons of Constantine did not show themselves as tolerant as their father, and the
laws against idolatry were applied by them with rigour.
Pagan temples were still open in the West. In the provinces of the north of Gaul
the Druidical altars had still their frequenters, in spite of the edict which ordered their
destruction. The edicts of Constantins were not executed, notwithstanding the menaces
with which they were accompanied. The edict of Constans — “ That superstition cease;
that the folly of superstition be abolished,” — has, however, frequently been cited. This
edict was issued in the year 341. The temples, closed for the time, were opened to the
followers of paganism. In the year 356 Constantius thought to put an end to pagan
worship by ordering the closing of the temples under pain of death; hut on the acces-
sion of Julian all the sacred edifices still existed, and he had only to cause them to be
reopened when he attempted to restore the ancient worship; but after the death of that
prince, Valens deprived the temples of all the property which Julian had given up to
them.
In spite of the rigour with which the imperial edicts were executed, the reign of
Theodosius did not see the end of pagan ceremonies. In vain the emperor issued an edict
forbidding any sort of sacrifice, and also the least act of homage to idols." All the ancient
sacerdotal organization still existed.3 The emperor again prohibited public worship to be
offered to idols; he protected secretly those who demolished the temples, in order to employ
the materials for civil purposes, and ended by issuing an edict which authorized the
destruction of the last sanctuaries of superstition.4.
Then the zeal of the Christians manifested itself by a terrible reaction, which resulted
in provoking the armed resistance of the pagans (A.D. 391). Eight years afterwards (A.D. 399),
at the instance of St. John Chrysostom, Theodosius ordered the demolition of temples con-
structed in the outskirts of towns. Syria, which from time immemorial had been one of the
principal strongholds of paganism, beheld its most revered temples closed by order of the
emperor. The priests and monks clamoured for the demolition of the temples of Phoenicia.
Those of Apamea, Petra, and Balbeclc were purified, and the altars of idols replaced by those
of Christianity.
When the conversions, whether sincere or brought about by policy, became so numerous
that the clergy were in want of church-room for the neophytes, many churches were erected;
but these were found insufficient. Then the Christians first entertained the thought of con-
secrating the ancient temples of idols to the new faith. They were encouraged and supported
in this by the imperial authority.
The form of the Roman temples was not ill adapted to the requirements of Christian
worship. With some slight adaptations, the temple could be made to resemble the church
constructed by the early Christians, whicli consisted of a large oblong room with an apse for
the altar. We can still trace the ingenious transformations which some temples have undergone ;
others have been consecrated to Christian worship without any change. These changes took
place hut slowly, as the vis inertice of paganism rendered the ordinances frequently ineffectual.
During the reign of Theodosius II., in the year 435, appeared a new edict, still more
pressing than the first,6 which prescribed the destruction of all pagan sanctuaries still in
existence, — “That the defilement of idolatry might he effaced by the erection of the venerated
sign of the Christian religion.”
In the middle of Gaul, in Provence and the Narbonnaise — the reaction against paganism
was the more vigorous because it was the more resisted. Several temples converted into
churches still exist in Provence and the Lyonnaise, at Yienne, Aimes, and Yernegue, formerly
a small Greek town belonging to Marseilles.
At the commencement of the 5th century, towards the year 415, John Cassien
settled in Provence. lie had in his youth shown great zeal for the propagation of the
faith, and had passed many years in the midst of the solitudes of the Thebaid. Cassien was
1 Ad H. L., p. 257, note 4. Der Kayser ... verbot ihnen fiir sonst als Reprasentanten des Kaysers in dessen Nahmen ver-
ihre Person nicht, dein Heidenttmme anzuhangen; nur die- richteten. 2 Tlieod. Code, xvi. 10, 1. 12.
jenigen offentlichen Opfer wurden ihnen verboten, welche sie Id., ibid. 4 Id., xv. 1. 36, 1. 5 Id., xvi. 10, 1. 25.
