{"slug":"stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1","id":"latin:ogl-pl:stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1","title":"De Explanatione Fidei","title_source":"De Explanatione Fidei","author":"SS Damasus I","genre":"commentary","date":"","tradition":"latin","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T06:03:36Z","cost_usd":0.00236},"source":{"registry_id":"latin:ogl-pl:stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1","work_id":"stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1","edition":"ogl-pl","language":"","license":"Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License","url":"https://github.com/OpenGreekAndLatin/patrologia_latina-dev/blob/master/data/stoa0105/stoa006/stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1.xml"},"stats":{"passages":4,"english_words":736,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":2946,"commentary_units":22,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":7,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1","abstract":"De Explanatione Fidei is a Latin commentary attributed to Pope Damasus I (366–384) but likely composed in the late 4th or early 5th century. The work survives only in later manuscript copies from the 8th–9th centuries, with no contemporary witnesses. It presents a doctrinal exposition framed as a conciliar statement from a Roman synod, but its authorship is uncertain and its text shows signs of scribal interpolation. The commentary was cited in medieval florilegia and canon law collections but never achieved the authority of Damasus’s decretal letters. Notable features include a distinctive application of the sevenfold Spirit to Christ, rare titles such as 'vermis' (worm) and 'Samaritanus' for Christ, and echoes of John 14:6 and Proverbs.","historical_context":"The work is attributed to the late 4th century, a period of intense doctrinal controversy following the Council of Nicaea (325), when the Roman church under Damasus I asserted its authority against Arianism and other heresies. The text likely originated in a Latin-speaking Christian community in Rome, possibly linked to a synod convened by Damasus. However, the lack of contemporary external evidence and the late manuscript tradition (8th–9th centuries) raise doubts about the attribution. The Latin shows signs of later scribal harmonization with later creeds, suggesting the text was adapted over time. Its transmission through medieval florilegia and canon law collections indicates it was valued as a patristic witness, but its minimal role in later doctrinal debates suggests limited influence. The work's genre as a commentary on the faith reflects the need for clear doctrinal exposition in a period of theological consolidation.","significance":"De Explanatione Fidei is significant as a purported witness to late 4th-century Roman theology, though its authenticity is uncertain. It offers rare titles for Christ (e.g., 'vermis', 'Samaritanus') and a distinctive use of the sevenfold Spirit, which may reflect lost exegetical traditions. The work illustrates the challenges of attributing texts to early popes and the fluidity of doctrinal language in the post-Nicene period. Its citation in medieval collections shows its role in shaping later understandings of patristic authority.","timeline":[{"date":"366–384","event":"Pontificate of Damasus I, to whom the work is attributed."},{"date":"Late 4th–early 5th c.","event":"Probable composition of De Explanatione Fidei, if not by Damasus."},{"date":"8th–9th c.","event":"Earliest extant manuscript copies of the work."},{"date":"Medieval period","event":"Citation of the work in florilegia and canon law collections."}],"relations":[{"work":"Decretal letters of Damasus I","relation":"Attributed to same author, but De Explanatione Fidei lacks similar authority and external confirmation.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"John 14:6","relation":"Echoed in the phrase 'Ego vita, et veritas'.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10","relation":"Source of the maxim 'Initium sapientiae timor Domini'.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Book of Jonah","relation":"Possible source for the title 'vermis' (worm) for Christ.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Luke 10:30-37","relation":"Possible source for the title 'Samaritanus' for Christ.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["Attribution to Damasus I is uncertain; no contemporary external evidence confirms his authorship.","The work survives only in later manuscript copies (8th–9th centuries), with no autograph or contemporary witness.","The Latin text shows signs of scribal interpolation and harmonization with later creeds; not every phrase is original to the 4th century.","The date of composition is unknown; it may be late 4th or early 5th century.","The work's use in later doctrinal debates is minimal, limiting its historical impact."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000529,"generated":"2026-11-15T06:03:36Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Open Greek and Latin Patrologia Latina","url":"https://github.com/OpenGreekAndLatin/patrologia_latina-dev/blob/master/data/stoa0105/stoa006/stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1.xml"}],"checks":{"work":"stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":4,"translated":4,"commentary_passages":4,"commentary_units":22,"english_words":736,"source_letters":2946,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work survives only in later manuscript copies; no autograph or contemporary witness is known. The earliest extant witnesses date from the 8th–9th centuries.