The Presbyters Project

II. 5. Post haec reserata sunt tibi sancta sanctorum, ingressus es regenerationis sacrarium. Repete, quid interrogatus sis, recognosce, quid responderis! Renuntiasti diabolo et operibus eius, mundo et luxuriae eius ac voluptatibus. Tenetur vox tua non in tumulo mortuorum, sed in libro viventium. 6. Vidisti illic levitam, vidisti sacerdotem, vidisti summum sacerdotem. Noli considerare corporum figuras, sed ministeriorum gratiam. Praesentibus angelis locutus es, sicut scriptum est: "Quia labia sacerdotis custodiunt scientiam et legem exquirunt ex ore ipsius, quoniam angelus est domini omnipotentis." [c. Mal 2:7] Non est fallere, non est negare: angelus est, qui regnum Christi, qui vitam aeternam adnuntiat, non specie tibi aestimandus, sed munere. Quid tradiderit, considera, usum eius expende et statum eius agnosce.

(ed. Faller 1955: 90-91)

II.5. You saw there a levite, you saw a priest, you saw the high priest. Do not consider the bodily forms, but the grace of the mysteries. You did speak in the presence of the angels, as it is written that "the priest's lips keep knowledge, and they seek the law at his mouth: for he is the angel of the Lord Almighty." [cf. Mal 2:7] There is no room here for deceit or denial; he is the "angel" who announces the kingdom of Christ and eternal life. He shall be to you as one not to be valued for his outward appearance, but for his office. What he has delivered to you, consider; ponder its use, recognize its character.

(trans. Thomson 1919: 47, altered)

Discussion:

Place of event:

Region

Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia

City

Milan

About the source:

Author: Ambrose of Milan
Title: De mysteriis, On the mysteries
Origin: Milan (Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

De mysteriis ("On the mysteries") is a short liturgical treatise on baptism and Eucharist, addressed to the newly baptized. It is possibly a reworked, elaborated version of the unpublished homilies which form today De sacramentis. Although its attribution to Ambrose was sometimes doubted, the authenticity is accepted by Faller (1955: *19-*30), Botte (1961: 37). For further reading see references in Di Berardino 1986: 172-173. On the basis of the relation of De mysteriis to other works of Ambrose, which are securely dated, Faller dates the composition of the treatise before 391 (Faller 1955: *26). For further reading see Di Berardino 1986: 171.

Edition:

B. Botte (ed.), Ambroise de Milan, Des sacrements. Des mysteres. Nouvelles edition revue et augmentee de Explication du symbole, Sources Chretiennes 25, Paris 1961

O. Faller (ed.), Sancti Ambrosii opera pars septima. Explanatio symboli. De sacramentis. De mysteriis. De paenitentia. De excessu fratris. De obitu Valentiniani. De obitu Theodosii, Vienna 1955

Translation:

T. Thomson trans., J.H. Srawley ed., St. Ambrose, On the mysteries and the treatise on the sacraments by an unknown author, New York 1919

Bibliography:

A. Di Berardino (ed.), Patrology, vol. 4, Westminster, MD 1986.

R.H. Conolly, The De Sacramentis a Work of Ambrose: Two Papers, Downside Abbey 1942.

K. Gamber, Die Autorschaft von de Sacramentis: Zugleich ein Beitrag zur Liturgiegeschichte der römischen Provinz Dacia mediterranea, Regensburg 1967.

G. Morin, "Pour l’authenticité du De Sacramentis et de l’Explanatio Symboli de S. Ambroise”, Jahrbuch für Liturgiewissenschaft 8 (1928), 86–106.

T. Schermann, "Die pseudo-ambrosianische Schrift De sacramentis”, Römische Quartalschrift 17 (1903), 36–53.

Categories:

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

Ritual activity - Baptism and instructing catechumens

Reverenced by

Theoretical considerations - On priesthood

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1989, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1989