Worship During The Fourth And Fifth Centuries Part Iii

The fundamental pattern of early Christian worship continued to develop through the fourth and fifth centuries. However,"families" of liturgical practice began to emerge, and styles of worship varied from one Christian region to the other. By this time, one can begin to speak of "Eastern" and "Western" characteristics of Christian liturgy. Of such addresses, we have a series, not always complete or given in the same years, by Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (d. 386), Theodore of Mopsuestia (d. 428), and John Chrysostom (d. 407), the last as presbyter of Antioch. We also have two post-baptismal catecheses of Ambrose of Milan, De Mysteriis, and (now widely accepted) De Sacramentis. Among other evidence, Augustine, De Catechizandis Rudibus, provides advice and a model narration to a Carthaginian deacon charged with the initial address to those seeking admission as catechumens, while his De Fide et Symbolo purports to be based on his catechetical instructions as presbyter of Hippo. Maximus th…