It is Jesus Christ who founded the Catholic Church. All history, religious and non-religious alike, including the Sacred Scripture, prove clearly that Jesus Christ founded the Church. After teaching publicly what he required all to believe and practice, thereby revealing the main doctrines of His Church, the Lord Jesus gathered a number of disciples. From these he chose twelve, to whom He gave special instruction and training. We know these twelve men as the Twelve Apostles. The Lord chose Simon, whom He called Peter, which means rock, and made St. Peter the First Apostle - thereby bestowing upon him authority to shepherd the newly founded Church. Christ completed the founding of the Church just prior His Ascension as He commanded the Apostles to dispersed from the Holy City of Jerusalem and traveled throughout the ancient world spreading the Gospel, establishing local churches, and appointing bishops and priest to minister to the faithful. Soon four major centers of the Apostolic Faith emerged - Jerusale , Antioch , Rome , and Alexandria . It would not be until the Fifth Century at the Council Chalcedon (A.D 451) that the city of Constantinople it was decided that since it was a Roman Imperial City should be raised second in rank after the City of Rome and would be added to the list of the great centers of Christianity, bringing the number of patriarchates (major Christian centers) to five: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. The following is the decree of the Council: The Council ratified the third canon of the Council of Constantinople (381), and decreed that since the city of Constantinople was honoured with the privilege of having the emperor and the Senate within its walls, its bishop should also have special prerogatives and be second in rank, after the Bishop of Rome. In consequence thereof he should consecrate the metropolitan bishops of the three civil Dioceses of Pontus, Asia, and Cappadocia. In A.D. 1054, the eastern branch of the united Church broke from the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church , a break which reflected its deviation from the Lord's own Authority given to Saint Peter, as His Vicar and preserved at Rome , it also manifested Constantinople's assumed precedence over the other more ancient patriarchates of Jerusalem , Antioch and Alexandria . This sad division of the Church in the east would continue to further manifest itself as the Orthodox Church would continue to divide itself along "national" or ethnic lines, thereby creating "ethnic" or "national" churches. It would be 500 years later that the Church of Christ would again endure a sad division, this time by the Protestants, like the Eastern Church, they too would fall into errors of their own and witness a further division as they fought amongst themselves. But, unlike the Orthodox Church of the east, the Protestants would alter the theology of the sacrificial nature of worship, the priesthood and the seven sacraments. The original Church, however, has remained united rooted in the Apostolic Faith since the first century in accordance with Christ's promise to Saint Peter that the gates of hell would never prevail against His Church. Both the Apostles Creed, composed in the first century and the Nicene Creed, composed in the fourth century in response to various heresies, summarizes Her Catholic and Apostolic Faith and has preserved the Ancient Deposit of Faith and along with the Supreme Roman Pontiff continue to guide and preserve her. For over two centuries the Church has faced great threats and challenges, it has at times, seen the birth of many saints and numerous sinners within her walls. Only the most naive or historically dishonest person would claim that the Church was perfect - a more accurate description is that the Church is a Divine Institution, guided by the Holy Spirit, but that the same time plagued with frail human beings who at times over the centuries cared more for themselves than for the Flock of Christ. But, nevertheless, throughout the centuries, in good times and bad, in the ups and downs of history, she has kept the Deposit of Faith whole and entire. Today, the Church faces the third millennium of Christianity, guided by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and governed by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, Vicar of Christ and Successor of Saint Peter, she faces that unknown future with faith, hope and charity and a renewed spirit and dedication to her original mission to preach the Gospel to extend the Kingdom of Christ the ends of the earth.