Catholicism is a general term that usually refers to Christian people and churches within the Roman Catholic faith community that operate under the auspices of the Holy See of Rome.http://www.vatican.va As with other religious factions, it is comprised of a core set of beliefs, theologies and doctrines that are characterized by specific liturgical, ethical and spiritual behavior. The word itself is derived from the Greek adjective, katholikos, meaning "universal," and from the adverbial phrase, kath'holou, meaning "on the whole." Its first recorded use was noted in a Letter from St Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans: "Where the bishop is to be seen, there let all his people be; just as wherever Jesus Christ is present, we have the catholic Church."http://books.google.com/books?id=cldKKwvF284C&printsec=frontcover&dq=catholicism&source=bl&ots=E3xStgx8No&sig=534xjbIATJLAGlcuE8R6zPX51x0&hl=en&ei=E7WFS-CkOdC1lAeZp9DnAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CGkQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Catholicism traces its roots back to the apostles, particularly the Apostle Peter. St. Peter is considered the first pope of the Catholic Church. Each pope after Peter is considered his spiritual successor. This rite of apostolic succession represents an unbroken chain from the apostles to the current pope, and provides him, as the leader of the church, spiritual authority over the Catholic Church and the means to resolve disputes that might have the potential of dividing the church.

In the years of the early Catholic church, the focus was on survival. While the early church leaders, primarily those who personally knew the original twelve apostles, were recognized as leaders, there was no real central authority. After the conversion of the Emperor Constantine in 318 AD, the church adopted a governmental structure that mirrored that of the existing Empire. Geographical provinces were represented by bishops. Initially, these included the bishops of Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, Rome, and Constantinople. Rome eventually became the most important as it was the capital of the Empire, as well as the city in which the apostles Peter and Paul were believed to have been martyred.

Historians consider the Roman bishop Leo I as the first pope as defined by today's standards. Leo I was the first pope to claim authority over all Christendom, with the assertion that Christ had designated Peter and his successors the "rock" on which the church would be built.

The basic beliefs of Catholicism do not dramatically differ from those of other major branches of Christianity, i.e., Protestantism and Greek Orthodoxy. All three branches of Christianity hold to the divinity of Christ, inspirational roots of the Bible and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Distinctions held by followers of the Roman Catholic faith include:

• Infallibility and authority of the pope;
• Ability of saints to intercede on the behalf of the faithful;
• Existence of Purgatory as a place of purification before entrance into Heaven;
• Doctrine of Transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is the concept that the bread and wine used during the sacrament of the Eucharist is transformed into the true body and blood of Christ after being blessed by the priest.

Catholics also believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was a virgin at the time she gave birth to Jesus and remained a virgin for the remainder of her life. Catholics believe that Mary was conceived without original sin by the grace of God in order to be a sinless vessel to bear His son. At the end of her life, Catholics believe that Mary was assumed into heaven. The feast day of the Assumption of Mary is celebrated on August 15.