A .D.

300 Prayers for the dead

300 Making the sign of a cross

320 Wax candles

321 Emperor Constantine altered the observance of the 7th day Sabbath to the 1st day Sunday

365 Sabbath observance was formerlly completely prohibited (Council of Laodicea)

375 Veneration of angels and dead saints, and use of images

378 Demasus, Bishop of Rome elected to the title of Pontifex Maximus

382 Trinity Doctrine - Council at Constantinople

394 The Mass, as a daily celebration

431 Beginning of the exaltation of Mary (the term "Mother of God" first applied to her by the Council of Ephesus); Pope laid claim to possession of "Keys of Peter" - keys to heaven & hell

500 Priests began to dress differently from laymen

519 Lent to be solemly kept before Easter (by order of the Bishop of Rome)

526 Extreme Unction

593 The doctrine of Purgatory, established by Gregory I

600 Latin language, used in prayer and worship, imposed by Gregory I

600 Prayers directed to Mary, dead saints and angels

607 Title of Pope, or Universal Bishop, given to Boniface III by Emperor Phocas

709 Kissing the Pope's foot, began with Pope Constantine

750 Temporal power of the Popes, conferred by Pippin, King of the Franks

787 Relics and venerable images authorized.

850 Holy water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by a priest

890 Worship of St. Joseph

927 College of Cardinals established

965 Baptism of bells, instituted by Pope John Xlll

995 Canonization of dead saints, first by Pope John XV

998 Fasting on Fridays and during Lent

[The Mass, developed gradually as a sacrifice, attendance made obligatory in the 11th century

1079 Celibacy of the priesthood, decreed by Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand)

1090 The Rosary, praying with beads, invented by Peter the Hermit

1184 The Inquisition, instituted by the Council of Verona

1190 Sale of Indulgences

1215 Transubstantiation, proclaimed by Pope Innocent III

1215 Auricular Confession of sins to a priest instead of to God instituted by Pope Innocent III, in Lateran Council

1220 Adoration of the wafer (Host), decreed by Pope Honrius III

1229 HOLY BIBLE forbidden to laymen, placed on the Index of Forbidden Books by the Council of Valencia

1251 The Scapular, invented by Simon Stock, an English monk

1414 Cup forbidden to the people at communion by Council of Constance

1439 Purgatory proclaimed as a dogma by the Council of Florence

1439 The doctrine of Seven Sacraments affirmed

1508 The Ave Maria (part of the latter half was completed 50 years later and approved by Pope Sixtus V towards the end of the 16th century)

1534 Jesuit order founded by Loyola

1545 Tradition declared of equal authority with the HOLY BIBLE by the Council of Trent

1545 Apocryphal books added to the HOLY BIBLE by the Council of Trent

1560 Creed of Pope Pius IV imposed as the official creed

1854 Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX

1864 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

1870 Infallibility of the Pope in matters of faith and morals, proclaimed by the Vatican council

1930 Public Schools condemned by Pope Pius XI

1950 Assumption of the Virgin Mary (bodily ascension to heaven shortly after she had "completed the course of her earthly life"), proclaimed by Pope Pius XII