1. Early Christian Worship and Art

2. Early Christian Worship and Art
What were the most important customs of the early Church?
Why were they significant?
What does this week’s art and architecture reveal about early Christians?

3. The Sacraments Christian Sacraments From sacramentum The Sacraments
Baptism
Eucharist

4. The Sacraments Baptism Baptizo Jewish origins
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…” (Matt. 28:19)
Rite of initiation

5. The Sacraments Before Baptism Catechumenate
For new Christians
Catechesis
Other pre-baptismal preparation
Character screening
Prayers, fasting, vigils

6. The Sacraments Baptism At Easter Administered by bishop with deacon
Threefold baptism
Immersion
Affusion

7. The Sacraments Age for Baptism? Early on, mostly adults
Paedobaptism became widespread
Why baptize infants?
“Emergency Baptism”
Original Sin
Avoid limbus infantum

8. The Sacraments After Baptism White garment Signing of oil
“Kiss of peace”
Eucharist
Cup of milk and honey mixed

9. The Sacraments
Santa Maria Nascente, Milan

10. The Sacraments
Paleochristian Baptistery beneath Milan Cathedral

11. The Sacraments The Eucharist
“And when he had taken some bread and given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:19-20).
Based on Passover seder
Bread and wine

12. The Sacraments Eucharistic Celebration during Second Century Sunday
Bread, diluted wine
Prayer of thanksgiving
“Amen”
Consecrated food distributed

13. The Sacraments Eucharistic Celebration by Fourth Century Solemn
Clergy wore special robes
Celebrant washed hands
Table curtained off
Precious vessels

14. The Sacraments Nature of Eucharist Remembrance (amnesis)
“Body and blood of Christ”
“Spiritual presence” of Christ
Sacrifice

15. The Sacraments
Questions?

16. Liturgy and Music Liturgy Leitourgia
Aggregate of official services, rites, ceremonies, prayers, and sacraments of the Church
Considerable liturgical variety!

17. Liturgy and Music Early Church Liturgy Readings Sermon
Corporate prayer
The kiss
Bread and wine brought
President offered prayer of thanksgiving
Consecration
“Amen”
Communion

18. Liturgy and Music Components to Liturgical Service Introit Credo
Kyrie eleison
Gloria in excelsis
Credo
Catechumens left
Offertory
Eucharistic prayer
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
Communion

19. Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome
Liturgy and Music
Relics
Bodily remains, possessions of saints
Origins: martyrs
Enshrined, venerated
Miracles?
Relics of St. Valentine,
Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome

20. Liturgy and Music
Questions?

21. Liturgy and Music Early Christian Music
Melodies taught, learned by oral tradition
Music was vocal
Christians were hostile towards instruments and dancing

22. Liturgy and Music Ephraim the Syrian (ca. 310-373)
From Nisbis, Mesopotamia
Deacon at Edessa
Lived in a cave
“Harp of the Holy Spirit”
Ephraim the Syrian

23. Liturgy and Music Ephraim’s Second Hymn on the Nativity
Blessed be that Child, Who gladdened Bethlehem today! Blessed be the Babe Who made manhood young again today! Blessed be the Fruit, Who lowered Himself to our famished state! Blessed be the Good One, Who suddenly enriched our necessitousness and supplied our needs! Blessed be He Whose tender mercies made Him condescend to visit our infirmities! Praise to the Fountain that was sent for our propitiation. Praise be to Him Who made void the Sabbath by fulfilling it! Praise too to Him Who rebuked the leprosy and it remained not, Whom the fever saw and fled! Praise to the Merciful, Who bore our toil! Glory to Your coming, which quickened the sons of men! Glory to Him, Who came to us by His first-born! Glory to the Silence, that spoke by His Voice. Glory to the One on high, Who was seen by His Day-spring! Glory to the Spiritual, Who was pleased to have a Body, that in it His virtue might be felt, and He might by that Body show mercy on His household's bodies! Glory to that Hidden One, Whose Son was made manifest! Glory to that Living One, Whose Son was made to die! Glory to that Great One, Whose Son descended and was small! Glory to the Power Who did straiten His greatness by a form, His unseen nature by a shape! With eye and mind we have beheld Him, yea with both of them…”

