Folia Theologica et Canonica 11. 33/25 (2022)
Recensions
252 RECENSIONS Metzger, M. (ed.), L Église dans l ’Empire romain. Le culte, II: Le célébrations (Analecta Liturgica 38), Eos Verlag, Sankt Ottilien 2021, pp. 752 The second volume in the series Church in the Roman Empire: Christian Divine Worship has been published by Eos Verlag. The name of Prof. Marcel Metzger is well known both for his research, critical editions, and well-argued analysis and commentary on liturgical history and on Early Christian ecclesiastical sources. It is enough to refer to his edition of the text of the Apostolic Constitutions with introduction and notes (Sources Chrétiennes 320, 329, 336; Paris 1985, 1986, 1987); or to his comprehensive handbook on liturgical history {History of the Liturgy: The Major Stages, Collegeville, MN. 1997). The first volume of L'Église dans TEmpire romain. Le culte (chapters 1-5) presented in general terms the system of liturgical acts, the customs of Christian gatherings, the role of the liturgy in the life of the Christian community, and the activities of the sacred ministers who assisted in the liturgical acts (Metzger, Marcel (ed.), L’Église dans l’Empire romain. Le culte, I: Les institutions, Sankt Ottilien 2015). The present volume deals with the individual sacraments, sacramentals, and their administration within the indicated period, as well as with other forms and feasts of consecration in everyday life (i.e. the contemporary celebration of the liturgy of hours). It does so under four main chapters, continuing in numbering the chapter divisions of the first volume, i.e. beginning with Chapter VI. Thus, the first unit is dedicated to the Eucharist (6. L’Eucharistie, pp. 1-252); the second is entitled liturgy in time (7. La liturgie dans le temps, pp. 253-360); the third deals with the theme of the festive occasions within Christian communities (8. Les célébrations occasionnelles dans les communautés, pp. 361-686); finally, the fourth examines the celebration of liturgical acts in the context of pilgrimages and the traditions of monasteries (9. Traditions des pélerinages et des monastéres, pp. 687—704). The internal structural division of the first chapter on the Eucharist sheds sufficient light on the subtle system of Prof. Metzger’s research and argumentation method, which is also reflected in the structure of each of the subsequent chapters. In the introduction, he first describes the earliest sources on the Eucharist and then analyses the various definitions on that basis. Here he places primary emphasis on the terms of the Apostolic Age, such as ‘supper’, ‘breaking of bread’, ‘Eucharistia’. This is supplemented by other terms related to the previous ones: ‘offering’, ‘sacrifice’, ‘holy mystery’, ‘consecration’. In the light of this, he then turns to an analysis of the meaning of the expression ‘Holy Mass’ (pp. 1-19), followed by a list of readings connected with the liturgy of the consecration and an interpretation of the solemn form of celebration. The detailed exposition begins with a description of the particularities
