In the ancient world polytheism was commonplace. Most people worshipped many gods and bowed down to idols made of wood, metal and stone. Ornate pagan shrines and temples were everywhere, especially in Rome which was the largest city in the world. Pagan priests usually wore fancy costumes and conducted solemn rituals called sacraments. All this pomp and circumstance was meant to convince worshippers they were being favored by the gods and it covered up the fact their religions were fake and lifeless. If you can sell the sizzle you don’t need the steak.
In Old Testament times only the Jews were monotheistic. The Jews worshipped Jehovah, the one true God. In the first century the expected Messiah, Jesus Christ, came down from heaven, took on flesh, and died on the cross for our sins. Jesus was buried and on the third day rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven where he sits at the right hand of God as our Advocate and Mediator. The Christian church was born on Pentecost in 33 AD when God sent His Holy Spirit to indwell all believers. The followers (disciples ) of Jesus became known as Christians. Christianity means “Christ’s men.” Christians were persecuted for several hundred years until the Roman emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire in 313 AD.
The pagan priests in Rome were in the business of religion and any religion would do. When Christianity became the official religion of Rome they had no problem converting to Christianity and changing their temples into houses of Christian worship. Unfortunately the pagans brought their style of worship with them to include fanciful dress and pagan sacraments like holy water and goddess worship. Pagan temples were ornate for show and that was passed on to the Catholic church. Pagan temples were full of statues, sculptures and graven images and this also found its way into the Catholic church even though God’s word forbids it.
Within a few hundred years the Christian church in Rome became totally corrupted and all honor and glory was stripped from Jesus Christ within the church. The leader of the church became the bishop of Rome, who would later be called the Pope when his influence and power extended worldwide. Instead of following the Word of God the leaders of the church chose to establish traditions and rituals (sacraments) that were unscriptural. The Pope shifted authority in the church away from God and to himself as the sole source of salvation. Satan was responsible for the corruption of the Roman Catholic church and satanic forces have ruled the Catholic church for the last 1500 years.