PAGAN TEMPLES CONVERTED INTO CHURCHES.
and, as has been well remarked by Stroth,1 this prohibition had no reference to them
personally; only when they appeared as representatives of the emperor they were not to offer
sacrifices to idols.
The sons of Constantine did not show themselves as tolerant as their father, and the
laws against idolatry were applied by them with rigour.
Pagan temples were still open in the West. In the provinces of the north of Gaul
the Druidical altars had still their frequenters, in spite of the edict which ordered their
destruction. The edicts of Constantins were not executed, notwithstanding the menaces
with which they were accompanied. The edict of Constans — “ That superstition cease;
that the folly of superstition be abolished,” — has, however, frequently been cited. This
edict was issued in the year 341. The temples, closed for the time, were opened to the
followers of paganism. In the year 356 Constantius thought to put an end to pagan
worship by ordering the closing of the temples under pain of death; hut on the acces-
sion of Julian all the sacred edifices still existed, and he had only to cause them to be
reopened when he attempted to restore the ancient worship; but after the death of that
prince, Valens deprived the temples of all the property which Julian had given up to
them.
In spite of the rigour with which the imperial edicts were executed, the reign of
Theodosius did not see the end of pagan ceremonies. In vain the emperor issued an edict
forbidding any sort of sacrifice, and also the least act of homage to idols." All the ancient
sacerdotal organization still existed.3 The emperor again prohibited public worship to be
offered to idols; he protected secretly those who demolished the temples, in order to employ
the materials for civil purposes, and ended by issuing an edict which authorized the
destruction of the last sanctuaries of superstition.4.
Then the zeal of the Christians manifested itself by a terrible reaction, which resulted
in provoking the armed resistance of the pagans (A.D. 391). Eight years afterwards (A.D. 399),
at the instance of St. John Chrysostom, Theodosius ordered the demolition of temples con-
structed in the outskirts of towns. Syria, which from time immemorial had been one of the
principal strongholds of paganism, beheld its most revered temples closed by order of the
emperor. The priests and monks clamoured for the demolition of the temples of Phoenicia.
Those of Apamea, Petra, and Balbeclc were purified, and the altars of idols replaced by those
of Christianity.
When the conversions, whether sincere or brought about by policy, became so numerous
that the clergy were in want of church-room for the neophytes, many churches were erected;
but these were found insufficient. Then the Christians first entertained the thought of con-
secrating the ancient temples of idols to the new faith. They were encouraged and supported
in this by the imperial authority.
The form of the Roman temples was not ill adapted to the requirements of Christian
worship. With some slight adaptations, the temple could be made to resemble the church
constructed by the early Christians, whicli consisted of a large oblong room with an apse for
the altar. We can still trace the ingenious transformations which some temples have undergone ;
others have been consecrated to Christian worship without any change. These changes took
place hut slowly, as the vis inertice of paganism rendered the ordinances frequently ineffectual.
During the reign of Theodosius II., in the year 435, appeared a new edict, still more
pressing than the first,6 which prescribed the destruction of all pagan sanctuaries still in
existence, — “That the defilement of idolatry might he effaced by the erection of the venerated
sign of the Christian religion.”
In the middle of Gaul, in Provence and the Narbonnaise — the reaction against paganism
was the more vigorous because it was the more resisted. Several temples converted into
churches still exist in Provence and the Lyonnaise, at Yienne, Aimes, and Yernegue, formerly
a small Greek town belonging to Marseilles.
At the commencement of the 5th century, towards the year 415, John Cassien
settled in Provence. lie had in his youth shown great zeal for the propagation of the
faith, and had passed many years in the midst of the solitudes of the Thebaid. Cassien was
1 Ad H. L., p. 257, note 4. Der Kayser ... verbot ihnen fiir sonst als Reprasentanten des Kaysers in dessen Nahmen ver-
ihre Person nicht, dein Heidenttmme anzuhangen; nur die- richteten. 2 Tlieod. Code, xvi. 10, 1. 12.
jenigen offentlichen Opfer wurden ihnen verboten, welche sie Id., ibid. 4 Id., xv. 1. 36, 1. 5 Id., xvi. 10, 1. 25.