philosophers, both Greek and Jewish, to exchange knowledge, thus beginning the syncretism between Hellenism and Judaism, a phenomenon that occurred in the rest of his empire. Later with the arrival of the Romans (already Hellenized), there were no problems of religious tolerance (except in the case of the Zealots), since thanks to the interpretatio graeca exported by the Macedonians, it was possible to identify Caelus (Roman god) or Uranus (his Greek equivalent) and Yahweh as the Supreme God himself, allowing conversion cases like Cornelius. Significance Cornelius is considered to be one of the first gentiles to converted to Christianity. The baptism of Cornelius is an important event in the history of the early Christian church, along with the conversion and baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch. The Christian church was first formed around the original disciples and followers of Jesus, all of whom, including Jesus himself, were Galilean, except for Judas, who was Judean. All males in the Judean community were Jews: they were circumcised and observed the Law of Moses. The reception of Cornelius sparked a debate among the leaders of the new community of followers of Jesus, culminating in the decision to allow Gentiles to become Christians without conforming to Jewish requirements for circumcision, as recounted in Acts 15. Traditions Certain traditions hold Cornelius as becoming either the first bishop of Caesarea, or the bishop of Scepsis in Mysia. Commemoration His feast day on the new Martyrologium Romanum is 20 October. He is commemorated in the Orthodox tradition on 13 September. Cornelius is honored on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America on February 4. When Governors Island in New York City was a military installation, the Episcopal Church maintained a stone chapel there dedicated to him. The Greek-French philosopher Cornelius Castoriadis is named after him. Gallery Images of St. Cornelius Chapel, Governors Island, New York See also Acts 10 Biblical law in Christianity Saint Cornelius the Centurion, patron saint archive References Further reading External links Saint Cornelius the Centurion at the Christian Iconography web site The Story of the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion at Governors Island, New York Harbor, Written for the Day of the Consecration, October 19, A.D. 1906. by Morgan Dix 1st-century Romans Saints from the Holy Land Cultural assimilation Christian saints from the New Testament Ancient Roman soldiers People in Acts of the Apostles Converts to Christianity