Let's begin with the term "christian". St. Paul writes about his travels to the Church at Antioch, and St. Peter evangelized there. Here, the followers of Jesus were first called "Christians" (Acts 11:26). Antioch also became an influential center of Christianity, where a very famous theological school was established. It eventually became the center of an important Eastern Church Tradition, the Antiochene Tradition, which includes the three West Syriac Churches of which the Maronite Church is one. It also later became the seat of certain Patriarchates, Catholic - such as the Maronite Patriarchate of Antioch - and others. Antioch produced such famous men as Bishop Ignatius and John Chrysostom.
Insofar as the Catholic Church, It is not possible to give an exact year when the Catholic Church began to be called the "Roman Catholic Church," but it is possible to approximate it. The term originates as an insult created by Anglicans who wished to refer to themselves as Catholic. They thus coined the term "Roman Catholic" to distinguish those in union with Rome from themselves and to create a sense in which they could refer to themselves as Catholics (by attempting to deprive actual Catholics to the right to the term). ref.
“Let’s begin with the term “christian”. St. Paul writes about his travels to the Church at Antioch, and St. Peter evangelized there. Here, the followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26).”
My point exactly. I should then bring this around with me for whenever I hear someone tell me Catholics are not Christian, or ‘I’m not Catholic, I’m Christian’, or, a favorite, ‘oh, yes, SOME Catholics are Christian’.
There are 5 branches or patriarchates, Rome, Antioch, Jerusalem,Alexandria, and Constampnoble or Istanbul.