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| Chapter II. How among the Egyptians they apply themselves all day long to prayer and Psalm continually, with the addition of work, without distinction of hours.
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Chapter II.
How among the Egyptians they apply themselves all day
long to prayer and Psalm continually, with the addition of work,
without distinction of hours.
For among them (viz., the
Egyptians) these offices which we are taught to render to the Lord at
separate hours and at intervals of time, with a reminder from the
convener, are celebrated continuously throughout the whole
day, with the addition of work, and that
of their own free will. For manual labour is incessantly practised by
them in their cells in such a way that meditation on the Psalms and the
rest of the Scriptures is never entirely omitted. And as with it at
every moment they mingle suffrages and prayers, they spend the whole
day in those offices which we celebrate at fixed times. Wherefore,
except Vespers and Nocturns, there are no public services among them in
the day except on Saturday and Sunday, when they meet together at the
third hour for the purpose of Holy Communion.717
| 717 The
Saturday Communion (in addition to that of Wednesday and Friday,
as well as Sunday) is also mentioned by S. Basil (Ep. xciii.),
and cf. the Forty-ninth Canon of the Council of Laodicæa (circa
360 a.d.): “During Lent the bread shall
not be offered except on Saturday and Sunday.” In the West there
is no trace of a special Saturday celebration of the Holy
Communion.
The third hour was the ordinary
time for Holy Communion, as may be seen from the decree (falsely)
ascribed to Pope Telesphorus (a.d.
127–138), in the Liber Pontificalis: “Ut
nullus ante horam tertiam sacrificium offere præsumeret,”
and many other testimonies. |
For that which is continuously offered is more than what is rendered at
intervals of time; and more acceptable as a free gift than the duties
which are performed by the compulsion of a rule: as David for this
rejoices somewhat exultingly when he says, “Freely will I
sacrifice unto Thee;” and, “Let the free will offerings of
my mouth be pleasing to Thee, O Lord.”718
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