What Early Christians Taught About the Lord’s Day
Early Christians treated the Lord’s Day as Sunday, the day of Jesus’ resurrection, and a regular day for worship. Justin Martyr says Christians met on Sunday; the Didache says they gathered then to break bread; and Peter of Alexandria and Cyprian call it a day of joy. Some writers also say believers should not fast or kneel on that day, which shows it was kept as a festival day.
137 early-church witnesses · 207 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Lord's Day?
Early Christian writings treat the Lord’s Day as the first day of the week, the day of Christ’s resurrection, and a regular day for church gathering, prayer, bread-breaking, and joy. Justin Martyr gives the clearest second-century account of Sunday assembly, while the Didache, Peter of Alexandria, Cyprian, Origen, and the Apostolic Constitutions repeat the same pattern in different ways.
Several writers also say believers should not fast or kneel on the Lord’s Day, showing it was marked as a festival day. The evidence is broad and early, though some texts are more about worship practice than a formal command to keep the day as a Sabbath. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians gathered on the Lord’s Day for worship, prayer, and bread-breaking.
- Justin Martyr, the Didache, Peter of Alexandria, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions all connect the Lord’s Day with resurrection joy.
- Several writers say Christians did not fast or kneel on the Lord’s Day because it was a day of joy.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians treat the Lord’s Day as the day of Christ’s resurrection?
The sources repeatedly identify the Lord’s Day with the resurrection of Christ. They say it is the day of joy because He rose again, and some describe it as the first day of the week or the day after the Sabbath.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
...e bless the Maker of all through His Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Ghost. On the day called Sunday, everyone who lives in cities or in the country gathers together in one place. The memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits. Then, when the reader has finished, the leader verbally instructs and encourages the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and as we mentioned before, when our prayer ends, bread and wine and water are brought. The leader offers prayers and thanksgivings according to his ability, and the people agree by saying Amen. There is a distribution to each person, and everyone participates in what has been blessed, and for those who are absent, a portion is sent by the deacons. Those who are well-off and willing give what they think is appropriate; the collection is deposited with the leader, who supports the orphans and widows, and those who, through illness or any other reason, are in need, as well as those who are imprisoned and the strangers living among us. In short, he takes care of all who are in need. Sunday is the day when we all hold our common assembly because it is the f
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Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching
But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
XXX . On the day of the resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord's day, assemble yourselves together, without fail, giving thanks to God, and praising Him for those mercies God has bestowed upon you through Christ, and has delivered you from ignorance, error, and bondage, that your sacrifice may be unspotted, and acceptable to God, who has said concerning His universal Church: In every place shall incense and a pure sacrifice be offered unto me;
Did early Christians gather for worship on the Lord’s Day?
Several sources describe Christians assembling on the Lord’s Day for prayer, Scripture reading, thanksgiving, and breaking bread. Justin Martyr gives the clearest overview, and the Didache and Apostolic Constitutions echo the same weekly gathering pattern.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
We have said that the Sabbath is on account of the creation, and the Lord's day of the resurrection.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
And on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the Lord's day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God that made the universe by Jesus, and sent Him to us, and condescended to let Him suffer, and raised Him from the dead.
Did early Christians fast or kneel on the Lord’s Day?
These sources say the Lord’s Day was kept as a day of joy, not fasting, because of the resurrection. Some also say Christians had received a custom of not bowing the knee on that day.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
But do not let your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth days of the week. But you should either fast all five days, or on the fourth day of the week and on the day of the Preparation. For on the fourth day the sentence against the Lord went out, when Judas promised to betray Him for money. And you must fast on the day of the Preparation, because on that day the Lord suffered death on the cross under Pontius Pilate. But keep the Sabbath and the Lord's Day as a festival, because the first is the memorial of creation, and the second is the memorial of the resurrection. But there is only one Sabbath to be observed by you in the whole year, and that is the Sabbath of our Lord's burial. On that day people ought to keep a fast, and not a festival. For since the Creator was then under the earth, sorrow for Him is stronger than joy for the creation. For the Creator is more honorable in nature and dignity than His own creatures.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
But from the even of the fifth day till cock-crowing break your fast when it is daybreak of the first day of the week, which is the Lord's day.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
... able. But from the evening of the fifth day until cock-crowing, break your fast at daybreak on the first day of the week, which is the Lord's Day. From evening until cock-crowing, stay awake and gather together in the church. Watch and pray, and entreat God. As you stay up all night, read the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms until cock-crowing. Baptize your catechumens, read the Gospel with fear and trembling, and speak to the people the things that lead to their salvation. End your sorrow, and ask God that Israel may be converted, and that He may allow them a place of repentance, and the remission of their impiety. For the judge, who was a stranger, washed his hands and said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see to it." But Israel cried out, "His blood be on us, and on our children." Matthew 27:24-25. And when Pilate said, "Shall I crucify your King?" they cried out, "We have no king but Caesar: crucify Him, crucify Him; for everyone that makes himself a king speaks against Caesar." And, "If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend." And Pilate the governor and Herod the king commanded Him to be crucified. And that oracle was fulfilled which says, "Why
Did early Christians connect the Lord’s Day with the eighth day?
A number of early writers call the Lord’s Day the eighth day and use it as a figure of new life or a new beginning. This material is more typological, but it helps explain how some Christians spoke about Sunday in relation to resurrection and renewal.
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Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Direct teaching
Zonaras says, "The fourth and sixth days of every week must always be kept as fast days. No one will find fault with us for fasting on those days," and he adds the reasons for this. But we should not fast on the Lord's Day, because it is a day of joy for the Lord's resurrection. And on that day, he says, we have received the rule that we should not even kneel. Therefore, this phrase, "we have received," should be carefully noted. It means that this is commanded to us according to tradition. From this it is clear that a long-established custom was accepted as law. Moreover, the great Basil also adds the reasons why it was forbidden to bend the knee on the Lord's Day, and from Passover to Pentecost. Read also the sixty-sixth and sixty-ninth Apostolical canons.
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Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness
and the reasons he subjoins. But on the Lord's day we ought not to fast, for it is a day of joy for the resurrection of the Lord, and on it, says he, we have received that we ought not even to bow the knee.
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Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness
But the Lord's day we celebrate as a day of joy, because on it He rose again, on which day we have received it for a custom not even to bow the knee.
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Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness
No one should blame us for observing the fourth day of the week and the Preparation, on which we are rightly instructed by tradition to fast. We fast on the fourth day because on that day the Jews made plans to betray the Lord. And we fast on the sixth day because on that day He himself suffered for us. But we celebrate the Lord's Day as a day of joy, because on it He rose again. On that day, we have also received the custom of not even bowing the knee.
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Irenaeus, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus Supporting witness
This [custom], of not bending the knee upon Sunday, is a symbol of the resurrection, through which we have been set free, by the grace of Christ, from sins, and from death, which has been put to death under Him.
Common Questions
Did early Christians meet on the Lord’s Day?
Yes. Justin Martyr says Christians gathered on Sunday, and the Didache says they gathered every Lord’s Day to break bread and give thanks.
Why did Christians honor the Lord’s Day?
They honored it because it was the day of Jesus’ resurrection.
Did early Christians fast on the Lord’s Day?
Usually no. Peter of Alexandria says the Lord’s Day was a day of joy, and he says Christians did not fast on it.
Source Index for the Lord's Day
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 150 ranked source links from 207 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 150 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 137
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
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Didache, Connection to Acts 20:7
Bible Passages 70 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.