On Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter to the Hebrews (7:11-28) entitled "The eternal priesthood of Christ". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise on faith addressed to Peter by Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, bishop.
Saint Fulgentius was a follower of Saint Augustine's ideal of life and a student of Saint Augustine's theological teachings. Saint Fulgentius was a north African Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Ruspe and was a theological writer in modern-day, Tunisia, during the fifth and sixth century who defended orthodoxy against Arianism. He is known for his "heroic sanctity".
Fulgentius wrote "On Faith Addressed to Peter" to guide Peter, who was preparing for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and to equip him with a strong doctrinal foundation against Eastern heresies, particularly those that had gained traction after the widespread rejection of certain theological positions.
The treatise covers essential Catholic doctrines, including the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, the Redemptive Mission of Christ, and the Church's Authority. Fulgentius asserts that no one can be saved outside the Church, emphasizing the importance of Catholic unity. "On Faith Addressed to Peter" is considered a significant work of African theology, contributing to the development of Catholic doctrine and theological thought.
The eight chapters of the document can be paired thematically: chapters one and two treat the church's nature and historical existence, chapters three and four treat different roles in the church, chapters five and six treat holiness and religious life, while chapters seven and eight discuss the saints and Mary.
As early as the second century, this treatise, which is of great rhetorical power and force in its admonition to faithful pilgrimage under Christ's leadership, bore the title "To the Hebrews." It was assumed to be directed to Jewish Christians. Usually, Hebrews was attached in Greek manuscripts to the collection of letters by Paul. Although no author is mentioned (for there is no address), a reference to Timothy suggested connections to the circle of Paul and his assistants. Yet the exact audience, the author, and even whether Hebrews is a letter have long been disputed.
The author saw the addressees in danger of apostasy from their Christian faith. This danger was due not to any persecution from outsiders but to a weariness with the demands of Christian life and a growing indifference to their calling. The author's main theme, the priesthood and sacrifice of Jesus, is not developed for its own sake but as a means of restoring their lost fervor and strengthening them in their faith. Another important theme of the letter is that of the pilgrimage of the people of God to the heavenly Jerusalem. This theme is intimately connected with that of Jesus' ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.
