The origins of Christianity

Sardinia, at the center of the most important Mediterranean trade routes, was in Roman times the ideal terrain for the timely and early spread of Christianity. Furthermore, since the height of the imperial age, there were numerous Jewish communities (Carales, Sulci, Tharros, Turris Libisonis, Forum Traiani), an important
fact, since, according to historians, the first Christian evangelizers would have turned to the Jewish world in their work of proselytism.

The presence of Christians on the island has been attested since the last decade of the second century: the testimony is recorded in a work, the “Philosophumena”, attributed until a few decades ago to the Roman priest Hippolytus and today ascribed to an unidentified Roman clergyman. The source recalls that Callisto, the future pope, was condemned to the mines on the island for having squandered a large sum of money. The text also refers to a letter with which, around 190, Emperor Commodus ordered that all Christians deported to Sardinia and sentenced to serve their sentence “by metal” because of their faith should regain their freedom. The imperial letter did not mention Callisto, convicted not for religious reasons but for common crimes, among the freed people. The “Liberian Catalog” reports that in 235 Pope Pontian was relegated to “unhealthy” Sardinia together with the priest Hippolytus, during the persecution of Maximin the Thracian.

The 'Liber Pontificalis' adds some details relating to Pontian's death. Sardinia is therefore mainly in the history of Christianity a place of deportation and condemnation in the mines.
The first historical evidence attesting to a consolidated church organization dates back to the 4th century. In 314 Quintasio, bishop of Carales, participated in the Council of Arles. In 343, another council met in Serdica, attended by a hundred Western and seventy Eastern bishops. Among the provinces that sent their representatives, Sardinia is also mentioned, but we do not know which bishop was present, nor can it be ruled out that there was more than one. It can also be assumed that in Sardinia, in addition to Carales, there were other episcopal sees, since the Western prelates asked Pope Julius to inform the bishops of Sicily, Sardinia and Italy about what had happened in Serdica; from this it can be seen that on the island some other bishop had to be informed of the outcome of the council.

In February 484, King Vandal Hunneric summoned all the Catholic bishops of the kingdom to Carthage with the aim of converting them to Arianism: among them were Lucifer of Carales, Martiniano of Forum Traiani, Bonifacio of Senafer, Vitale di Sulci and Felice di Turris. On this occasion, vacant episcopal seats were also indicated; since Sardinia is not mentioned, it can be considered that at the time the island had only the five bishop seats mentioned.

Update

20/9/2023 - 11:03