emerging sense of orthodoxy because the centerpiece of christian ritual, the celebration of the eucharistot live without that story. >> and it is out of that movement that the four-gospel canon arises. and it comes, interestingly enough, as a canon that preserves diversity-- within limits, but it preserves diversity. there is no claim that this canon represents four gospels that are all saying the same thing. it is, rather, an attempt to bring together as many christian communities into one major church. >> narrator: by the middle of the third century, christians were buried alongside jews and pagans in catacombs, underground tombs beneath the outskirts of rome. there is evidence here of the growing homogenization of the christian story. the artwork on the tombs shows little sign of gnostic imagery. they are largely scenes from the canonical gospels which are now merging into one single story. >> what's interesting is what they choose, because what they choose of jesus is especially the healer. he appears beardless, so he's a young... he's a new, young god, as it were. he's not an old fud