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Attribution to Damasus I (366–384) rests on internal claims and later ascription; no external contemporary evidence confirms his authorship. The text may be a product of the late 4th or early 5th century.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Explanatione was cited in medieval florilegia and canon law collections, but never achieved the authority of Damasus’s decretal letters. Its use in later doctrinal debates is minimal.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Latin of the transmitted text shows signs of scribal interpolation and harmonization with later creeds. Readers should not assume every phrase is original to the 4th century.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This edition does not provide a stemma codicum or full collation of the manuscript tradition. Variant readings are noted only where they affect interpretation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: commentary in Latin; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 4 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: ogl-pl — Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":4},"term_index":[],"citations":{},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"DE EXPLANATIONE FIDEI.\n\nEx concilio urbis Romae sub Damaso papa.\n\nDictum est: Prius agendum est de Spiritu septiformi, qui in Christo requiescit. Spiritus sapientiae: Christus Dei virtus et Dei sapientia. Spiritus intellectus: Intellectum dabo tibi, et instruam te in via, qua ingredieris. Spiritus consilii: et vocabitur nomen ejus magni consilii angelus. Spiritus virtutis, ut supra dictum est: Christus Dei virtus et Dei sapientia. Spiritus scientiae, propter eminentiam scientiae Jesu Christi, ut ait Apostolus. Spiritus veritatis: Ego vita, et veritas. Spiritus timoris: Initium sapientiae timor Domini.\n\nMultiformis autem nominum Christi dispensatio est. Dominus, quia Christus; Verbum, quia Dei Filius, quia unigenitus ex Patre; homo, quia natus ex Virgine; sacerdos, quia se obtulit holocaustum; pastor quia custos; vermis, quia resurrexit; mons, quia fortis; via, quia rectus per ipsum ingressus in vitam; agnus, quia passus; lapis angularis, quia instructio; magister, quia ostensor vitae; sol, quia illuminator; verus, quia a Patre; vita, quia creator; panis, quia caro; Samaritanus, quia custos et misericors; Christus, quia unctus; Jesus, quia salvator; Deus, quia ex Deo; angelus, quia nuntius; sponsus, quia mediator; vitis, quia sanguine ejus redempti sumus; leo, quia rex; petra, quia firmamentum; flos, quia electus; propheta, quia futura revelat.","english":"ON THE EXPLANATION OF THE FAITH.\n\nFrom the Council of the City of Rome under Pope Damasus.\n\nIt has been said: First, one must treat of the sevenfold Spirit, who reposes in Christ. The Spirit of Wisdom: Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. The Spirit of Understanding: I will give you understanding, and I will instruct you in the way by which you shall go. The Spirit of Counsel: and his name shall be called the angel of great counsel. The Spirit of Fortitude, as has been said above: Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. The Spirit of Knowledge, on account of the preeminence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle says. The Spirit of Truth: I am the life and the truth. The Spirit of Fear: The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.\n\nMoreover, the dispensation of the names of Christ is manifold. Lord, because Christ; Word, because Son of God, because only-begotten from the Father; man, because born from the Virgin; priest, because he offered himself as a holocaust; shepherd, because guardian; worm, because he rose again; mountain, because strong; way, because through him is the straight entrance into life; lamb, because he suffered; cornerstone, because foundation; master, because he shows the way of life; sun, because illuminator; true, because from the Father; life, because creator; bread, because flesh; Samaritan, because guardian and merciful; Christ, because anointed; Jesus, because savior; God, because from God; angel, because messenger; bridegroom, because mediator; vine, because we are redeemed by his blood; lion, because king; rock, because firmament; flower, because chosen; prophet, because he reveals future things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"De Explanatione Fidei","severity":"info","text":"The title and the opening rubric mark the work as a conciliar statement from a Roman synod under Pope Damasus I, framing the subsequent list of names as doctrinal exposition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Spiritus septiformis","severity":"info","text":"The 'sevenfold Spirit' refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (sapientia, intellectus, consilium, fortitudo, scientia, veritas, timor), here applied to Christ, a distinctive theological move.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ego vita, et veritas","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Ego vita, et veritas' echoes John 14:6, where Christ declares 'I am the way, the truth, and the life,' though here only 'life and truth' are cited.