Final answer:
To the Romans, 'Catholic' meant 'universal,' and this term became associated with the Christian faith when it became the state religion of the Roman Empire, centered in Rome and evolving into the Roman Catholic Church.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term “Catholic” meant universal to the Romans. Initially, Roman religious practice, known as Roman religio, underlined the obligations to their pantheon of gods, with public rituals that often intertwined faith with politics, and elements of this system evolved as Rome absorbed new religious beliefs. With Emperor Constantine's conversion and edict in 330 CE, Christianity began to take a central role in Roman life, and by 400 CE, it replaced Rome's traditional religions as the state religion. The term 'Catholic' was then used in reference to the 'universal' nature of the Christian faith, which was now centered in Rome and would become known as the Roman Catholic Church. When Rome fell, the Latin Church, as a continuation of this universal tradition, helped preserve some of the legacy of ancient Rome, playing a crucial role in uniting Western Europe and providing a sense of shared identity.