Revelation 17:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Names are given to cities in Holy Scripture, as may be seen from many passages, according to their life and deeds.

For this reason ancient Babylon is called a harlot who rejoices, that is, who delights in her fornication, and the mistress of sorcerers and magicians. Of Jerusalem it is said: “You had the face of a harlot” (Jer 3:3).

In Peter’s epistle, ancient Rome is called Babylon (1 Pet 5:13).

But, of course, Babylon is most properly the city that was powerful under the Persians. After that, the name applies to every other city that delights in blood and murders.

The Evangelist was also astonished when he saw one of these cities. But he learned from the angel that this city, the ruler of the world, would be punished at the end for its iniquities.

For there is one body that resists the Church both within and without. Within the Church, these are false Christians; outside the Church, heretics and pagans. Although the body seems divided, in persecuting the Church it acts together in one spirit. For it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside the walls of Jerusalem (Lk 13:33), which kills the prophets. That is, good Christians cannot undergo any persecution without bad Christians. Thus the descendants of distant forefathers are accused of having stoned Zechariah (cf. 2 Chr 24:20-22; Mt 23:34-39), though they themselves did not do it.

How many martyrs for the faith there have been in all the centuries of Christianity, and how many there will be at the coming of Antichrist!