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Initium sapientiae timor Domini","severity":"info","text":"The maxim 'Initium sapientiae timor Domini' is proverbial, derived from Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10, and is a common patristic tag.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"vermis","severity":"info","text":"The title 'vermis' (worm) for Christ is rare and striking; it likely derives from a typological reading of the Book of Jonah (Jonah 4:7) or from patristic exegesis of Christ's resurrection as emerging from the tomb like a worm from the earth.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Samaritanus","severity":"info","text":"The title 'Samaritanus' for Christ is unusual; it may reflect the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) or a lost tradition linking Christ's mercy to the Samaritan's role as guardian.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the 'sevenfold Spirit' list is not explicitly biblical; the attribution of 'Spirit of Truth' to Christ conflates the Holy Spirit with Christ's self-identification. The title 'vermis' (worm) is textually secure but its exegetical basis is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Spiritus enim sanctus non est Patris tantummodo, aut Filii tantummodo Spiritus; sed Patris et Filii Spiritus: scriptum est enim: Si quis dilexerit mundum, non est spiritus Patris in illo. Item scriptum est: qui autem spiritum Christi non habet, hic non est ejus. Nominato itaque Patre et Filio, intelligitur Spiritus sanctus: de quo ipse Filius in Evangelio dicit: quia Spiritus sanctus a Patre procedit; et de meo accipiet et annuntiabit vobis b.\n\nEx Baronio ad ann. 382, num. 19. Post has omnes propheticas, et evangelicas, et apostolicas, quas superius deprompsimus Scripturas, quibus Ecclesia catholica per gratiam Dei fundata est, etiam intimandum putavimus, quod quamvis per orbem catholicae diffusae Ecclesiae, quasi unus thalamus Christi sit, sancta tamen Romana Ecclesia nonnullis synodicis constitutis, caeteris Ecclesiis praelata est: sed et evangelica voce Domini Salvatoris nostri primatum obtinuit: Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam; et tibi dabo claves regni coelorum; et quaecumque ligaveris super terram, erunt ligata et in coelo: et quaecumque solveris super terram, erunt soluta et in coelo.","english":"For the Holy Spirit is not the Spirit of the Father alone, nor of the Son alone, but the Spirit of the Father and of the Son. For it is written: “If anyone loves the world, the Spirit of the Father is not in him.” Likewise it is written: “But he who does not have the Spirit of Christ is not his.” Therefore, when the Father and the Son are named, the Holy Spirit is understood. Concerning him, the Son himself says in the Gospel: “Because the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and he will receive from me and will announce to you.”\n\nFrom Baronius, to the year 382, number 19. After all these prophetic, evangelical, and apostolic Scriptures, which we have set forth above, by which the Catholic Church has been founded through the grace of God, we have also thought it necessary to make known that, although throughout the world the Catholic Churches, as it were one bridal chamber of Christ, are spread abroad, nevertheless the holy Roman Church, by certain synodal decrees, has been set over the other Churches. But also by the evangelical word of our Lord and Savior, it obtained the primacy: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage divides into two distinct sections: a theological exposition on the Holy Spirit (lines 1–5) and a later addition on Roman primacy (lines 6–12), introduced by a note from Baronius.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Spiritus sanctus a Patre procedit; et de meo accipiet et annuntiabit vobis","severity":"info","text":"The quotation 'Spiritus sanctus a Patre procedit; et de meo accipiet et annuntiabit vobis' is not a direct biblical verse but likely a conflation of John 15:26 and 16:7, reflecting early Latin theological formulations.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam' echoes Matthew 16:18, but the wording is adapted and expanded, typical of later papal claims.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The second section, attributed to Baronius (ad ann. 382, num. 19), reflects post-Nicene debates on Roman primacy, citing synodal decrees and a modified Petrine text to assert Rome's authority over other churches.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The inclusion of the Baronius note suggests the passage was transmitted in a collection that combined theological and ecclesiological material, possibly for polemical use in later centuries.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The transition from the Trinitarian exposition to the Roman primacy text is abrupt and likely reflects a later editorial addition, not original to Damasus's work.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the scriptural quotations in the first section is unclear; they may be paraphrases or from apocryphal texts.","The attribution of the second section to Damasus is uncertain; it may be a later interpolation."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"Addita e etiam est societas beatissimi Pauli apostoli, vasis electionis, qui nou diverso f, sicuti haeretici garriunt, sed uno tempore, uno, eodemque die, gloriosa morte cum Petro in urbe Roma sub Caesare Nerone agonizans, coronatus est: et pariter supradictam Romanam Ecclesiam Christo Domino consecrarunt, aliisque omnibus universo mundo sua praesentia, et venerando triumpho praetulerunt.