[carlo]

I'd ;ike to offer this particular understanding. When one speaks of the Roman Empire one can't say that it terminated immediately for example at the Germanic invasions or the pressing of Christianity upon the Empire by Constantine.

Consideration should be given that the Empire did indeed continue specifically until the Age of Reason and its effects are even continuing today. Roman custom was to include all religions of subjected peoples into their Pantheon and initially would have done the same with Christianity but strong forces on both sides of the political spectrum prevailed and Christianity was made the "Official Religion" of the Empire at the time of Constantine.

So, what one sees , is an Empire of customs, laws, political structure and political/earthly power continuing under the aegis of the Papacy which also had the Christian Geist under its belt. What one sees in the Roman Catholic Church are the transformed institutions of the Empire but not exactly the same. Make no mistake about it, Constantine was a Roman Emperor and only lack of insight wopuld conclude that "every thing changed" at that moment in time such that "Rome no longer existed".

I'd liken the Christians who merged into the Empire as a young boy who puts on his Father's winter coat and large brimed hat. The coat reaches beyond the floor and of course the hat has its comical side. The "coat" is the Empire and the young boy the early Christians whose karma is the transformmation of an Empire buopyed by the Christian Geist but at every stage carrying the burden/advantages and corruptions of the "old way".

Rome was not built nor dies in a day.