Do we know anything about how Mass was celebrated in the second century, when it was more fully developed?
St Justin (ca 100-165AD), a philosopher, apologist and martyr in Rome in the middle of the second century, gives a very complete description of the Mass in his time.
It comes in two “Apologies”, or defences of the faith, written to the emperor Antoninus Pius around the year 155.
He wrote the Apologies to explain what Christians believed and practised, demonstrating that they were not harmful to the Roman empire. Christians at that time were being unjustly persecuted, based on false accusations and misconceptions.
He urged the authorities to investigate their conduct fairly and not punish them without evidence.
In the first Apology, chapters 66 and 67, St Justin gives two accounts of the Mass. One describes a Mass after a Baptism, and the other a normal Sunday Mass in Rome. The following description, which appears in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1345, combines the two accounts.
I will comment on it in this column and the next, since it is quite long.
But first, let us read something of what St Justin wrote in chapter 66 concerning his understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and of those who were allowed to partake of it: “And this food is called among us Eucharistia, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined.
For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of his word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.”
This an extraordinarily clear and simple statement of what the early Christians believed.
For them, as for us, the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ, and only baptised Christians who believe it to be so and are living in keeping with this belief are allowed to receive it.
Passing on to his description of the Mass, St Justin writes: “On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place.
Sunday is when we hold our assembly because it is the first day, on which God brought forth the world from darkness and matter.
On the same day, Jesus Christ our Saviour rose from the dead.
For he was crucified on the day before Saturn’s day; and on the day after Saturn’s day, which is the day of the sun, he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them these things, which we have submitted to you for your consideration.”
Here we see a clear explanation of why they celebrated Mass on Sunday.
St Justin continues: “The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits.”
The Mass at that time began, as it does today, with the Liturgy of the Word, which included readings from both the Old Testament (the prophets) and the New (the apostles).
It seems that the readings at that time were not of fixed length, but could vary, depending on the time available.
“When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things.”
After the reader, who was someone other than the priest, had finished, the priest or bishop gave what today we call the homily, exhorting the people to put into practice what they had just heard in the Scripture readings.
“Then we all rise together and offer prayers for ourselves… and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation.”
This is a description of the Prayers of the Faithful, in which petitions are made for the community gathered in the church and for others, wherever they may be.