!!!Frühchristentum

Christianity, Early: Christianity most probably spread towards Austria 
from the Balkans up the Danube and from northern Italy. First 
indications of Christians in the army of Emperor  Marcus Aurelius in 
the Austrian area have been found in conjunction with the "Miracle of 
Thunder and Lightning" in the Marcomannian Wars on June 11, 
172 A.D. Experts presume that small Christian communities existed 
in Austria in the late 3%%sup rd/%  century A.D. The only Roman martyr 
known by name was St.  Florian. At the time of the Synod of Serdica 
(Sofia) in 343 the existence of a bishop of Noricum can be proven, but 
it is not known where he had his bishopric; later Aguntum, Lauriacum, 
Teurnia and Virunum became bishoprics. Church organisation was fully 
developed by the time the  Vita Severini (511) was written. There were 
early Christian churches in Aguntum, Duel, on Hemmaberg mountain, in 
Imst, Lavant, Laubendorf, Lauriacum, Lienz, Nenzing, Pfaffenhofen, 
Teurnia and Zirl, epitaphs in Molzbichl, St. Stefan ob Waiern 
(Carinthia) and Wels. Clay lamps, silver spoons, rings, a belt buckle 
and a necklace with Christogram have been found. Although the spread 
of Christianity in the 4%%sup th/% -6%%sup th/%  centuries can be 
proven archeologically, pagan cultures remained common in Cucullis 
(Kuchl) until the time of St. Severinus (2%%sup nd/%  half of the 
5%%sup th/%  century).

!Literature
Severin zwischen Roemerzeit und Voelkerwanderung, 1982; P. 
Barton, Geschichte des Christentums in Oesterreich und 
Suedmitteleuropa, 1992; R. Pillinger, Fruehes Christentum in 
Oesterreich Ein Ueberblick an Hand der Denkmaeler, 1993; F. Glaser, 
Fruehes Christentum im Alpenraum, 1997.


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