Encyclopedic Dictionary of Bible and Theology

African Rite A development of the original Roman Rite; it is no longer used. Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary

African Missions of Lyons A congregation of secular priests founded at Lyons, France in 1856, by Monsignor de Bresillac and Father Planque. The latter reconstituted it in 1859. Its constitutions were provisionally approved in 1890, and definitively in 1900; they were revised and again approved by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in 1923 … Continue reading “African Missions of Lyons”

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church A body of Negroes first incorporated as the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1801, although separate and distinct from the preceding African Methodist Episcopal Church. It was not until 1848 that the name African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was adopted. They are in close accord with the Methodist Episcopal Church, … Continue reading “African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church”

African Methodist Episcopal Church A community of Methodist Episcopal Negroes organized on 9 to 11 April 1816 in Philadelphia under the leadership of Richard Allen. It is in close accord with the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church , and autonomous in its government. Seven periodicals are published. Foreign missionary work is carried on in … Continue reading “African Methodist Episcopal Church”

African Liturgy This liturgy was in use not only in the old Roman province of Africa of which Carthage was the capital, but also in Numidia and Mauretania; in fact, in all of Northern Africa from the borders of Egypt west to the Atlantic Ocean. Christianity was introduced into proconsular Africa in the latter half … Continue reading “African Liturgy”

African Councils We give under this head a chronological view (from Smith’s Dict. of Christ. Antiq. s.v.) of the various ancient synods held in different parts of Africa, exclusive of those of Egypt SEE ALEXANDRIA, COUNCILS OF, with the transactions of each, leaving further details for the separate places named. The date and relative order … Continue reading “African Councils”

African Code a title given to the codification or compilation of the conclusions arrived at in the various African councils (q.v.). . On this African Code a good deal has been written, but a good deal also remains unsolved, and. perhaps insoluble. Several of the canons contained in it have been assigned to more councils … Continue reading “African Code”

African Church, Early The name, Early African Church, is given to the Christian communities inhabiting the region known politically as Roman Africa, and comprised geographically within the following limits, namely: the Mediterranean littoral between Cyrenaica on the east and the river Ampsaga (now the Rummel) on the west; that part of it which faces the … Continue reading “African Church, Early”

African Church Christian communities of Roman Africa , which comprised what is now Tripoli, Algeria , and Morocco. The historical period begins with groups of martyrs , 180 ; in spite of persecutions Christianity rapidly spread from Carthage through the provinces. In the beginning of the 3rd century the edict of Emperor Decius started a … Continue reading “African Church”

Africa This name, which is of Phoenician origin, was at first given by the Romans to the territory about the city of Carthage. It gradually came to be applied to the whole Libyan territory occupied by the Romans, and it was understood in this sense, as late as the eleventh century, by Pope St. Leo … Continue reading “Africa”