The first Christian community

Christianity began to spread through the proclamation of the Gospel: the announced Kingdom was present and OPEN TO ALL and SALVATION consisted in believing that Jesus died and rose again and would return soon (Mt 28,18-20).
Sources New Testament (NT), especially the Acts of the Apostles (Acts).
Founding event: Pentecost. On this occasion the apostles are consecrated to be MISSIONARIES OF THE GOSPEL in every part of the earth and to all men. This event is considered the beginning of the Church desired by Christ (Acts 1:8).

At Pentecost the Church becomes aware of its mission: that is, it becomes aware of being sent to proclaim the Gospel to all men of all times throughout the universe.
From the announcement that Jesus is truly risen, new members, both Jews and pagans, join the group and new communities are born. The Christian movement spreads in a few years throughout Palestine and in the major cities of the Mediterranean.

Palestine had been part of the Roman Empire since 63 BC. This political connection with Rome was instrumental in the “westward turn” of the nascent Christian movement.
Advantages offered by the Roman Empire:
1. It guaranteed peace between the various subjugated peoples at least militarily.

2. It had a vast and well-tested network of communication routes.

3. Greek and Latin were the “vehicular languages”.

4. Broad tolerance by the state towards old and new religions.

5. Loss of confidence in the official state religion and consequent search for new forms of religiosity.

In short, Greco-Roman civilization had succeeded in imposing a certain cultural and administrative unity on the entire Mediterranean basin, and did not cease to expand further towards northern Europe and eastern Asia.
In this political and cultural context the first Christian movement gradually spread.

Characteristics of the first generation of Christians
The first followers of Jesus were Palestinians (of Jewish culture and religion). Most spoke the local language (Aramaic) while the minority (in diaspora) spoke Greek.
The Judeo-Christians shared almost everything with the Jews:
- They believed in the one God of the patriarchs and prophets

- They observed the Jewish Torah with its ritual constraints.
- They frequented the Temple and local synagogues, praying the same Psalms

- The sacred text was the Holy Scripture of the Jews.

One thing distinguished them from the Jews:
FAITH IN THE RISEN CHRIST
How to join the community:
- through conversion to the preaching of the apostles;

- through baptism in the name of Jesus
The central act of the community was the celebration of the LORD'S SUPPER.

Where did the new Christian communities form and who formed them?
They are formed above all in cities, ports and along commercial roads. They are mainly made up of modest and poor people, but there is no lack of cultured people, open to the novelty of the message, and even some wealthy men (Acts 5:1-10).
Christians formed communities, but they were not separated from the rest of society; they participated in local life and commercial activities. However, they did not concern themselves with politics, as it was regulated by the Roman authorities and their