catholic encyclopedia_ alpha and omega (in scripture).pdf

Alpha and Omega (in Scripture) Help support New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download or CDROM. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... Alpha and Omega are the first and the last letters, respectively, of the Greek alphabet. They have been employed from the fourth century as a symbol expressing the confidence of orthodox Christians in the scriptural proofs of Our Lord's divinity. This symbol was suggested by the Apocalypse, where Christ, as well as the Father, is "the First and the Last" (2:8); "the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (cf., 22:13; 1:8). Clement of Alexandria speaks of the Word as "the Alpha and the Omega of Whom alone the end becomes beginning, and ends again at the original beginning without any break" (Stromata IV.25). Tertullian also alludes to Christ as the Alpha and Omega (De Monogamiâ, v), and from Prudentius (Cathemer., ix, 10) we learn that in the fourth century the interpretation of the apocalyptic letters was still the same: "Alpha et Omega cognominatus, ipse fons et clausula, Omnium quae sunt, fuerunt, quaeque post futura sunt." It was, however, in the monuments of early Christianity that the symbolic Alpha and Omega had their greatest vogue. The earliest date at which this symbol occurs is in the year 295, in a dated inscription of Rome. In this example, however, it is to be noted that the Omega takes precedence, and that both letters form part of the inscription, thus: VIRGO MOR(T)VA ES(T) TVS [OMEGA] ET. A NVLLINO CON(S) (. . . died, a virgin Tuscus and Anullinus being consuls). The question whether this symbol in its regular form, was in use before the Council of Nicaea (325) has not yet been settled definitely. If so, it was of very rare occurrence. In a fresco which dates from the middle of the fourth century in the "great cave" of the catacomb of Praetextatus, Alpha and Omega are found in connection with the monogrammatic cross. The oldest inscription in which the letters occur in their traditional form dates from 364. From this time on they were a favorite symbol of the orthodox Christians (the Arians regarded it with disfavour and they are found on the monuments in all parts of early Christendom. The apocalyptic letters were represented either (1) alone, or (2) in connection with human or other figures, or (3) with other symbols. Examples of the

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6/6/2015 CATHOLICENCYCLOPEDIA:AlphaandOmega(InScripture)

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01332a.htm 1/2

AlphaandOmega(inScripture)HelpsupportNewAdventandgetthefullcontentsofthiswebsiteasaninstantdownloadorCDROM.IncludestheCatholicEncyclopedia,ChurchFathers,Summa,Bibleandmoreallforonly$19.99...

AlphaandOmegaarethefirstandthelastletters,respectively,oftheGreekalphabet.TheyhavebeenemployedfromthefourthcenturyasasymbolexpressingtheconfidenceoforthodoxChristiansinthescripturalproofsofOurLord'sdivinity.ThissymbolwassuggestedbytheApocalypse,whereChrist,aswellastheFather,is"theFirstandtheLast"(2:8)"theAlphaandOmega,thefirstandthelast,thebeginningandtheend"(cf.,22:131:8).ClementofAlexandriaspeaksofthe

Wordas"theAlphaandtheOmegaofWhomalonetheendbecomesbeginning,andendsagainattheoriginalbeginningwithoutanybreak"(StromataIV.25).TertullianalsoalludestoChristastheAlphaandOmega(DeMonogami,v),andfromPrudentius(Cathemer.,ix,10)welearnthatinthefourthcenturytheinterpretationoftheapocalypticletterswasstillthesame:"AlphaetOmegacognominatus,ipsefonsetclausula,Omniumquaesunt,fuerunt,quaequepostfuturasunt."Itwas,however,inthemonumentsofearlyChristianitythatthesymbolicAlphaandOmegahadtheirgreatestvogue.Theearliestdateatwhichthissymboloccursisintheyear295,inadatedinscriptionofRome.Inthisexample,however,itistobenotedthattheOmegatakesprecedence,andthatbothlettersformpartoftheinscription,thus:

VIRGOMOR(T)VAES(T)TVS[OMEGA]ET.ANVLLINOCON(S)(...died,avirginTuscusandAnullinusbeingconsuls).

Thequestionwhetherthissymbolinitsregularform,wasinusebeforetheCouncilofNicaea(325)hasnotyetbeensettleddefinitely.Ifso,itwasofveryrareoccurrence.Inafrescowhichdatesfromthemiddleofthefourthcenturyinthe"greatcave"ofthecatacombofPraetextatus,AlphaandOmegaarefoundinconnectionwiththemonogrammaticcross.Theoldestinscriptioninwhichthelettersoccurintheirtraditionalformdatesfrom364.FromthistimeontheywereafavoritesymboloftheorthodoxChristians(theAriansregardeditwithdisfavourandtheyarefoundonthemonumentsinallpartsofearlyChristendom.Theapocalypticletterswererepresentedeither(1)alone,or(2)inconnectionwithhumanorotherfigures,or(3)withothersymbols.Examplesofthe
6/6/2015 CATHOLICENCYCLOPEDIA:AlphaandOmega(InScripture)

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firstclass,towhichbelongstheinscriptionof364,arerare.ThesecondclassalsoisnotverynumerouslyrepresentedprobablythemostinterestingexampleofitisapanelofthefifthcenturydoorofSt.Sabina'swhereAlphaandOmegaarecarvedoneithersideoftherisenChrist.Monumentsofthethirdclass,representingAlphaandOmegainconnectionwithanothersymbol,usuallythemonogramofChrist,aremuchmorecommonthanthoseofthetwoformerclasses.TheminusculerformofOmegais,innearlyallcases,represented,thoughsomeexamplesoftheuppercaseOmegaoccurinthemonumentsofAfricaandSpain.Thewords"AlphaandOmega"continuedinuseintheMozarabicLiturgyalsointheancientIrishLiturgy,e.g.inthefamousCommunionhymnintheAntiphonaryofBangor.

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APAcitation.Hassett,M.(1907).AlphaandOmega(inScripture).InTheCatholicEncyclopedia.NewYork:RobertAppletonCompany.RetrievedJune6,2015fromNewAdvent:http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01332a.htm

MLAcitation.Hassett,Maurice."AlphaandOmega(inScripture)."TheCatholicEncyclopedia.Vol.1.NewYork:RobertAppletonCompany,1907.6Jun.2015.

Transcription.ThisarticlewastranscribedforNewAdventbyDonaldJ.Boon.

Ecclesiasticalapprobation.NihilObstat.March1,1907.RemyLafort,S.T.D.,Censor.Imprimatur.+JohnCardinalFarley,ArchbishopofNewYork.

Contactinformation.TheeditorofNewAdventisKevinKnight.Myemailaddressiswebmasteratnewadvent.org.Regrettably,Ican'treplytoeveryletter,butIgreatlyappreciateyourfeedbackespeciallynotificationsabouttypographicalerrorsandinappropriateads.