on the Sabbath (a custom which apparently originated early in the second century as an extension of the annual Holy Saturday fast) to show, among other things, contempt for the Jews. Similarly, in Rome the eucharistic celebration and religious assemblies were forbidden on the Sabbath, to avoid appearing to observe the day with the Jews. Moreover, we found that in the second century only the Roman Bishop enjoyed sufficient ecclesiastical authority to influence the greater part of Christendom to accept