24. Liturgy and Music Byzantine Chant Developed by Eastern Christians
Origins 5th century
Influenced by Jewish musical tradition
Official chant of Eastern Orthodox Church

25. Early Christian Worship and Art
Byzantine Chant: Psalm 146 (The Lord an Abundant Helper)
For thine is the might and thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

26. Early Christian Worship and Art
Byzantine Chant: Psalm 146 (The Lord an Abundant Helper)
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have being.
Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God; who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
Who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free.
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD raises up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous;
The LORD protects the strangers; he supports the fatherless and the widow; but he thwarts the way of the wicked.
The LORD will reign forever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

27. Early Christian Worship and Art
Byzantine Chant: Psalm 146 (The Lord an Abundant Helper)
O only-begotten Son and Word of God, who being immortal yet didst deign for our salvation to be born of our most holy Theotokos and ever Virgin Mary, and without change didst become man, and wast crucified, by death overcoming death, do thou, Christ our God, save us; thou, who art one of the Holy Trinity and art glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

28. Liturgy and Music Ambrosian Chant Attributed to Ambrose of Milan
Antiphonal
Official chant of Diocese of Milan
Survives to the present

29. Liturgy and Music Ambrosian Chant: Gloria
Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram patris miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you. We bless you. We adore you. We glorify you. We give thanks to you for your great glory. Lord God, Heavenly King, God Almighty Father. Lord Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. You who take away the sins of the world have mercy on us. You who take away the sins of the world hear our prayer. You who sit at the Father's right hand, have mercy on us. For you alone are holy. You alone, Lord. You alone the Most High, Jesus Christ. With the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

30. Liturgy and Music
Questions?

31. Art and Architecture The Catacombs
Subterranean network of passageways  cemeteries
Outside City walls
60-90 miles long!
Up to 5 levels deep!
Several systems

32. Art and Architecture
Chi-rho

33. Art and Architecture The Anchor
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…” (Heb. 6:19)
Symbol of hope beyond this life

34. Art and Architecture
The Fish

35. Art and Architecture The Peacock Symbol of immortality
Legend: flesh of peacock never decomposes
May be depicted drinking from water vases

36. Art and Architecture
The Dove
Symbol of peace
May have olive branch

37. Art and Architecture
Orans

38. Art and Architecture
The Good Shepherd

39. Art and Architecture
Painted Ceiling (early 4th Cent.), Catacombs of Santi Pietro and Marcellino, Rome

40. Old St. Peter’s, ca. 319-329 Vatican Hill, Rome
Art and Architecture
Old St. Peter’s, ca Vatican Hill, Rome

41. Santa Costanza (ca. 337-351), Rome
Art and Architecture
Santa Costanza (ca ), Rome

42. Art and Architecture
Santa Costanza, Interior

43. Hagia Sophia (532-37), Istanbul
Art and Architecture
Hagia Sophia (532-37), Istanbul

44. Art and Architecture Hagia Sophia Basilica plan, with dome Light!
Floors and walls covered with colored stones

45. Art and Architecture

46. Art and Architecture Christ as the Good Shepherd (ca. 425)
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna

47. Art and Architecture
Arian Baptistery (5th or 6th Cent. ), Ravenna

48. Art and Architecture
Baptism of Christ, Arian Baptistery, Ravenna

49. Justinian and Retinue (526-547), San Vitale, Ravenna
Art and Architecture
Justinian and Retinue ( ), San Vitale, Ravenna

50. Theodora and Retinue (526-547), San Vitale, Ravenna
Art and Architecture
Theodora and Retinue ( ), San Vitale, Ravenna

51. Art and Architecture
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (ca. 359)

52. Art and Architecture
Questions?

53. Early Christian Worship and Art
What were the most important customs of the early Church?
Why were they significant?
What does this week’s art and architecture reveal about early Christians?