Editing Caesarea Maritima (section)

=====Early Christian centre=====
{{Main|Theological Library of Caesarea Maritima}}
{{See also|Early centers of Christianity#Caesarea|Caesarea in Palaestina (diocese)}}
[[File:Caesarea maritima (DerHexer) 2011-08-02 098.jpg|thumb|The ancient city looking south]]

According to the [[Acts of the Apostles]], Caesarea was first introduced to Christianity by [[Philip the Deacon]],<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|8:40|ESV}}</ref> who later had a house there in which he gave hospitality to [[Paul the Apostle]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|21:8–10|ESV}}</ref> It was there that [[Saint Peter|Peter the Apostle]] baptized [[Cornelius the Centurion]] and his household, the first time Christian [[baptism]] was conferred on [[Gentile|Gentiles]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|10:1-11:18|ESV}}</ref> When newly converted Paul was in danger in Jerusalem, the Christians there accompanied him to Caesarea and sent him off to his native [[Tarsus, Mersin#Rome|Tarsus]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|9:30|ESV}}</ref> He visited Caesarea between his second and third missionary journeys.<ref>{{bibleverse-nb||Acts|18:22|ESV}}</ref> Paul was a prisoner in Caesarea for two years before being sent to Rome.<ref>Acts 23:23, 25:1-13</ref>

In the [[Christianity in the 3rd century |3rd century]], [[Origen]] wrote his ''[[Hexapla]]'' and other exegetical and theological works while living in Caesarea. The [[Nicene Creed]] may have originated in Caesarea. The [[Apostolic Constitutions]] says that the first [[Caesarea in Palaestina (diocese)|Bishop of Caesarea]] was [[Zacchaeus]] the Publican, followed by Cornelius (possibly Cornelius the Centurion) and Theophilus (possibly the recipient of the [[Gospel of Luke]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/07157.htm|title=CHURCH FATHERS: Apostolic Constitutions, Book VII|website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref> The first bishops considered historically attested are those mentioned by the early church historian [[Eusebius]] of Caesarea, who was the bishop of the see in the 4th century. He speaks of [[Theophilus, bishop of Caesarea|Theophilus]] who was bishop in the 10th year of [[Commodus]] (c. 189),<ref>''[[Church History (Eusebius)|Church History]]'' V,22</ref> of Theoctistus (216–258), Domnus, and Theotecnus,<ref>''Church History'' VII,14</ref> and [[Agapius of Caesarea|Agapius]]. Among the participants in the [[Synod of Ancyra]] in 314 was the bishop of Caesarea named Agricolaus, who may have been the immediate predecessor of Eusebius, who does not mention him, or who may have been bishop of a different Caesarea. The immediate successors of Eusebius were [[Acacius of Caesarea |Acacius]] (340–366) and [[Gelasius of Caesarea| Gelasius]] (367–372, 380–395). The latter was ousted by the semi-[[Arianism|Arian]] Euzoius between 373 and 379. French historian [[Michel Le Quien]] gives much information about all of these and about later bishops of Caesarea.<ref>{{Oriens christianus|volume=3|at= coll. 529-574, 1285-1290}}</ref> The [[Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem]] has a metropolitan see in Caesarea. The Latin [[Caesarea in Palaestina (diocese)|archbishopric of Caesarea in Palestina]] was made a Roman Catholic [[titular see]] in 1432.<ref name="AP">''Annuario Pontificio 2013''. Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013, p. 867. {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}.</ref> The [[Melkite Catholic Church]] considers Caesarea a titular see.<ref name="AP" />

Through Origen and especially the scholarly presbyter [[Pamphilus of Caesarea]], the theological school of Caesarea gained a reputation for having the most extensive [[Theological Library of Caesarea Maritima|ecclesiastical library]] of the time, containing more than 30,000 manuscripts: [[Gregory of Nazianzus|Gregory Nazianzus]], [[Basil of Caesarea|Basil the Great]], [[Jerome]] and others came to study there. The [[Caesarean text-type]] is recognized by scholars as one of the earliest [[New Testament]] types. The collections of the library suffered during [[Diocletianic Persecution|the persecutions]] under Emperor [[Diocletian]] but were repaired subsequently by bishops of Caesarea.<ref>Jerome, "Epistles" xxxiv</ref> The library is mentioned as late as 6th-century manuscripts, but it may not have survived the capture of Caesarea by the Muslim armies in 640.<ref>{{cite book|last=Swete|first=Henry Barclay|title=Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek, pp 74-75}}</ref>