How three North African Popes shaped modern Christianity

North Africa,though predominantly Muslim today,was once a Christian heartland that produced three popes who fundamentally shaped Christianity as it is now known. Their legacies include the establishment of Easter Sunday and Valentine’s Day celebrations that continue to this day.

“North Africa was the Bible Belt of ancient Christianity,” Professor Christopher Bellitto,a historian at Kean University,was quoted by the BBC as saying. These papacies occurred during the Roman Empire,which encompassed modern-day Tunisia,northeastern Algeria,and western Libya’s coast.

Victor I (189-199),believed to be of Berber origin,led the Church during periods of Roman persecution. His most significant contribution was establishing Easter as a Sunday celebration through the first Roman Synod,threatening excommunication for bishops who refused to comply. He also introduced Latin as the Church’s common language,replacing Ancient Greek,the BBC said.

Miltiades (311-314),born in Africa,led during Christianity’s transition from persecuted faith to official Roman religion. During his papacy,Emperor Constantine granted him the first official papal residence and permission to build the Lateran Basilica,now considered “the mother of all churches.”

Gelasius I (492-496),of North African descent,though Roman-born,had perhaps the most far-reaching impact. He was the first to be officially called “Vicar of Christ” and developed the Doctrine of the Two Swords,which distinguished between Church and state powers while establishing the Church’s ultimate superiority. Gelasius also established St. Valentine’s Day on February 14 in 496,Christianizing the pagan Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia,the media recalled.

The disappearance of African popes coincided with the fall of the Roman Empire and the spread of Islam in North Africa during the 7th century. Despite sub-Saharan Africa now having 281 million Catholics (20% of the global congregation) and Catholicism growing faster there than anywhere else,no African has been elected pope in over 1,500 years.

With Catholicism expanding rapidly in the southern hemisphere,experts suggest the possibility of an African pope may be increasing,with Cardinals from DR Congo,Ghana,and Guinea among potential successors to Pope Francis.