PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
THE FEAST OF SAINT EUSEBIUS and the NICENE CREED
For several hundred years after the death of Jesus, as the early Christian Church grew, it suffered persecution and mistreatment at the hands of the pagan Romans. In the 3rd century Emperor Constantine forbade these practices and eventually legalised and turned to Christianity.
As this was occurring a debate was raised in the Christian hierarchy about the nature of Jesus. Athanasius proclaimed that Jesus was indeed a fully human and a fully divine being. Arius led a group proposing that Jesus was simply a man (the Arian theory). This debate was heated and causing a divide within the early church communities.
Bishop Eusebius was a friend of Athanasius and a great supporter of his beliefs. Eusebius was responsible for the Nicene Creed. He travelled much of Europe and influencing communities with this and the argument settled. The Nicene Creed was developed at the Council of Nicea (a city in Turkey where the Council was held) in 325AD and is essentially a statement of our faith as followers of Christ.
So as you read the words of the Creed, ask yourself, Do I really believe in this?, and how do I live it out in my daily life?.
