Introduction
Dr. Ann T. Orlando
19 March 2014
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Introduction
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Who are the Church Fathers
Liturgical Calendar
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Pope St. Gregory the Great (d. 604)
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Lent, when did it start? Why?
On the beginning of Lent
St. Augustine (d. 430)
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Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving
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Who Are the Church Fathers?
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St. Vincent of Lerins
(d.450, Feast 24 May)
first suggest criteria for
‘Church Father’
St. Vincent considered
one of the Fathers
 Antiquity
 Orthodox
Doctrine
 Ecclesial Approval
 Holiness of Life
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Antiquity
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Period Begins: Pope St. Clement of
Rome (d.98, Feast 23 November)
Period Ends: more problematic
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www.roman-empire.net/
Pope St. Gregory Great, d. 603, Feast 9
November
St. Maximus the Confessor, d.662, Feast
13 August
St. John of Damascus, d. 787, Feast 4
December
All men of Roman Empire and late
antiquity
All Church Fathers are venerated through
the centuries by Orthodox and Catholic
Churches
Often divided into two periods
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Time of Martyrdom
After the Conversion of Constantine, 312
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Orthodoxy
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What they taught was in keeping
with Church doctrine
Most Church Fathers were
bishops
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Pope St. Gregory and
St. Augustine
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Bowes Museum
Primary concern leading people of
God
Defending the faith against heresies
The Fathers may have been the
first to succinctly express doctrine
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Pope St. Leo Great (d. 461, Feast
November 9)
Christology: Jesus Christ one person,
two natures
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Ecclesial Approval
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Fathers are recognized by the Magisterium
Subsequent theologians relied on Church
Fathers
St. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274, Feast January 28)
 Look in CCC for many, many references to Church
Fathers
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Holiness of Life
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Church Fathers have a
reputation for leading holy lives
and leading others in holiness
In the first three centuries, this
often meant witnessing in blood
as martyrs
In later encouraging growth in
spirituality; growth of
monasticism
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Abbey of Monte Cassino
St. Patrick (d. 461, Feast March 17)
St. Benedict of Nursia (d. 547,
Feast July 11)
St. Scholastica (d. 547, Feast
February 10)
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The Church Fathers:
Why Are They So Important?
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Shaped our Christian Understanding in Doctrine
Shaped our Christian Practice
Liturgy
 Prayerful life (monastics, clerical, lay)
 Pilgrimages
 Christian Seasons and Calendar
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Liturgical Calendar: Easter
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Key for early Church was what day of week
and when to celebrate Easter
Key for Easter was Good Friday
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Some wanted to follow Jewish calendar for
Passover, 14 of Jewish month of Nisan; known as
Quartrodecians
Based on Julian calendar this could by 25 March or
6 April
Eventually, at Council of Nicaea (325) all agree
Easter to be celebrated on Sunday
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But computation of which Sunday not clear
Note: This is the same Council from which we get
the basis of the Nicene Creed
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Liturgical Calendar: Christmas
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Popular modern theory that Christmas
was a Christian replacement for Roman
winter solstice Sol Invictus (Dec 22)
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But Christmas celebrated (2nd C) before
Sol Invictus celebrated (3rd C)
Christmas celebrated on Dec 25
Far more likely celebration of Christmas
based on Good Friday
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A traditional date for Good Friday was
taken as 25 March
Early Christians seem to have honored
this also as the date for Incarnation;
Thus Jesus birth is nine months later,
Dec. 25
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Liturgical Calendar: Lent
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The word ‘Lent’ is from old German word meaning Spring
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During time of martyrdom, was a time of preparation for
catechumens
Later, during Council of Nicaea (325), Lent specified
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Greek, tessarakoste, also meaning 40 days
Begins 40 days before Good Friday
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But not clear if for all or only catechumens
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In Latin, quadragesima, meaning 40 days
‘Easter’ is taken from old German Eastre, goddess of Spring
Lent officially said to begin for all on Ash Wednesday by Pope St. Gregory
Great (d. 604)
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Sundays not part of fasting associated with Lent
Sundays are a ‘little Easter’
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Pope St. Gregory the Great
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Born into a wealthy Roman family in
540
Deeply influenced by St. Benedict of
Nursia to follow a monastic life
Ordained a priest (reluctantly) by Pope
Pelagius
Wanted to be a missionary to England,
but when Pelagius dies, he (again
reluctantly) elected Pope
Died in 604
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Important Liturgical Contributions of
Pope St. Gregory the Great
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Standardized and promulgated Latin liturgy
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Standardized sacramentary used throughout the
Middle Ages
Set Ash Wednesday for beginning of Lent
Encouraged singing of hymns and songs
‘Gregorian’ chant named in honor of him
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Reading from “On the First
Sunday of Lent”
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Gregory discusses significance of 40
Fasting as offering a ‘tithe’ of our yearly days to
God
Fasting without charity, almsgiving, is wasted
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Of whatsoever you deprive yourselves, give it to your poor neighbour, to
relieve him ; and these goods, of which you deprive yourselves by
mortifying your appetite, will rejoice your neighbour who is in need.
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THE GLORY OF THESE FORTY DAYS
by Maurice F. Bell, 1906, Pope St. Gregory the Great
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1. The glory of these forty days
We celebrate with songs of praise;
For Christ, by Whom all things were
made,
Himself has fasted and has prayed.
2. Alone and fasting Moses saw
The loving God Who gave the law;
And to Elijah, fasting, came
The steeds and chariots of flame.
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4. Then grant us, Lord, like them to be
Full oft in fast and prayer with Thee;
Our spirits strengthen with Thy grace,
And give us joy to see Thy face.
5. O Father, Son, and Spirit blest,
To thee be every prayer addressed,
Who art in threefold Name adored,
From age to age, the only Lord.
3. So Daniel trained his mystic sight,
Delivered from the lions’ might;
And John, the Bridegroom’s friend,
became
The herald of Messiah’s Name.
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