Justin Martyr describes worship
Justin's First Apology describes baptism, Sunday assembly, Scripture readings, prayers, and the Eucharist to a Roman audience.
Perspective note
Shared subject; this bundled record was originally written with an Orthodox-informed editorial lens.
People
- Justin Martyr
Primary sources
Justin writes:
Justin explicitly describes Christians in cities and the countryside gathering together on Sunday.
And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.
Passage context and translation
Justin explains second-century Sunday worship to a Roman audience, including readings, exhortation, prayer, the Eucharist, and care for the poor. This early witness is shared across Christian traditions.
Before the excerpt
And we afterwards continually remind each other of these things.
After the excerpt
Then we all rise together and pray