When was the Catholic church formed?

Answer 1

In 107 AD, St. Ignatius of Antioch, whom most Christians believe was one of the disciples of the Apostle John, first used the term "Catholic" to describe the mainstream Christian community. This term, however, did not include Gnostic Christians and other movements that were later forced into remission by the main Christian Church body which declared them deviant and heretical.

The Catholic Church itself would place its beginning as the year Christianity commenced, perhaps 33 or 30 CE, or even earlier.

Another Answer

The pope, supported by the majority of bishops and Church Fathers sought to trace the authority of the papacy back to Peter. In my interpretation of history, the Roman Catholic Church as we know it today did not exist in the first few centuries, but gradually developed both its theology and practice as well as its primacy over a long period of time. According to the Catholic Church...The Catholic Church identifies Itself as the original Christian Church founded by Christ Himself and so dates Itself from Christ. It makes such an identification via its possession of the four marks of the Church: one, holy, universal and apostolic. Traditionally and scripturally the Church has always maintained the same doctrine, hierarchy and authority and traces its spiritual authority through the papacy and bishops to Christ's imposition of such on the apostles.

Answer33 A.D.

Answer 2

There are two answers here, depending upon how you mean. The Church was founded by Jesus Christ in Matthew 16 when he claimed his intent for there to be a Church and for Peter to lead it. This was approximately around 32 AD. The Church itself wasn't institutionalized (made an organization) until in the Acts of the Apostles which happened after Jesus's Ascension in approximately 33 AD.

Answer 3

The year 33A.D., when Jesus Christ named Simon "The Rock"(Peter), he said that on this rock he would build his church, which is the Catholic church.

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Catholic Answer

The Church was established in approximately AD 33 when blood and water issued from the side of the dead Jesus on the cross. It was formally presented to the world at Pentecost, fifty days later when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and confirmed them in the faith. Peter was appointed head of the Church when Jesus renamed him, Peter (or Cephas in Aramaic) both of which mean "rock". So we have God, Incarnate, in the person of Jesus Christ renaming Peter as "Rock" and telling him that on him he is going to built His Church. If this is the way that God wants to constitute His Church, we, in all humility, can only give our humble assent.

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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

759 "The eternal Father, in accordance with the utterly gratuitous and mysterious design of his wisdom and goodness, created the whole universe and chose to raise up men to share his own divine life." (Lumen gentium 2) to which he calls all men in his Son. "The Father . . . determined to call together in a holy Church those who should believe in Christ." (Lumen gentium 2) This "family of God" is gradually formed and takes shape during the stages of human history, in keeping with the Father's plan. In fact, "already present in figure at the beginning of the world, this Church was prepared in marvelous fashion in the history of the people of Israel and the old Alliance. Established in this last age of the world and made manifest in the outpouring of the Spirit, it will be brought to glorious completion at the end of time. (Lumen gentium 2)

766 The Church is born primarily of Christ's total self-giving for our salvation, anticipated in the institution of the Eucharist and fulfilled on the cross. "The origin and growth of the church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the 'wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.'" Sacrosanctum concilium 5) As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam's side, so the church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross. (Cf. St. Ambrose, In Luc. 2, 85-89: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 15, 1666-1668)

767 "When the work which the Father gave the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church." (Lumen gentium 4; cf. Jn 17:4) The "the Church was openly displayed to the crowds and the spread of the gospel among the nations, through preaching, was begun." (Ad gentes 4) As the "convocation" of all men for salvation, the Church in her very nature is missionary, sent by Christ to all the nations to make disciples of them. (Cf. Mt 28:19-20; Ad gentes 2; 5-6)

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The following answer addressed when the Catholic Church was approved by the Roman Government as the state religion NOT when it was founded: On 27 February 380, by an edict issued in Thessalonica and published in Constantinople, Emperor Theodosius declared Catholic Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, and defined the term "Catholic" in Roman Imperial law.

Non-Catholic AnswerThe Edict was issued in 380 as stated however this is not when the Catholic Church was founded, the religion already existed. The Catholic Church is the only Christian Church in the world that can trace it's history all the way back to the Apostles and ultimately Christ himself. It's teachings can also be found in writings all the way back to the first and second generations of Christians. The word "Catholic" also predates the edict as it comes from the Greek Katholikos which means "universal" as it still does to this day. The first known usage of the word Catholic by a Christian was by Ignatius of Antioch who was the third Bishop of Antioch and a disciple of the Apostle John. "Just as wherever there is the Catholic Church there is Jesus Christ." 107 A.D.

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325 AD the council of Nicaea

Answer 4

Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus death, around the year 30 AD was when Our Blessed Lord established the Church when He sent the Holy Spirit to confirm the Apostles in their faith: that is considered the "birthday of the Catholic Church". Although technically it was born from His Side as He hung dead on the cross and a solder pierced His side and blood and water flowed out - indicative of the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion. We don't have any records of the word Catholic being used to identify the Church until around the turn of the century: the first recorded use (still in existence) is:

"The earliest recorded evidence of the use of the term Catholic Church is the Letter to the Smyrnaeans that Ignatius of Antioch wrote in about 107 to Christians in Smyrna. Exhorting Christians to remain closely united with their bishop, he wrote: "Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."

