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Justin Martyr

Church Father · c. 100–165 · Rome

Second-century Christian apologist whose First Apology defends Christians before Roman authorities and describes baptism, Sunday assembly, Scripture reading, and the Eucharist.

Historical context

The First Apology is an argument addressed to rulers and outsiders, so its descriptions of Christian practice serve a public defense.

Perspective note

Shared subject; this bundled record was originally written with an Orthodox-informed editorial lens.

Key points

Scripture

Primary sources

Justin reports in his First Apology:

Justin describes Christians gathering on Sunday for readings from the apostles and prophets.

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.

— St. Justin Martyr, First Apology (Chapter 67), trans. Marcus Dods and George Reith

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

Dods and Reith translation in Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1; the displayed quotation is the complete sentence in chapter 67 that joins Sunday assembly, readings, and exhortation.

Sources and further reading

Related records

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