Have you ever wondered how the Catholic Church got started? Who actually founded it in the first place? I was curious about that, too, so I did some digging into the history books. And you know what? It turns out the Catholic Church has been around for a really long time.
In this post, we’ll travel way back to learn about where this major branch of Christianity came from. Get ready for a journey through the lives of Jesus, Peter, early followers, and ancient popes.
Part 1 – It All Started with Jesus

Obviously, the central figure in the origin story of Catholicism is Jesus Christ himself. The Catholic Church was Started With Jesus Christ. Jesus was a Jewish teacher and preacher who lived in the land of Israel under Roman occupation about 2,000 years ago.
During his life, Jesus chose twelve apostles and traveled around teaching crowds of people about God’s love and how to live a holy life. He performed many miracles that convinced his followers he was the Son of God.
After being condemned to death by Roman officials, Jesus was crucified. His followers were devastated, thinking this was the end. However, three days after his burial, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his astonished apostles.
Before ascending to heaven, Jesus commanded them to spread his teachings to all nations and baptize people as his followers. The accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are told in the Bible’s four Gospels – the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These form the basis for all Christian faith today.
So in summary – Jesus started the movement that became Christianity. After he ascended to heaven, it was up to his apostles to continue sharing his message. This brings us to the next major figure…
Part 2 – Peter the First Pope

According to the Bible, Jesus gave his apostle Simon Peter a special leadership role. Jesus said Peter was the “rock” on which he would build his “church”—his community of followers. Jesus also gave Peter the keys to heaven and the authority to make decisions for the church on Earth.
So, The Catholics view Peter as the first Pope – the bishop appointed by Jesus to lead the early Christian church. After Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter helped spread Christianity from Jerusalem across the Roman Empire. He became a prominent leader of the early church.
Around 64 AD, Peter was crucified in Rome under the orders of Emperor Nero, who persecuted Christians at that time. Before his death, Peter passed his authority on to the next bishop of Rome. Catholics teach that each pope is a successor to Peter’s role as head of the church.
So in the Catholic view, the papacy began with Peter – the rock on whom Jesus built his church. This passing down of apostolic authority is called “apostolic succession” and still continues today.
Part 3 – The Early Church Fathers
For the first few hundred years after Jesus lived, his followers remained a small, persecuted community within the Roman Empire. But over time, the faith started to spread more rapidly.
Certain early Christian thinkers and writers contributed a lot to the church’s theology and organization during this period. They are known as the Early Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church. Some famous ones include Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Jerome, Augustine of Hippo, and Ambrose of Milan.

These Church Fathers wrote extensive teachings that helped establish major Catholic doctrines on topics like the Trinity, the canon of Scripture, sin and salvation, the sacraments, and much more. They also began organizing the scattered Christian communities into what would become the early Catholic Church.
Part 4 – Key Developments in the First Centuries
The Catholic Church became more defined as an official unified institution during the first few centuries AD. Here are some key developments:
- Persecution ended in 313 AD when Constantine became emperor and legalized Christianity, leading many more to convert.
- The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD established core doctrines like Jesus being divine as the Son of God.
- The empire was splitting apart, so the pope became the stable leader who held the Western church together.
- Latin became the official church language, used at Masses.
- Monasteries and convents appeared, developing traditions of prayer, work, and spiritual discipline.
So while it took a few hundred years to get off the ground, the early roots of Catholic tradition were formed during this period after the original apostles had passed on.
Part 5 – Defining Doctrines and Practices
Over many centuries, the Catholic Church’s core teachings, rituals, structure, and leadership became more systematically defined. Here are some examples:
- The first official canon of Scripture was compiled, determining which books belonged in the Bible.
- Doctrines like papal infallibility were established, declaring the pope is without error when defining church teachings on faith.
- Celibacy became mandatory for priests.
- The seven Sacraments were defined as official rites like the Eucharist, Baptism, Confession, and Marriage.
- A formalized Catechism contained teachings on virtues, the Ten Commandments, and articles of faith that Catholics must uphold.
So while founded originally by Jesus with Peter as the first pope, the Catholic Church gradually formed over centuries into the institutional powerhouse we know today. It’s been an evolving and complex journey.
The Wrap Up
Well, there you have it – a quick dive into the major figures and events around the founding and origins of the Catholic Church spanning from Jesus’ lifetime to the early medieval period. Of course, there’s a lot more that could be said about two thousand years of history. Hopefully, this overview gave you some insight into how this major branch of Christianity developed from its earliest roots and teachings. Let me know if you have any other questions.