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Roman Catholic Traditions A HISTORY OF ROMAN CATHOLIC HERESIES AND INVENTED TRADITIONS OVER A PERIOD OF 1650 YEARS A. D. YEAR or Circa 1. Prayers for the dead, began 300 2. Making the sign of the cross 300 3. Wax candles (it was a pagan form of worshiping) 320 4. Veneration of angels and dead saints, and use of images 375 5. The Mass, as a daily celebration 394 6. Beginning of the exaltation of Mary, the term “Mother of God” was first applied to her by the Council of Ephesus 431 7. Priests began to dress differently from laymen 500 8. Extreme Unction 526 9. The doctrine of Purgatory, established by Gregory I 593 10. Latin language, used in prayer and worship, imposed by Gregory I 600 11. Prayers directed to Mary, dead saints, and angels 600 12. Title of pope, or universal bishop, given to Boniface III by Emperor Phocas 607 13. Kissing the pope’s foot, began with Pope Constantine 709 14. Temporal power of the popes, conferred by Pepin, king of the Franks 750 15. Worship of the cross, images, and relics authorized 786 16. Holy water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by a priest 850 17. Worship of St. Joseph 890 18. College of Cardinals established 927 19. Baptism of Bells, instituted by Pope John XIII 965 20. Canonization of dead saints, first by Pope John XV 995 (Congregation for the causes of the saints was established in 1588 by Pope Sixtus V.) 21. Fasting on Fridays and during Lent 998 22. The Mass, developed gradually as a sacrifice, and attendance made obligatory 1000 23. Celibacy of the priesthood, decreed by Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand) 1079 24. The Rosary, repeated prayer with beads, invented by Peter the Hermit 1090 25. The Inquisition, instituted by the Council of Verona 1184 26. Sale of indulgences 1190 27. Transubstantiation, instituted by Pope Innocent III 1215 28. Auricular confession of sins to a priest instead (to man, not God) instituted by Pope Innocent III, in Lateran Council 1215 29. Adoration of the wafer (host), decreed by Pope Honorius III 1220 30. Bible forbidden to laymen, placed on the Index of Forbidden Books by the Council of Toulouse 1229 1 31. The scapular, invented by Simon Stock, an English Monk 1251 32. Cup forbidden to the people at communion by the Council of Constance 1414 33. Purgatory proclaimed as a dogma by the Council of Florence 1439 34. The doctrine of seven sacraments affirmed 1439 35. The Ave Maria (part of the last half was completed 50 years later and approved by Pope Sixtus V at the end of the 16th century) 1508 36. Jesuit order founded by Loyola 1534 37. Tradition declared of equal authority with the Bible by the Council of Trent 1545 38. Apocryphal books added to the Bible by the Council of Trent 1546 39. Creed of Pope Pius IV imposed as the official creed 1560 40. Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX 1854 41. Syllabus of Errors, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX, and ratified by the Vatican Council; condemned freedom of religion, conscience, speech, press, and scientific discoveries which are disapproved by the Roman Church; asserted the pope’s temporal authority over all civil rulers 1864 42. Infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals, proclaimed by the Vatican Council 1870 43. Assumption of the Virgin Mary (bodily ascension into heaven shortly after her death), proclaimed by Pope Pius XII 1950 44. Mary proclaimed Mother of the Church, by Pope Paul VI 1965 Add to these many others: monks-nuns-monasteries-convents-forty days Lent-holy week-Palm Sunday-Ash Wednesday-All Saints day- Candlemas day-fish day-meat days-incense-holy oil-holy palms-Christopher medals-charms-novenas-and still others. There you have it -- the melancholy evidence of Rome’s steadily increasing departure from the simplicity of the Gospel, a departure so radical and far reaching at the present time that it has produced a drastically anti- evangelical church. It is clear beyond possibility of doubt that the Roman Catholic religion as now practiced is the outgrowth of centuries of error. Human inventions have been substituted for Bible truth and practice. The distinctive attitude of the present day Roman Catholic Church was fixed largely by the Council of Trent (1545-1563), with its more than 100 anathemas or curses pronounced against all who then or in the future would dare to differ with its decisions. (Roman Catholicism, pp.7, 8, 9) The following are few more items that should provide information regarding tradition and reaction of this church when confronted with the truth. 2 1329-1384 Life of John Wyclif was documented. Wyclif translated the Bible into English to facilitate the private reading of the Scriptures. 1374-1415 Life of the priest Jan Hus was documented. Hus insisted that only God could forgive sins. He also stated that neither the Pope nor the Cardinals could establish doctrines that contradict the Holy Scriptures. He was killed by the Roman Catholic Church. 1456 The first edition of the Bible was printed by Tyndale. 1517 The priest, Martin Luther, posted his 95 thesis for discussion. This was a reaction to the selling of indulgences and non-biblical doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Reformation began. Justification by grace ALONE, through faith ALONE, in Christ ALONE, under the Bible ALONE and as the only authority. Martin Luther translated the Bible into the German language. The Protestant Reformation began. Luther was excommunicated. 1536 The Institutes of Christian Religion was introduced by John Calvin, i.e., TULIP: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance, or the eternal security of saints. 1545-1547, 1551-52, 1562-63 Council of Trent is convened to condemn the Protestant Reformation. The Council of Trent declared that: Tradition and Holy Scripture have equal authority; The Apocryphal books were added to the Bible; The following doctrines and traditions were reaffirmed: transubstantiation, justification (salvation) by faith and WORKS, seven sacraments, priest celibacy, the existence of Purgatory, the selling of indulgences; Private reading of the Bible was prohibited. 1643-1647 The Westminster Confession was written by the Reformers. 1961-62 The Second Vatican Council announced many changes which included permission to read and study the Scriptures by lay people and ecumenism, which is looking for unity with all religions, thereby accepting many means of salvation. 3 .
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