WHAT WAS THE ROMAN EMPIRE?


The history of European civilization is the history of a certain political
institution which united and expressed Europe, and was governed from Rome.
This institution was informed at its very origin by the growing influence
of a certain definite and organized religion: this religion it ultimately
accepted and, finally, was merged in.

The institution--having accepted the religion, having made of that religion
its official expression, and having breathed that religion in through
every part until it became the spirit of the whole--was slowly modified,
spiritually illumined and physically degraded by age. But it did not die.
It was revived by the religion which had become its new soul. It re-arose
and still lives.

This institution was first known among men as _Republica_; we call it today
"The Roman Empire." The Religion which informed and saved it was then
called, still is called, and will always be called "The Catholic Church."

Europe is the Church, and the Church is Europe.

It is immaterial to the historical value of this historical truth whether
it be presented to a man who utterly rejects Catholic dogma or to a man
who believes everything the Church may teach. A man remote in distance,
in time, or in mental state from the thing we are about to examine would
perceive the reality of this truth just as clearly as would a man who
was steeped in its spirit from within and who formed an intimate part
of Christian Europe. The Oriental pagan, the contemporary atheist, some