Catholicism

Catholicism is a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the belief that Jesus is the son of God. Catholicism is popular mainly in Gorner, Zafergan and southern Lesdar provinces.

History
In 32 IYE, in which Catholics consider to be the year 0, Jesus was born in a stable just north of Bethlehem, Gorner Province. Bethlehem was a trading outpost near the larger city of Jerelberg (Jerusalem). According to the prophecies, he was the Messiah, or Savior, who would purify all sin. A growing number of followers began to believe that he was the Son of God. The local Qurani muezzins thought Jesus was a threat to their power, and after several miracles were peformed, declared him a fugitive in the Qurani Lands. He and his twelve disciples thus fled from Bethlehem and nearby Nazareth to Jerelberg, which was controlled by less-opposed-to-the-new-religion Troikists. However, one of his disciples, Judas Escariot, sold him out to the Quranis. Jesus was found in a garden and brouht to execution in the public square of Bethlehem in 67 IYE.

From the little area in northeast Gorner Province, the religion spread quickly in the Southern Provinces. By 80 IYE, 13 years later, 45% of the people in Gorner Province, 32% of the people in Zafergan, 22% of the people in Lesdar, and 41% of the people in Alvaan. A further 17% of the people in Szendar, and 9% of the people in Askador were Catholic. It was called so because Jesus' disciples, or apostles, were known as the catholus in Latin, the traditional language in Gelor, Zafergan, a city where in 85 IYE, 73% of the people were Catholic. In 86 IYE, while he was ill, St, Peter, one of the disciples, then thought to be Jesus's unofficial successor, wrote the Convenant Catholus in Gelor. This document defined the hierachy of the church. It also declared there would be a Pope, or head of the church, once he died. In 87 IYE, he died, and Zadulugy Sardee, the Bishop of Bethlehem, became pope. He took the papal name Georgus I.

In 150 IYE studies showed that 18% of hobbits were Catholic and 5% of Catholics were hobbit. The hobbits clamored for a hobbit pope, since they had 4 cardinals in the College of Cardinals. In 157 when pope Benedict I died, a hobbit pope was elected as a compromise candidate. He was Samuel Yinnifiggins, Archbishop of Thatchedmoor, and chose the papal name Georgus II.

The church gained followers quickly, with almost 54,000 continent-wide by 305 IYE. Catholic candidates of both guilds were elected in Snowvale, Eldinshor, and Szendar in the 306 elections.

As the church doctrine was called into question in the famous debates of the 350s, the Church continued to grow at a 34% rate.

Section heading
Write the second section of your page here.