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The First Apology

Justin Martyr

Chapter 65

About this work

Justin addresses Roman rulers on behalf of Christians, challenging accusations against them while explaining Christian ethics, worship, baptism, Eucharist, prophecy, and belief in Christ in his own day.

Author: Justin Martyr
Date: c. AD 150–155
Origin: Rome
Genre: Apology

Chapter LXV.—Administration of the sacraments.

But we, after we have thus washed him who

‹ Chapter 64 Chapter 66 ›

has

been

convinced

and

has

assented

to

our

teaching

,

bring

him

to

the

place

where

those

who

are

called

brethren

are

assembled

,

in

order

that

we

may

offer

hearty

prayers

in

common

for

ourselves

and

for

the

baptized

[

illuminated

]

person

,

and

for

all

others

in

every

place

,

that

we

may

be

counted

worthy

,

now

that

we

have

learned

the

truth

,

by

our

works

also

to

be

found

good

citizens

and

keepers

of

the

commandments

,

so

that

we

may

be

saved

with

an

everlasting

salvation

.

Having

ended

the

prayers

,

we

salute

one

another

with

a

kiss

.

There

is

then

brought

to

the

president

of

the

brethren

bread

and

a

cup

of

wine

mixed

with

water

;

and

he

taking

them

,

gives

praise

and

glory

to

the

Father

of

the

universe

,

through

the

name

of

the

Son

and

of

the

Holy

Ghost

,

and

offers

thanks

at

considerable

length

for

our

being

counted

worthy

to

receive

these

things

at

His

hands

.

And

when

he

has

concluded

the

prayers

and

thanksgivings

,

all

the

people

present

express

their

assent

by

saying

Amen

.

This

word

Amen

answers

in

the

Hebrew

language

to

γένοιτο

[

so

be

it

]

.

And

when

the

president

has

given

thanks

,

and

all

the

people

have

expressed

their

assent

,

those

who

are

called

by

us

deacons

give

to

each

of

those

present

to

partake

of

the

bread

and

wine

mixed

with

water

over

which

the

thanksgiving

was

pronounced

,

and

to

those

who

are

absent

they

carry

away

a

portion

.

Notes

141
The kiss of charity, the kiss of peace, or “the peace” (ἡ εἰπήνη), was enjoined by the Apostle Paul in his Epistles to the Corinthians, Thessalonians, and Romans, and thence passed into a common Christian usage. It was continued in the Western Church, under regulations to prevent its abuse, until the thirteenth century. Stanley remarks (Corinthians, i. 414), “It is still continued in the worship of the Coptic Church.”
142
τῷ προεστῶτι τῶν ἀδελφῶν. This expression may quite legitimately be translated, “to that one of the brethren who was presiding.”