The Christians, an interesting choice. Christianity is a new religion, and is looked down upon by the other two major religions in Ephisos. The Romans themselves are out to eradicate the entire group, so hiding and secrecy is the major basis for this religion. The actual founding of the religion is difficult to determine, but it was fairly recent in comparison to the cults of Artemis or Isis. This is not an easy religion to follow, and Faith must guide you through.

Jesus: Prophet, Man and God

Now this is where things get tricky. The God worshipped by the Christians is just that, God. There is no Pantheon of Gods to worship or believe in, just one and one alone. The Christians believe that God sent his only son, Jesus Christ to teach us the way to be good people, and he ultimately died to remove our sins, only to be resurrected. Jesus, however, is not merely a man, or a prophet, but to the Christians he is God, and yet also God's son. He is part of a divine trinity that is both one and three. He, God and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is often depicted as the "Good Shepherd", the leader of us to the ways of God. However, he must remain secret at this time, since the Romans began persecuting the Christians, thus images like those above and to the right are used to symbolize the belief.

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Structure of the Faith

The structure of the Christianity is very tricky, since it must remain secret to avoid persecution. There are two points which control the religion at this time, faith and trust. The people must trust eachother and their leaders to guide them on the right path, and have faith that God will see them through life. Beyond the common Christian there are priests who are usually just fellow worshippers who have been ordained by a bishop. They act in direct contact with the other Christians and lead ceremonies for their select group. Above them are bishops who watch over the Christian groups within a certain area and help guide them on the right path. They help them to avoid Heretics and other possible false religions as well as guide the priest who in turn can guide the people. Beyond the Bishops are Arch bishops and those who know the faith extremely well. These people often speak with the bishops or sometimes with the people directly either in person or via messages to guide them during times of trouble.(9) Symbols of the faith are often hidden in other images, so to anyone but a Christian they would seem only images. For example, in the Catacombs, and anchor would symbolize a cross, a shepherds cane would symbolize Jesus and a phoenix with a crown was a symbol of Christ's resurrection. The Christians are always on the lookout for heretics or those who would lead them astray as well, often speaking of any similarities between Christianity and other faiths as the work of the devil and not to be followed, as seen in the Dialogue with Trypho or even with older religions. Ultimately the act to keep themselves safe and to keep the faith pure.

Rituals

The main ritual for the Christians is the Mass, which is a bit like a meeting for all the Christians. It is lead often by a priest, but possibly a higher spiritual leader, and consists of two parts. The first part is a retelling of the actions and teachings of Christ, usually teaching some moral or giving guidance. The first section could also be warnings or guidance from the bishop or priest as well, or possibly from a message from an archbishop or patron of the church. The second half was much more sacred and the specifics shouldn't be told outright, but it involves almost a reenactment of the last supper Christ had with his Apostles. This key ritual is one of the founding actions of the Church .The Christians also follow certain holidays, such as the birth of Christ (Christmas, in the winter) and the Death and resurrection of Christ (Easter, in the spring). Ultimately it is very similar to the practices of the other religions in Ephisos, but done in secret.

What becomes of the Christians?