Every social or religious movement, to survive, needs to create structures and develop standards of life and organization, which allow its continuation and strengthen the effectiveness of its mission. Numerical growth and the geographic expansion of Christianity required Christian communities to become quite creative. Detached from its Jewish matrix and its original environment, and influenced by new living conditions, the church's institutions and practices developed gradually. These developments reflect the various social settings in which they were born, consequently, the author notes the diversity of customs across regions. This volume intends to offer an overview of the birth and development of Ancient Christianity's institutions and practices in their variety and diversity.