There are more than 900 churches in Rome, including some notable Roman Catholic Marian churches. Most, but not all, of these are Roman Catholic.
The first churches of Rome originated in places where Christians met. They were divided into three categories:
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- the houses of private Roman citizens (people who hosted the meetings of Christians - also known as oratoria, oracula);
- the deaconries (places where charity distributions were given to the poor and placed under the control of a deacon); (The greatest deaconries had many deacons, and one of them was elected archdeacon.)
- other houses holding a titulus (known as domus ecclesia);
Read more about Churches In Rome: Tituli, "Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome", Churches
Famous quotes containing the words churches and/or rome:
“Here, the churches seemed to shrink away into eroding corners. They seem to have ceased to be essential parts of American life. They no longer give life. It is the huge buildings of commerce and trade which now align the people to attention. These in their massive manner of steel and stone say, Come unto me all ye who labour, and we will give you work.”
—Sean O’Casey (1884–1964)
“Let Rome in Tiber melt and the wide arch
Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space.
Kingdoms are clay; our dungy earth alike
Feeds beast as man. The nobleness of life
Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair
And such a twain can do ‘t, in which I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet
We stand up peerless.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)