How did the idea of making a web page about the early Christians come about?
In the first place, we did it because there wasn’t any web page of its kind anywhere. Well at least, none that we knew of. There are approximately 4,500 new Internet websites created daily. We thought it important to bring the way of life of the early Christians closer to the people of today, especially the youth.
Catholics can consider this web page as a family album. It is designed in such a way that anyone interested can learn about the life of the early Christians and later tell their friends about it. St. Josemaria always encouraged people to imitate and live the life of the early Christians, who with the example of their ordinary lives were able to change the world. Moreover, we want to echo the catechesis of Pope Benedict, who devotes his Wednesday audiences to talk about the principal figures of early Christianity.
How do you maintain the web page?
We deal both with the demands our studies in the university and the maintenance of the web page. For example, when we are in the period of exams, it is obviously more difficult to find time, but we try to organize ourselves and manage our time. We would also want to acknowledge and highlight the invaluable help of some professors from the university like Professors Pedro Rodriguez, Francisco Varo and Juan Chapa, who have been always ready to help us with their expertise since the beginning. Their contributions have definitely facilitated our work.
What feedback have you been getting?
The interest that has been generated among the people who have subscribed has been remarkable. In just two years of operation, the number of subscribers to the web page has topped 4,000. Moreover, we have been receiving messages of support and appreciation from the most diverse mix of places and people in the world. It is quite rewarding to realize that, in a way, through the website, we get to encourage people to live their faith during difficult times or when it is difficult to hold one’s ground. During these moments, to keep in mind the example of the early Christians has helped them a lot.
What kind of information does the web page carry?
The web page www.earlychristians.org offers a wealth of information about the life of the early Christian communities, the persecutions, the expansion of Christianity, the acts of the martyrs, the Fathers of the Church, and the Catacombs, among others. It also contains related documents, videos and audio files that can be downloaded. It offers lists of books and films related to the world of early Christianity, and audio files of the acts of the early martyrs and the situation of Christianity during the first four centuries. We also have a special section for the Pope’s discourses on the early Christians and related documents.
Do you want to interest more people to visit the site?
Definitely. I would like to invite everyone interested to subscribe to www.earlychristians.org and to tell their friends about it. Personally, I think it is an attractive way of bringing Christ to our friends.