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Latin · Commentary ·

De Explanatione Fidei

SS Damasus I · ogl-pl

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machine-draft · no human review 4 passages · 736 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

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.

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.

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.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

22 commentary units 8 background4 structure4 scripture2 caution1 term1 parallel1 reception1 transmission 0 derived notes 7 open questions 4 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • coverageNo 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.
  • limitThe 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.
  • registerRegister: commentary in Latin; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 4 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: ogl-pl — Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1:1 · narrativehigh
Source
DE EXPLANATIONE FIDEI. Ex concilio urbis Romae sub Damaso papa. Dictum 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. Multiformis 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. From the Council of the City of Rome under Pope Damasus. It 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. Moreover, 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.
stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1:2 · narrativemedium
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. Ex 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.” From 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.
stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1:3 · narrativehigh
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. Est ergo prima Petri apostoli sedes Romana Ecclesia, non habens maculam, noque rugam, neque aliud hujusmodi. Secunda 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. Tertia 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. Therefore, the first see is the Roman Church of the Apostle Peter, having no stain, no wrinkle, nor anything of the sort. The 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. The 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.
stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1:4 · narrativemedium
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.
Citation. Tergwame, “De Explanatione Fidei”, stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/stoa0105.stoa006.opp-lat1#s1
Colophon. Source: ogl-pl · licence: Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0024 · generated 2026-11-15.