Jesus Christ had no place to lay His head. The Roman Catholic Church is unquestionably the wealthiest institution on earth.

How did it come about ?

Where to start? Well, here is my "top 20 list of marketing ideas":

#20 - Y1K - Much like our recent bout with Y2K, there was a frenzy surrounding the coming of the year 1000. Many believed that the end of the world was near. The Roman Church did nothing to calm the frenzy. Instead, she accepted donations from those who desired to rid themselves of their possessions prior to judgment day. When the big day came and went, the people discovered that the properties they deeded to the church were not about to be returned.

#19 - Absorbing the pagans into the collective - In the days of Constantine, Christianity became the State religion. Therefore, many of the temples that were once devoted to the worship of pagan deities were made subject to the church of Rome. In one fell swoop, through a splash of water, the superstitious pagans were under the authority of the Roman church.

#18 - HOLY DAY and feast day offerings - The Roman Church teaches that the dear departed saints can intercede on behalf of the living. There is hardly a day on the calendar that is not a feast to some saint or another. So the faithful attend mass on these days, and make "oblations." 

#17 - PETER'S PENCE - a slick way to get contributions from its members around the world, to "support" the headquarters of the richest institution in the world.

#16 - JUBILEES! (Tourism, Part I) - At the beginning of the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII was visited by a very old man, who after kissing the pope's foot stated that his father had come to Rome in 1200 to offer a coin to St. Peter. Boniface quickly proclaimed the year 1300 a "jubilee year." Any christian who visited the basilicas of St. Peter and Paul in Rome would have all their sins remitted. This became a great money maker, as millions of pilgrims flooded the streets of Rome. Future popes, not wanting to miss out on the action, started proclaiming jubilees every fifty, and then twenty-five years.

#15 - Many years of compound interest! - While Christ overturned the tables of the money changers, the papacy has its own bank, the Vatican Bank.

#14 - MANDATORY CELIBACY - With no heirs to receive their inheritances, the church became the sole beneficiary of its many priests, bishops, cardinals, and popes.

#13 - Shrines & RELICS (Tourism, Part II) - One way that the deceased saints helped the faithful was through their relics. Miracles were attributed to these relics, and PILGRIMAGES to the multitude of shrines became a lucrative business for the church.

#12 - MASS CARDS - Donations on behalf of the dead.

#11 - Taxes, fines, & penalties - Why not subject citizens of Catholic countries to church taxes! Or levy fines on those who omit confession or communion, or neglect a church fast. [Of course, one could instead "pay not to play," purchasing the right to avoid ABSTAINING from their favorite foods.] Perhaps for a small donation one could even be exhonerated from the consequences of their crimes.

#10 - Low paid clergy - In contrast to the old saying, the Roman Church has "too many injuns, and not enough chiefs." Even though U.S. Catholics on average give less than 1% of their income to the church, there is not much of a "nut to cover." The priests, who have no families, are sustained on meager funds. St. Matthew church, where I attended, has only a few (low paid) priests in a congregation of 20,000.

#9 - APPARITIONS OF MARY (Tourism, Part III) - Sites where alleged appearances of Mary have occurred draw many millions of pilgrims each year.

#8 - Mandatory tithes & taxes - Even though God loves a cheerful giver, the Roman church has at times forced the faithful to tithe. Also, a "mortuary tax" was imposed upon the estates of the faithful. The Church claimed title to a third of the dead man's property.

#7 - INTERDICTS - A quick way to generate funds. Popes have the power to excommunicate entire nations. Pope Clement IV in 1265 sold millions of South Italians to Charles of Anjou, for a yearly tribute of 800 ounces of gold. Failure to pay would lead to the excommunication of the people.

#6 - Expropriation from heretics - The INQUISITIONS brought great wealth to the church. The property of "heretics" ended up in the Church's coffers.

#5 - INDULGENCE$ - A consistent money-maker.