Garas Klára szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 62-63. (Budapest, 1984)

SZILÁGYI, J. GY.: VIVAS IN DEO

tion of this sophisticated decorative technique onto vessels intended for a specific and singular, but not funerary use. The same can easily be postulated for the sphere of Christian religion. A decade ago H. U. Nuber devoted a longer study to the analysis of the function of the well-known sets of paterae and jugs,

31 and attempted to define their role in Early Christian ritual.

32 The literary evidence also indicates other possible uses for jugs in the early liturgy apart from those suggested by Nuber.

33 Insofar as the Budapest ewer was actually manufactured for liturgical purposes, the ACCIPE acclamation can be interpreted as addressing its passive user, in nomine Dei, in the course of a specific ceremony, the essence of which was the reception of the contents of the vessel. The answer to whether this was a casual event or a regularly recurring festive moment can be expected only from experts in Early Christian liturgy.* JÁNOS GYÖRGY SZILÁGYI 3

* BerRGK 53 (1972) 1—272. Endre Tóth was kind enough to call my attention to this study; I would like to thank him also for other important references (e. g. to the new inscription mentioned supra, note 27). 32 Op. cit. 129—137. 33 Cf. supra, note 21. * The description of the glass vessel is by G. D. Weinberg, who was the first to recognize the importance of the ewer and who kindly persuaded me to publish it. The drawing in fig. 27 is by Katalin Nagy.