\n\nEst ergo prima Petri apostoli sedes Romana Ecclesia, non habens maculam, noque rugam, neque aliud hujusmodi.\n\nSecunda autem sedes apud Alexandriana, beati Petri nomine a Marco ejus discipulo atque evangelista consecrata est a: ipseque in AEgyptum directus a Petro apostolo, verbum veritatis praedicavit, et gloriosum consummavit martyrium.\n\nTertia autem sedes est apud Antiochiam beatissimi sui apostoli Petri, quae habetur honorabilis, eo quod illam primitus, quam Romam venisset, habitaverit, et illic primum nomen Christianorum novellae gentis exorditum est c.","english":"Also, the fellowship of the most blessed Paul the Apostle, the vessel of election, was added, who not at a different time, as heretics prattle, but at one time, on one and the same day, contending in a glorious death with Peter in the city of Rome under Caesar Nero, was crowned; and they together consecrated the aforementioned Roman Church to Christ the Lord, and preferred it to all others throughout the whole world by their presence and venerable triumph.\n\nTherefore, the first see is the Roman Church of the Apostle Peter, having no stain, no wrinkle, nor anything of the sort.\n\nThe second see, however, is at Alexandria, consecrated in the name of blessed Peter by Mark, his disciple and evangelist; and he himself, sent into Egypt by the Apostle Peter, preached the word of truth and consummated a glorious martyrdom.\n\nThe third see, however, is at Antioch of the most blessed Apostle Peter himself, which is held honorable, because he dwelt there first, before he came to Rome, and there the name of Christians first began for the new race.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Addita e etiam est societas beatissimi Pauli apostoli, vasis electionis","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'vasis electionis' (vessel of election) echoes Acts 9:15 and is a traditional epithet for Paul, emphasizing his divine selection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"gloriosa morte cum Petro in urbe Roma sub Caesare Nerone agonizans, coronatus est","severity":"info","text":"The tradition of Peter and Paul martyred on the same day under Nero is standard in Latin hagiography, though historical details are debated.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Est ergo prima ... Secunda autem ... Tertia autem","severity":"info","text":"The passage lists three sees in descending order of authority: Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, establishing a hierarchical structure for apostolic sees.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Secunda autem sedes apud Alexandriana, beati Petri nomine a Marco ejus discipulo atque evangelista consecrata est","severity":"info","text":"The Alexandrian see's foundation by Mark, Peter's disciple, is a common claim in early church history, supporting its apostolic prestige.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Tertia autem sedes est apud Antiochiam ... illic primum nomen Christianorum novellae gentis exorditum est","severity":"info","text":"Antioch is traditionally where believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26), a point used to bolster its apostolic see status.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Addita e etiam est societas beatissimi Pauli apostoli","severity":"caution","text":"The Latin text has 'Addita e etiam' which may be a scribal error for 'Addita est etiam'; the sense is clear but the form is irregular.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'Addita e etiam' may contain a scribal error; the intended reading is likely 'Addita est etiam'.","The exact historical basis for the simultaneous martyrdom of Peter and Paul is uncertain, but the text presents it as fact."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"Huc usque etiam Gelasius: Quesnellianus codex aliquod habet praeterea de Hierosolymitana et Ephesina sede.","english":"Up to this point also Gelasius: the Quesnellian codex has something further concerning the see of Jerusalem and the see of Ephesus.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a transition from the preceding narrative about Peter and Paul to a note on the manuscript tradition, indicating that the text up to this point is also found in Gelasius.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Gelasius likely refers to Pope Gelasius I (492–496), whose writings on ecclesiastical authority and the Roman primacy are relevant to the context of this work.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Quesnellian codex is a manuscript associated with the scholar Pasquier Quesnel (1634–1719), known for his edition of the works of Pope Leo I; its mention here indicates a textual variant or addition in that source.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The sees of Jerusalem and Ephesus were major patriarchal sees in early Christianity; their mention here may relate to disputes over primacy or conciliar decisions, but the text does not specify the content.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'aliquod habet praeterea' is ambiguous: it could mean the codex contains additional material on the sees, or that it has something further to say about them. The reading taken is that the codex includes extra content.","The identity of 'Gelasius' is not fully specified; it could refer to Pope Gelasius I or another Gelasius, but the context favors the pope."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}