Fitz Jenő (szerk.): Religions and Cults in Pannonia. Exhibiton an Székesfehérvár, Csók István Gallery 15 May - 30 September 1996 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: A. sorozat 33. (1998)

CHRISTIANITY IN PANNÓNIA D. Gáspár The most general statements - and they are perhaps common knowledge - include sometimes errors as well. To such errors belongs the definition of the document issued 313 A.D. in Milan as an edictum, though it was no edict but a constitutio. Another error is that the establishing of Christianity as state religion is usually attributed to Constantine I, though this was due to Theodosius I, the Great. The third error is the opinion that after the establishing of Christianity as state religion, paganity vanished instantly. This is simply not true. The survival of paganity is proven by its very name, which comes from the labelling pagani, meaning persons of the country. After the edict of Theodosius the adherents of the old religion lived mainly in the country accepting thus the above name, which became later, much later, a pejorative epithet.1 The contemporary Libanios holds the sudden conversion for a pretence. This means that though they seemingly increase the number of Christians, they remain in spirit what they were, i.e. pagans. We have data from the age of Valens and Valentinian referring to pagan customs, sorcery effectuated in the country, e.g. in the person of Iamblichus. Not regarding this late times we can assert that paganity and Christianity - except for some periods - lived in everyday life side by side and we can add that it was a peaceful coexistence. When this balance was disturbed, it was always bound to a concrete place and time. We can list these events historically. The major part of the works dealing with the history of Early Christianity propagates the doctrine that only a fact can be called proven and is acceptable, which is presumed by many or where we have many data and sources at our disposal. The mentioned earlier errors could survive, though, even in the sign of this "scientific" notion, because they were asserted and promulgated by almost everybody. If we say that the positivistic historical trend propagated errors out of overzeal, we can also state that modern scholarly world may give birth to erroneous results even by its deadly criticism.2 One approach overestimates the axioms hidden in the nature of things, while the other one negates or at least neglects the existence of such axioms. It neglects, in any case, the metaphysical roots of religion and past, which results in a certain irrationality in life. Something we cannot prove - it is, nevertheless, true. Observing this by way of introduction I wanted to point out my own method, what means that while collecting the data as completely as possible I should like to avoid the zealous overstatements of the positivists but at the same time to abstain myself from the hard "quantitative" attitude of up-to-date science. I should like to follow the counsil of J. Lortz, who prescribes for the elaboration of every theme of religious history a discipline taking in consideration two points of view (LORTZ 1962, 3-6). I intend to relate the ecclesiastic history of Pannónia in detail according to following respects: a. Pannónia, the Roman Empire and the Occidental side. b. The works of Christianity are not independent from the ritual - Veritas, usus, pulcher. Their expression in archaeological finds and édifices. c. Appearance of Christianity, discussions, the period of settling, evolution of ecclesiastic structures. d. History of the Christians in the first five centuries on the territory of Pannónia. a.) The Christianity of Pannónia is a part of the general ecclesiastic history, as Pannónia is a part of the Roman Empire. According to its geographical position it takes place between the Orient and the Occident, is usually counted to the West. From its belonging to the Roman Empire it follows that beyond local specialities it would have general characteristics. When Christianity entered the soil of Pannónia, its acceptation was not independent from the cultural circle present in our area at the given time. Christians and pagans lived side by side namely pagans in their majority and only in a lesser part Christians (GÁSPÁR 1993, 5-22). This was the situation in the city of Rome3 and the same is valid for Pannónia. Since what time? This is a question still discussed. In lack of archaeological finds the general opinion is that we cannot count with Christianity in Pannónia and generally in the Danube region previous to the 3rd century.4 As ground the fact serves that we have no archaeological finds which would prove the presence of Christianity earlier than the 3rd century. 11 should like to remark that, in contrary with the generally accepted opinion, leaving the towns for the country had begun even before the edict of Theodosius, in his times, though, it became final. 2 The introduction of a conference as well as its first lecturer, outspokenly and between the lines, point to a deficiency which can be a hindrance in recent research work. This is that our modern ages had lost the sense for metaphysics, which was present in the mind of the ancients. WOLFF 1994, VU-XI, 1-27. 3 At the end of the 2nd century from one million inhabitants twenty thousand were Christians. 4ZEILLER 1918, 31, and after Zeiller everybody till our days. A contrary opinion: GÁSPÁR 1995, 111-120. 43