AGAPE, or the FeAsT OF Love, from avaz-4, lore. v. as a religious festival, instituted by the primitive Chris tians in memory of the last supper which our Saviour ate with his apostles. It was early introduced into the church, and was generally celebrated in the place of worship, when the prayers and service of the day were over. This festival consisted of an entertainment pre pared by the rich members, to which the poor were in vited. There they testified their love, by mutual acts of kindness, by partaking of the same fare, and by libe rally supplying the necessities of their indigent brethren.
During the repast, the greatest decorum was observed; and, after having spent the night in religious conversa tion, and in exercises of devotion, they concluded with prayer. The contributions, which were made by the rich at these feasts, were not confined to the relief of their own members; but their charity extended even to he Heathens. Julian the apostate bears remarkable testimony to this fact, in his forty-ninth epistle to Arsa ius the high priest of Galatia. " It is a shame," says he, " that the impious Galilcans (Christians) should not only maintain their own poor, but ours also ; wherefore, let us not suffer them to out-do its in this virtue." These feasts generally accompanied the celebration of the Lord's Supper ; but whether they were held before or after the communion, commentators are not agreed.
From what Pliny says, in his epistle to the emperor Trajan, concerning the meetings of the Christians, it would appear, that the entertainment succeeded the dispensation of the sacrament, at least in those churches which were under his jurisdiction :—" They were wont," says he, " to meet before day, and sing a hymn to Christ, and to bind themselves by a solemn oath, or sacrament, to do no wickedness; and these things being performed, they departed and came again to partake of a common and innocent meal." The manner, however, and the time of celebrating this festival was different in different countries. But when that piety and virtue, which dered these meetings so useful in the primitive ages, began to decline, abuses soon followed, which gave oc• casion to the Heathens to tax the Christians with im purity. On this account, the kiss of charity between different sexes was d iscommued, and all couches, for the convenience or those who wished to cat more at their ease, were lOrbidden. These regulations, however, had very little effect; for the abuses became so notorious, that, at the council of Carthage, in the year 397, it was ordained, that the feasts shouid not be held in churches, except in cases of particular necessity. See Tertullian, c. xxxix. Calvert. Fleury, Hist. Eccicszast. tom. 1. liv. i. p. 64. (Ji)