Izvoarele Constituţiilor Apostolice
The Sources of Apostolic Constitutions

Summary/Abstract: The Apostolic Constitutions, the most extensive canonical-liturgical collection from the first two patristic periods (end of 1st century - 313, respectively 313 - mid. 5th century) date from the second half of the 4th century, being of Syrian origin. The compilation, containing eight books, has as its sources the Didascalia, which is the basis for the first six, the Didache, the source for the seventh book, the Apostolic Tradition, the inspiration for the eighth book. The 26 chapters of the Didascalia, composed in the first decades of the 3rd century, tell about Christian life, about hierarchy, liturgy, processes, offerings and reconciliation of sinners. The Didache, from the late 1st century, contains 16 chapters, focusing on moral, liturgical, canonical teachings. Compiled around the year 215, the Apostolic Tradition includes 42 chapters and constitutes the oldest Euchologion. The Apostolic Canons, composed at the beginning of the 3rd century, mentioned in most of the manuscripts of the Apostolic Constitutions, represents a very late compilation of church ordinances of different dogmatic, moral, cultic and canonical character.

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