Apostolic Constitutions

Eight books on church pastoral and liturgical practice, they are attributed to Clement of Rome, but were compiled by an Eastern Arian in the late fourth century. Rejected because of heretical influence by the Trullan Council in 692, they had little regulative influence on the Greek Church, although excerpts are found in Eastern collections of canon law. Material from earlier works such as the Didascalia (early third century) and the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (c.200-220) is taken over and brought up to date. For example, the epiclesis in the Apostolic Constitutions is more concrete than the invocation of the Spirit in the Apostolic Tradition, and a forty-day fast now precedes Easter, whereas the Didascalia appoints a fast for Holy Week alone. Again, minor orders* have increased to subdeacon, janitor, and psaltes. Significant inclusions are the Gloria and the so- called Clementine liturgy of the Mass. Book 8 contains the Apostolic Canons.*