Answer 5

When Christ Chose St. Peter the Apostle as His Rock.

Catholic AnswerThere is no "Roman Catholic religion", you are referring to the Catholic religion, it’s just Catholic, not Roman Catholic. Roman is an epithet first commonly used in England after the protestant revolt to describe the Catholic Church. It is never used by the official Catholic Church. The Catholic faith emanated from God from the beginning of time, and was established on earth definitively from the side of Jesus Christ on the cross outside of Jerusalem when He side was pierced by a spear, around 33 A.D.. Then it was shown to the world at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit, fifty-three days later.

from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

766 The Church is born primarily of Christ’s total self-giving for our salvation, anticipated in the institution of the Eucharist and fulfilled on the cross. "The origin and growth of the church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the ‘wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.’" Sacrosanctum concilium 5) As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam’s side, so the church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross. (Cf. St. Ambrose, In Luc. 2, 85-89: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 15, 1666-1668)

767 "When the work which the Father gave the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church." (Lumen gentium 4; cf. Jn 17:4) The "the Church was openly displayed to the crowds and the spread of the gospel among the nations, through preaching, was begun." (Ad gentes 4) As the "convocation" of all men for salvation, the Church in her very nature is missionary, sent by Christ to all the nations to make disciples of them. (Cf. Mt 28:19-20; Ad gentes 2; 5-6)

Answer 6

Roman Catholic AnswerApproximately 33 A.D.: The Catholic faith emanated from God from the beginning of time, and was established on earth definitively from the side of Jesus Christ on the cross outside of Jerusalem when He side was pierced by a spear, around 33 A.D.. Then it was shown to the world at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit, fifty-three days later.

from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

759 "The eternal Father, in accordance with the utterly gratuitous and mysterious design of his wisdom and goodness, created the whole universe and chose to raise up men to share his own divine life." (Lumen gentium 2) to which he calls all men in his Son. "The Father . . . determined to call together in a holy Church those who should believe in Christ." (Lumen gentium 2) This "family of God" is gradually formed and takes shape during the stages of human history, in keeping with the Father's plan. In fact, "already present in figure at the beginning of the world, this Church was prepared in marvelous fashion in the history of the people of Israel and the old Alliance. Established in this last age of the world and made manifest in the outpouring of the Spirit, it will be brought to glorious completion at the end of time. (Lumen gentium 2)

766 The Church is born primarily of Christ's total self-giving for our salvation, anticipated in the institution of the Eucharist and fulfilled on the cross. "The origin and growth of the church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the 'wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.'" Sacrosanctum concilium 5) As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam's side, so the church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross. (Cf. St. Ambrose, In Luc. 2, 85-89: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 15, 1666-1668)

767 "When the work which the Father gave the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church." (Lumen gentium 4; cf. Jn 17:4) The "the Church was openly displayed to the crowds and the spread of the gospel among the nations, through preaching, was begun." (Ad gentes 4) As the "convocation" of all men for salvation, the Church in her very nature is missionary, sent by Christ to all the nations to make disciples of them. (Cf. Mt 28:19-20; Ad gentes 2; 5-6)

Answer 7

Christianity was established by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the upper room around the year 33 A.D. It was known as the Catholic faith (Catholic meaning universal or according to the whole) soon after that. The first written reference to the Church as "Catholic Church" was in the writings of St. Ignatius around 110 A.D., see link below for a full explanation:

The combination "the Catholic Church" (he katholike ekklesia) is found for the first time in the letter of St. Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, written about the year 110. The words run: "Wheresoever the bishop shall appear, there let the people be, even as where Jesus may be, there is the universal [katholike] Church."

Answer 8

An objective answer to this may be the year 1054, when the Great Schism split the previous universal Church, sometimes known today as the Catholic-Orthodox Church. The Catholic Church itself would place its beginning as the year Christianity commenced, perhaps 33 or 30 CE, or even earlier.

Answer 9

The Catholic Church identifies Itself as the original Christian Church founded by Christ Himself and so dates Itself from Christ. It makes such an identification via its possession of the four marks of the Church: one, holy, universal and apostolic. Traditionally and scripturally the Church has always maintained the same doctrine, hierarchy and authority and traces its spiritual authority through the papacy and bishops to Christ's imposition of such on the apostles.

The Church was born from the side of Christ when He hung dead on the cross and his shoulder was pierced by a sword. He was shown to the world fifty days later at Pentecost with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Thus that first Pentecost is rightly known as the birthday of the Catholic Church.

Answer 10

The Catholic Church was established by Jesus Christ towards the end of his life on earth, around 33 A.D.