The Apostolic Constitutions is a manual in eight books, of ecclesiastical discipline, doctrine and worship, including the Didache.[25] Dating from the fourth or fifth century, more probably the fourth, it represents the practice of an earlier period well within the scope of this study and, in the opinion of Brightman, was compiled in Antioch or its neighborhood.[26] Since Greek was the prevailing language in the Christian world of that day, it became the liturgical language of early Christianity for the first three centuries. Even in Rome and other large cities of Italy, Greek was used. In Italy, with these exceptions and in the western provinces, Latin was employed, finally superseding Greek as the official language of the Western Church.[27]
The following hymns appear in the seventh book of the Apostolic Constitutions:
A morning hymn, Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῷ, Gloria in excelsis,
Glory to God in the highest;[28]
an evening hymn, Αἰνεῖτε παῖδες,
Ye children praise the Lord,[29]
which includes Σοὶ πρέπει αἶνος, Te decet laus,
Praise becomes Thee,
and Νῦν ἀπολύεις τὸν δοῦλόν σου, Nunc dimittis,
Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace;