Apostolic Tradition

The Apostolic Tradition (Greek: ' Αποστολικὴ παράδοσις; German: Apostolic Tradition ) is a church order from the years 210-235. It is the hl. Hippolytus of Rome attributed; this write is true, however, now considered unsafe. This is a canonically - liturgical work.

In the " Apostolic Tradition " the duties and functions of the bishop, presbyter, deacon in the Christian church and its consecration are described. It deals with the estates of widows, lectors, virgins, subdeacons and exorcist, the preparation and implementation of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. It is represented in this work and the description of the episcopal ordination, with a high prayer is first formulated in writing. In preparing the liturgical reform after the Second Vatican Council was also resorted to this work.

Content

Easter Vigil

In this liturgical work is a detailed description of the celebration of the Easter Vigil. It is determined which ministers may administer the sacraments at the Easter Vigil.

Baptism

The " Apostolic Tradition " in the chapter on baptism contains an old confession, the Roman, an early form of the Apostles' Creed. Here is a description of how the exact sequence of the individual rites proceeded. At the beginning of the bishop said a prayer over the water, then the candidates for baptism took off their clothes. The bishop consecrated the oils of exorcism and thanksgiving. This was followed by the cancellation of the baptized to the evil and the first anointing with the oil of exorcism by a presbyter. The candidate for baptism was then handed over to the bishop. He put his hands on them, questioned them with the three baptismal questions and baptized them. After the ascension of the water of baptism a second anointing with the oil of thanksgiving followed by a presbyter. The baptized retreated back up again and went to church.

Confirmation

The first known Firm rite is found in the " Apostolic Tradition ", then drag the candidates for baptism by water baptism and the anointing with holy oil from the Baptistery in the Episcopal Church. The bishop lays the baptized prayerfully hands on and poured on the head of every single sacred oil with the words: "I anoint thee with the holy oil in God the Father Almighty, and in Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit."

Eucharist

The Eucharist is the Christian sense, thanks for a gift received and will be completed under special words of prayer for the Holy Spirit. So of Hippolytus is already in the " Apostolic Tradition " prayed "that you send your Holy Spirit upon the offering of your holy church down mayest ". Likewise, an early form of the Holy Mass is described.

Prayer

In the " Apostolic Tradition " the earliest evidence for a text version of the Eucharistic Prayer was written. It begins with a praise to God's saving action in Jesus Christ, which finds its culmination in the account of the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus Christ. Unlike in usual today Prayers of Praise contains no Sanctus, so is not divided into a preface before the Sanctus and in a continuation of praise afterwards. It follows the Darbringungsgebet, asking for the Holy Spirit ( epiclesis ) and the final doxology. The epiclesis is not there, as in later liturgical tradition, in a calling down the Holy Spirit upon the gifts of bread and wine (so-called conversion or Konsekrationsepiklese ) and on the recipients of the Eucharistic food (so-called Kommunionepiklese ) divided.

The second Eucharistic Prayer of the Missale Romanum, also known as canon by Hippolytus, draws in his formulations largely from the Apostolic Tradition, but differs in the structure on it. In the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland takes place since the publication of the revised prayer and hymnal 2004 ( translated into German) Prayer of the Apostolic Tradition same use as one of five Eucharistic prayers.

Episcopal Ordination

As in the Roman Pontifical specified, repeated the main celebrant of the consecration of the reference to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the words already in the ancient text of the " Apostolic Tradition " which are ( cf. Pastores gregis # 1 ): "You, Father, know the heart, and hast thy servant appointed to the episcopate. Give him the grace to lead your holy people. "

Validity

The " Apostolic Tradition " has in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches to the present actuality, however, the Hippolytus' writings found in antiquity no further reverberations in the West: The scriptures were written in Greek, but in the third century had among the Christians of the Latin language enforced. But well- found his writings in the East appeal, so that they are preserved in Greek in the Egyptian dialects, Arabic and Ethiopic part. One of the Apostles' Creed like Creed has already been recorded here and still finds application.

Expenditure

• Apostolic Tradition / Apostolic Tradition. Latin and German. Translated by Wilhelm Geerlings ( Fontes Christiani Vol. 1). Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1991, ISBN 3-451-22201-9