1,260 years of popery

1. Justinian

But he was opposed! Ephesus' bishop, Polycrates, wrote a defense of the Eastern date for Páscha, and made it clear he feared not the threats of Victor! He asserted his independent right. Even Iranaeus, an Occidental bishop who agrees with the Roman bishop about the date of Páscha, truly reproved Victor for trying to direct the Eastern churches. He too died a martyr for Christ—and it had nothing to do with opposing Rome's bishop!

Then the Roman bishop Calixtus I (218-223) claimed to be above the other bishops, asserting a passage from Matthew in which Jesus said to Peter,[Matthew 16:18, a verse of controversy. Petros refers to small stones, like sling-stones. Petra refers to mountains, like Olympus or Caucasus. Nothing more needs to be said. Petra was supposed to refer to Christ, as understood from his own words later in Matthew (21:42) and in Peter's own testimony (see 1 Peter 2:4-10).] "[T]hou art a rock [Petros], and upon this rock [Petra] I will build my assembly"—assembly later rendered church. Tertullian, a defender of Christianity and a Shabbat-keeper,[Tertullian (Against Marcion, book 4, chapter 12) attacked Marcion for wanting to keep another day other than the Sabbath, which "from the beginning had been consecrated by the benediction of the Father", then stating: "For [God] furnished to this day divine safeguards—a course which his adversary [Satan] would have pursued for some other days, to avoid honoring the Creator's Shabbat." He was the first Latin writer to use the term trinitas.] called Calixtus a "Usurper". There can be no such thing as a Bishop of bishops! (Tertullian would die on 220.)

While Stephen I (253-257) was the bishop of Rome, the Carthage bishop announced that every bishop was supreme in his own see. He did not bow to Rome. Nor did diverse bishops.

Then Constantine came around, and at the Nicea council of 325, there were talks about the proper date for Páscha—this term actually was in Greek; now the Latin word, Paschae, is applied. And it connects to the Day-Of-The-Sun when Jesus was resurrected.

Easter Sunday.

Finally, the Nicene Creed was established, asserting belief in a heavenly Trio:

"We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
"And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father. And he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall be endless.
"And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one holy universal and apostle-based Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen."

The Nicene council did not establish the Roman Pappas as supreme. But when Pope Julius I (337-352) requested a council to deal more with the Arian heresy, the council happened. It wasn't an Ecumenical council, but it was the first council to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the bishop of Rome.

Later, Roman emperor Theodosius (from 378-398) made Christianity the state religion of Rome. But he went a step too far even for Constantine: he made forced conversions! So now, the Church at large is no longer the humble community of believers. No, now it has become a fierce and self-righteous rabble. The pious, however, stay pious. But their numbers grow fewer.